Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.

Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.

Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.

With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.

I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.

Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?

Revo uninstaller will display a list of all the programs you’re installed
and the date.

On 2/3/24 01:23 AM, Bill Powell wrote:
> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>
> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>
> Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
> know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>
> With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
> after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>
> I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
> just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
> that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.
>
> Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?
Most programs have their base program in "C:\program files" or "C:\program files (x86)". Store
apps etc I have no idea. Don't play with them.
Sort the folders by date and the most recent is it.

You should know the name, you can just hit the windows key and type part/all the name. Of course
that lets you run it, but you will see the name as Windows sees it. If I type Edge, I might see
'Microsoft Edge" so it's in the M's in the menu.

I used to have a program that did just what you are saying, in win7 or 98 maybe. I would keep some
records before and the check after and tell you what was changed. But I haven't needed that in too
many years.
--
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
Al

On 2/3/2024 1:23 AM, Bill Powell wrote:
> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>
> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>
> Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
> know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>
> With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
> after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>
> I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
> just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
> that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.
>
> Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?

There probably is such a thing, just don't expect it to serve you dinner.

I'm not going to spoil the fun of the others.

*******

What I will offer, is "watch the install with Process Monitor".

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

Published: September 29, 2023
Download Process Monitor (3.3 MB) <===

procmon64.exe # It starts to capture a trace right away.
# To stop a trace, click the poorly designed radio button in the File Menu.

The filter events

Operation is CreateFile
Operation is ReadFile
Operation is WriteFile

capture all file events, if you want to see those specifically.
All events are captured, and the filters are for "post trace
needle in haystack" work.

Other event types are in the menu. The menu is "trace sensitive".
For example, if the trace happened to have Notepad running in the
background, then the menu for

Process is <_____>

then that will include Notepad as a selector. If the run never saw
Notepad running at all, then Notepad won't be in the list of options
for filtering the process name.

I don't know if everything you need will be in there, but at
least you should see it installing in C:\Program Files. You should
also see things happen in %temp%. The "Jump To" function for an event
(like a file name), will open File Explorer at the location (assuming
you have permissions to do so).

I've never exceeded the 199,000,000 event limit. I've done 20 minute
traces of a backup program with it, which required 6GB of RAM for the
trace. The trace can also be assigned to disk drive storage if you want.
(But tracing could be slower.)

A dedicated install tracker will definitely be a better option,
but that's a very handy tool to have onboard. Yes, it captures
registry operations (too many of them in fact), and it also captures
network packets. The network packets was a recent addition (Microsoft
already had another network tracer that was using ETW events).

Paul

"Bill Powell" <bill@anarchists.org> wrote

| Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
| then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
| | Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
| pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
| My approach is to keep an orderly Start Menu. I remove
restrictions on the all users start menu first, though that's
probably not necessary. You just have to swat away constant
warning messages. "Do you really want to do what you just did?"

Then I open all users start menu and personal start menu,
because programs might be on either menu. I create folders
with names like Office, Internet, Media, Utilities, Graphics,
Programmming. Then I take the actual program shortcuts
for each program and put them into the respective folder.
Most programs install a folder full of crap, so you have to clean
all that out. Delete those folders and only keep the shortcuts.

The Start Menu is just a display of the Start Menu folder,
so you can make it usable. If you also get Classic Shell or
Open Shell then you can remove all the nonsense from the
Start Menu. The default is now like a confusing billboard for
the Windows Store. With the shell programs I revert to a
normal menu with a single column. I remove everything but Run,
Programs and Settings. No Search. No Apps. No recent files
or recently used programs. (The latter submenu, after all, is
an admission by Microsoft that they've screwed up the Start
Menu so badly that no one can use it. So they basically put
another Start Menu on the Start Menu, so that you can find
your browser and email program.)

I also put commonly used shortcuts in Quick Launch. You
can bring back that toolbar by creating a new toolbar from
right-click -> Taskbar and point that toolbar at the Quick
Launch folder, which is still there under personal app data
as something like Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Qucik Launch.
MS just broke it for unknown reasons.

So for most cases I just click an icon on the taskbar to open
a program. For less used programs, they're easy to find in the
Start Menu.

I think it's like anything. If you let your desk get piled up
with 10" of unfiled papers then there's no magic trick to finding
you credit card bill. You just have to organize. With Windows
there's the added trick of knowing that you actually can
organize. They don't make it easy.

On 2/3/24 09:09 AM, Newyana2 wrote:
> "Bill Powell" <bill@anarchists.org> wrote
>
> | Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
> | then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
> |
> | Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
> | pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
> |
> My approach is to keep an orderly Start Menu. I remove
> restrictions on the all users start menu first, though that's
> probably not necessary. You just have to swat away constant
> warning messages. "Do you really want to do what you just did?"
>
> Then I open all users start menu and personal start menu,
> because programs might be on either menu. I create folders
> with names like Office, Internet, Media, Utilities, Graphics,
> Programmming. Then I take the actual program shortcuts
> for each program and put them into the respective folder.
> Most programs install a folder full of crap, so you have to clean
> all that out. Delete those folders and only keep the shortcuts.
>
> The Start Menu is just a display of the Start Menu folder,
> so you can make it usable. If you also get Classic Shell or
> Open Shell then you can remove all the nonsense from the
> Start Menu. The default is now like a confusing billboard for
> the Windows Store. With the shell programs I revert to a
> normal menu with a single column. I remove everything but Run,
> Programs and Settings. No Search. No Apps. No recent files
> or recently used programs. (The latter submenu, after all, is
> an admission by Microsoft that they've screwed up the Start
> Menu so badly that no one can use it. So they basically put
> another Start Menu on the Start Menu, so that you can find
> your browser and email program.)
>
> I also put commonly used shortcuts in Quick Launch. You
> can bring back that toolbar by creating a new toolbar from
> right-click -> Taskbar and point that toolbar at the Quick
> Launch folder, which is still there under personal app data
> as something like Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Qucik Launch.
> MS just broke it for unknown reasons.
>
> So for most cases I just click an icon on the taskbar to open
> a program. For less used programs, they're easy to find in the
> Start Menu.
>
> I think it's like anything. If you let your desk get piled up
> with 10" of unfiled papers then there's no magic trick to finding
> you credit card bill. You just have to organize. With Windows
> there's the added trick of knowing that you actually can
> organize. They don't make it easy.
>
>
>
Did you get the "Office, Internet, Media, Utilities, Graphics,
Programmming" concept from Linux?
That's close to what they do on the menu. It IS easier.

--
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
Al

On 2/3/2024 1:23 AM, Bill Powell wrote:
> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>
> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>
> Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
> know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>
> With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
> after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>
> I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
> just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
> that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.
>
> Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?

IObit Uninstaller is free and after an install presents a small window
with the info. If you want to keep a record could do a screen print.

Newyana2 wrote on 2/3/24 7:09 AM:
>
> I also put commonly used shortcuts in Quick Launch. You
> can bring back that toolbar ****by creating a new toolbar from
> right-click -> Taskbar**** and point that toolbar at the Quick
> Launch folder, which is still there under personal app data
> as something like Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Qucik Launch.
> MS just broke it for unknown reasons.
>

In Windows 11(unlike Windows 10 and earlier o/s)addding a toolbar has
been removed.
- i.e. no rt. click option to create a new toolbar

The Quick Launch folder can be found at:
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer

The Quick Launch folder can be added to the Start screen menu(or placed
in a group)

There are tweaks/hacks that can add the QL folder to the Windows 11 Taskbar
e.g.
Create a shortcut in a folder wth the path
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
C:\Users\<yourusername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick
Launch
Rt Click the shortcut, select 'Show more options', select Pin to Taskbar

--
....w¡ñ§±¤ñ

"Big Al" <alan@invalid.com> wrote

| Did you get the "Office, Internet, Media, Utilities, Graphics,
| Programmming" concept from Linux?
| That's close to what they do on the menu. It IS easier.
|

I haven't noticed that on Linux. I just wanted to make it
all more orderly. It makes no sense to have 40-odd programs
in a random list.

Newyana2 wrote:

>| Did you get the "Office, Internet, Media, Utilities, Graphics,
>| Programmming" concept from Linux?
>| That's close to what they do on the menu. It IS easier.
>|
>
> I haven't noticed that on Linux. I just wanted to make it
> all more orderly. It makes no sense to have 40-odd programs
> in a random list.

It's actually not random, but alphabetical, which makes even less sense.

I use a system for two decades that covers everything I've ever installed.
archivers
browsers
cleaners
databases
editors
finances
games
hardware
network
os
telecom

I've never installed a problem that didn't fit into those categories.
Of course there are sub categories under them, as needed.

For example, in hardware are:
battery
board
blueray
bsod
clipboard
clock
cpu
driver
fan
mac
radio
ram
sdcard
shutdown
system
usb
video

Or for example, under editors are the file types I edit such as
3d
android
assembler
audio
barcode
calc
codec
convert
epub
gpx
hex
pic
pspdf
raster
screenrec
suite
txt
vid

Some, like cleaners, only have a few categories below it.
duplicate
uninstallers
updaters
vaccines
wipers

Over the past two decades, everything fit int a dozen categories.
This is useful because you get to know the hierarchy like the
back of your hand, so you always know where you stored things
because the original is stored in the same hierarchy as the
installed programs and that's the same as the menu hierarchy.

When you set up a new machine, you just copy the folders over.
Even the menus copy over and work perfectly on a new machine.

In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 3 Feb 2024 07:23:57 +0100, Bill
Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

>Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
>then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>
>Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
>pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>
>Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
>know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>
>With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
>after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>
>I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
>just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
>that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.
>
>Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?

I use (Search) Everthing when I lose track of where a file has gone.

If you don't have it you should. You can put in several partial names
at one time. It has loads of other powers but I get tired reading
them.

On 2/3/2024 10:25 PM, micky wrote:
> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 3 Feb 2024 07:23:57 +0100, Bill
> Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:
>
>> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
>> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>>
>> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
>> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>>
>> Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for all I
>> know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>>
>> With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
>> after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>>
>> I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
>> just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
>> that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount needed.
>>
>> Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?
>
> I use (Search) Everthing when I lose track of where a file has gone.
>
> If you don't have it you should. You can put in several partial names
> at one time. It has loads of other powers but I get tired reading
> them.
>

Search depends to some extent, on permissions.

Even nfi.exe does not list everything.

I'm not aware of any utility that is perfect, when
it comes to dealing with the C: drive. Two methods of search,
can differ by 100,000 files. It's that bad.

If you want access to the OS, the steps are:

1) Backup C: with Macrium
2) Mount Macrium MRIMG and turn the backed up C: into K: .
There is an option to "disable restricted access" which removes permissions.
That tick box, is the sole reason you're doing this -- the turning off of permissions.
3) *Then*, run a search against the K: drive using Agent Ransack.
The only thing missed with this method, is anything a backup does not
normally capture (shadows in System Volume Information, Windows.edb, Windows.db)

Since there is no way to verify what is in the OS, there is no way
to verify what you missed :-) Aren't puzzles great ?

Paul

On 03/02/2024 16:17, Zaidy036 wrote:
> On 2/3/2024 1:23 AM, Bill Powell wrote:
>> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
>> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>>
>> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
>> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>>
>> Besides, it might add a million entries into the system registry for
>> all I
>> know, and maybe a few files scattered about for the program's own data.
>>
>> With that in mind, I'd like to ask if there is a free Windows before and
>> after checker that will tell me what exactly an installer just did.
>>
>> I'm guessing you'd run this checker just before you install something and
>> just after, but that will take a LOT of time so better would be something
>> that just remembers the last thousand files or whatever the amount
>> needed.
>>
>> Is there a free tool that tells you what was just installed minutes ago?
>
> IObit Uninstaller is free and after an install presents a small window
> with the info. If you want to keep a record could do a screen print.

I refuse to have anything from Iobit, an unscrupulous Chinese provider,
after they were caught stealing from Malwarebytes & then had the gall to
deny it.

--
Regards
wasbit

On 3/2/2024 2:23 pm, Bill Powell wrote:
> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>
> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.

Just hit Start, then type the name of the program you wanna reach. After
it's loaded, go to the taskbar then right click the program icon -> Pin
to Start.

On 08/02/2024 17:01, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
> On 3/2/2024 2:23 pm, Bill Powell wrote:
>> Sometimes I install a program, and it doesn't ask me where to put it, and
>> then it doesn't even create a desktop icon nor even a start menu icon.
>>
>> Or maybe it does add an entry into the start menu which is already many
>> pages long where I don't always know what the first letter might be.
>
> Just hit Start, then type the name of the program you wanna reach. After
> it's loaded, go to the taskbar then right click the program icon -> Pin
> to Start.

If you run Classic Shell or Open Shell then it will be
Pin to Start Menu (Classic/Open Shell).

--
Regards
wasbit