Lost nearly every folder from showing in the "all programs" tab on start button

[rmarshall292]

Suddenly almost all of my folders and files within those folders disappeared from the "all programs" tab in the start menu. I can still access pretty much all of them in my folder for my c: drive but its super annoying. I would use the snipping tool and show you guys but apparently everything in the windows tools folder is gone.... What is going on!?

OS: Windows 8.1

 

[mickypheonix]

Hi rmarshall292
you may have a nasty , have you tried running malwarebytes ?
https://www.malwarebytes.org/?gclid=CPnSh6nFob8CFQR8vQodXUMA7w&utm_source=cj&utm_medium=aff&utm_content=11125352&utm_campaign=1807252&tracking=cj

 

[rmarshall292]

I'm running the scan now. While its doing that, anything else that could cause this?


Update: It detected some things called

PUP.Optional.SweetIM.A
PUP.Optional.InstallBrain.A

 

[mickypheonix]

http://www.malwareremovalguides.info/pup-optional-sweetpacks-removal-guide/
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/pup-optional-installbrain-a-removal/
remove them
I would also run a virus scan , what antivirus are you using ?

 

[rmarshall292]

Security essentials. I figure I'll just do a reformat. Won't be too much trouble

 

[mickypheonix]

hope it all works out for you , let me know how you get on , all the best