Windows 10: ProgramFilesx86 folder on Win 11 x64 PC, wierd files appearing, Possible Malware

I don't know if I'm going crazy or what, but I've been noticing a lot of strange things on my PC and it has gotten worse over the past 5 days or so. Programs are appearing on my recent list that I didn't download recently. I have even uninstalled some but they show back up within 24 hours. I calibrated and had a monitor calibration file for my main monitorand possible my other monitor, but that has reverted to the default profile. I had Disabled Nahimic Audio Drivers a couple years ago and was only using the Realtek or Nvidia HD Audio drivers, but started seeing Nahimic again in the past few

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How to remove en.softonic malware that appears on desktop periodically

A kind of malware has somehow gotten onto my win 10 PC. What I get is a small advertisment that pops up in the bottom right on my desktop... When I turn it off (clicking the corner X). It comes back again some time later but with different content.

I haven't timed it but seems lake maybe a 1/2 hr.

I've googled extensively but all the instructions I've found, tell you to use the windows uninstaller to uninstall softonic. And maybe some manual clean up after the uninstall. But there is nothing installed with `softonic' in its name and even when the ad is running there is no process running with softonic in its name.

All the google hits appear to assume the windows uninstaller will know about softonic. Even the manual parts of some of the hits appear to assume you have been successful in unintalling it.

The instructions also suggest several free malware removal products and claim any of them will remove it.
`Zema Anti-malware', `MalwareBytes' and `AdwCleaner'

I tried all those listed in one of the instruction sets, ran the scan but none of them found whatever is running the little softonic pop up ad.

This type of malware apparently falls into a category called a `PUP'.

I never found in the google hits what expected would be there somewhere. A list of steps to remove something like this by hand.

Can anyone here advise me?

 

List all file folders, followed by subfolders and files in them was in Windows 7. Is it possible to get this list in Win 10

List all file folders, followed by subfolders and files in them was in Windows 7. Is it possible to get this list in Win 10 in the same order?

 

win 11 File Explorer This PC folders disappeared

win 11: File Explorer Documents Music Pictures Video folders under This PC disappeared

Rebooting, Resetting PC did not fix