I have windows 7x64. In windows 7, whenever you install a new program, an icon for it will appear on the start menu with an orange background instead of its normal white background. When I got up this morning I opened the start menu and Google Earth was showing up as a new program. The problem is that I didn't install Google Earth recently (I
m not even sure that I ever did install it, if I did, it was over a year ago). The last program I installed was Oracle VirtualBox (a free sandbox program that I use to run a Linux OS (Ubuntu) from time to time if I have to go on a website that I don't completely trust) and this was installed about a week ago.
1. Does anyone have any idea what happened? I am going to have MSE run a virus scan on my whole computer, then I will update Malwarebytes and do the same with it. Is there anything else I need to do? Thanks
2. Is it possible/probable that this was an issue of it updating automatically and then Windows thinking it was a new program?
3. Is it possible (and if so, please give an example as to what could cause this glitch to occur) that Windows is making a mistake and thinking that this is a new program when it really isn't for some reason other than the above?
4. How likely is it that this is a virus? How should I make sure it is/is not? Thanks
Edit: I have not installed any Google programs on my windows 7 computer recently. I did install Chrome on Ubuntu a few days ago... but I only run Ubuntu in a sandbox and I don't share files between the virtual computer running Ubuntu and my physical computer running 7. I also am very careful to read the fine print and make sure that I don't accidentally opt into anything.
The start menu entry points to: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Earth\client\googleearth.exe"
I'm pretty sure that this is where it is suppose to point however
m not even sure that I ever did install it, if I did, it was over a year ago). The last program I installed was Oracle VirtualBox (a free sandbox program that I use to run a Linux OS (Ubuntu) from time to time if I have to go on a website that I don't completely trust) and this was installed about a week ago.
1. Does anyone have any idea what happened? I am going to have MSE run a virus scan on my whole computer, then I will update Malwarebytes and do the same with it. Is there anything else I need to do? Thanks
2. Is it possible/probable that this was an issue of it updating automatically and then Windows thinking it was a new program?
3. Is it possible (and if so, please give an example as to what could cause this glitch to occur) that Windows is making a mistake and thinking that this is a new program when it really isn't for some reason other than the above?
4. How likely is it that this is a virus? How should I make sure it is/is not? Thanks
Edit: I have not installed any Google programs on my windows 7 computer recently. I did install Chrome on Ubuntu a few days ago... but I only run Ubuntu in a sandbox and I don't share files between the virtual computer running Ubuntu and my physical computer running 7. I also am very careful to read the fine print and make sure that I don't accidentally opt into anything.
The start menu entry points to: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Earth\client\googleearth.exe"
I'm pretty sure that this is where it is suppose to point however
