[PsychPosse]

Has anyone else noticed any problems with XP (home edition here) as far as the standard Games, Calculator, and mspaint - disappearing. (Possibly after a recent update)

Here is the deal: I did an update awhile back and a few days later noticed my calculator was gone. I thought maybe I accidentally deleted the shortcut, but thats not the case. Then I noticed my standard games were gone too. I thought maybe I accidentally removed them when I sent copies to my sisters computer, so I didn't give it much more thought. ( I never play the games anyway)

But the other day I decided to do a clean install. I removed the HD and did a wipe and then reformatted. Did a clean install and after the intall I was checking things out, reminiscing the the "old" XP (before the SP's and all the updates came out).
I noticed that I had my games, my calculator.. all that.

So then I went through the time consuming ordeal of updating. So now, after completeing all of the updates for XP, I just noticed my games are gone, my calculator is gone and mspaint... gone. They are not in the system32 folder. They don't exist on my computer at all.

So I am thinking, ok.. there has to be a bug in one of the last updates.

Anyone else having, or heard, of a problem like this recently?

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I've read of this before but I can't find it anywhere now, sorry. I did find this here though: http://209.157.64.20...t/1907873/posts

Calculator > C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe
Sound Recorder > C:\Windows\System32\sndrec32.exe
Volume Control > C:\Windows\System32\sndvol32.exe
Paint > C:\Windows\System32\mspaint.exe
Solitaire > C:\Windows\System32\sol.exe
Hearts > C:\Windows\System32\mshearts.exe
Freecell > C:\Windows\System32\freecell.exe
MineSweeper > C:\Windows\System32\winmine.exe
Spider > C:\Windows\System32\spider.exe
Outlook Express > C:\Windows\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe

* Pinball > C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Pinball\pinball.exe
* Reversi > C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\Rvsezm.exe
* Spades > C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\shvlzm.exe

* your system may/may not include these

Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to navigate to the Windows\system32 folder then try running the ones you no longer have Icons (links) for. If they work that way, you can right click on each and select Send to and pick Desktop as the target. Then you can move them into any folder you want.

[Ztruker]

I've read of this before but I can't find it anywhere now, sorry. I did find this here though: http://209.157.64.20...t/1907873/posts

Calculator > C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe
Sound Recorder > C:\Windows\System32\sndrec32.exe
Volume Control > C:\Windows\System32\sndvol32.exe
Paint > C:\Windows\System32\mspaint.exe
Solitaire > C:\Windows\System32\sol.exe
Hearts > C:\Windows\System32\mshearts.exe
Freecell > C:\Windows\System32\freecell.exe
MineSweeper > C:\Windows\System32\winmine.exe
Spider > C:\Windows\System32\spider.exe
Outlook Express > C:\Windows\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe

* Pinball > C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Pinball\pinball.exe
* Reversi > C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\Rvsezm.exe
* Spades > C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\shvlzm.exe

* your system may/may not include these

Use Windows Explorer or My Computer to navigate to the Windows\system32 folder then try running the ones you no longer have Icons (links) for. If they work that way, you can right click on each and select Send to and pick Desktop as the target. Then you can move them into any folder you want.

[PsychPosse]

They are not in the system32 folder. They don't exist on my computer at all.

Thank you, Ztruker. I really do appreicate the help. But as I stated, they are not in the system32 folder anymore.
(I have considered that maybe I am just losing my mind, so I checked 4 times)

I actually know where they "should be" as I have helped others in this forum with a similiar issue, and they did find them where I pointed to. But in my case they are gone. They disappeared after an update before, and now after a dod style wipe - reformat - and fresh install, they showed up but disappeared again after updating. So I know it isn't a virus or anything. (unless the update is infected)

Edited by PsychPosse, 27 January 2008 - 07:15 PM.

[Ztruker]

You should be able to get Games back via Add or Remove Programs.

Click on Add/Remove Windows Components
Make sure Accessories/Utilities is checked.

Note: Don't uncheck anything as doing so will cause that item to be removed.

Click on Next and the missing Games should be installed. Don't know what the Calculator is part of though, can't find it anywhere in Windows Components.

You can get it off the XP CD, it's there as \I386\CALC.EX_. It's compressed so you will need to use the expand command to uncompress it to the system32 folder.

Enter expand /? from a command prompt for usage info.