Windows or Steam vanquished my tools

[LivingInThePast 364]

I use Windows 7 (refuse to update to 10) and after a software update Windows insisted on running, I found some gaps in my desktop. I determined from partial screengrabs of my desktop, I noticed that the shortcut for the SC4 Plug-in Manager had vanished, and I believe that another button to the Lot Editor is gone as well. Nothing else seemed out of place, and the only thing that I can think of is since the Lot Editor manual is still part of the Steam "commonapps" area (and I did reinstall Steam recently, as well as update it when I wanted), those things were wiped (and not just the shortcuts). Has anyone else had a similar problem?

[rsc204 21,867]

Have you established if it's just the shortcuts that have gone, or are the Apps themselves missing? If it's just the former, I'd re-make the shortcuts (Drag program to desktop whilst holding SHIFT+CONTROL).

Shortcuts can be removed/moved/cleaned for a variety of reasons I can think of, that wouldn't bother me. But Windows updates (unless MS have a new low), don't mess with installed applications. So if you are having issues there, I'd run a full security scan to ensure nothing nasty was on my system.

[CorinaMarie 29,902]

I'm sure you already thought of this, but just in case: Did you check in whatever 7 calls the Recycle Bin? Perhaps they were just deleted, but are sitting in there and can be restored.

[LivingInThePast 364]

7 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Have you established if it's just the shortcuts that have gone, or are the Apps themselves missing? If it's just the former, I'd re-make the shortcuts (Drag program to desktop whilst holding SHIFT+CONTROL).

Shortcuts can be removed/moved/cleaned for a variety of reasons I can think of, that wouldn't bother me. But Windows updates (unless MS have a new low), don't mess with installed applications. So if you are having issues there, I'd run a full security scan to ensure nothing nasty was on my system.

Finding out the items were on Steam had a lot to do with it. I know I had reinstalled Steam recently by saving the steamapps folder (didn't want to risk losing game files/installed games) so maybe it had to do with that. I think it will probably reappear if I reinstall SimCity 4 from Steam, but I'm surprised a similar scenario like this did not happen before.

6 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I'm sure you already thought of this, but just in case: Did you check in whatever 7 calls the Recycle Bin? Perhaps they were just deleted, but are sitting in there and can be restored.

Yes I checked, they're not there.