Disappearing applications or dead apps that suddenly stop working?

Has anyone else experienced disappearing applications or dead apps that suddenly stop working?
I have with my DMR RD-5R software. The EXE file gets deleted by the computer. My friends have mentioned WSJT-X alert stops running giving a "Fatal Error".
These problems have just popped up in the last week or so.
Just wondering if others are experiencing the same and if it is once again Windows 10 updates at the root of all evil?
73 for now k2gk

 

It's why I quit using Windows 10, on several machines. Even Windows-included apps (like calculator ) stopped working after bad updates.

I had to downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 7 at two jobs on two different machines because of it. At home, I just moved to Linux, and now my machines work again.

 

Windows 10 seems to remove and / or overwrite any off the wall programs or strange drivers that it doesn't like every time it updates itself.

So rather than trying to reinstall and fix everything over and over again, I just picked up a cheap Panasonic Toughbook with WinXP and DOS installed for running ham radio programs now. Haven't had any problems since.

Incidentally, there's an "unofficial" WinXP Service Pack 4 now available to bring it up to speed. I find WinXP is still far more compatible and friendlier with both new and old ham radio software than Win7, Win8 etc.

 

I have two Windows 10 laptops and one desktop. One of the laptops came with Windows 10, the other was a upgrade from Windows 7. So far I have never had a bad update on any of the systems. MS doesn't even bother me with forcing updates any more. They let me know if there is one, but allow me to install it at my leisure.

I don't use the basic calculator very much, but it does have some handy features. I just checked it on my laptop, and Calculator is working just fine.

But I prefer a RPN calculator. Over a 2 years ago, I downloaded and installed two RPN calculators (RetroCalc and RPN Scientific). I liked RetroCalc better than the other, but kept them both. After one of the updates, RetroCalc stopped working. But it was a simple trip to the Windows Store to fix the problem. Other than that, nothing else has been removed.

 

I like RPN also, but for some reason every time I use it I'm hungry for Kielbasa.

 

I used to date an RPN.

 

Smaczne!

 

Windows 10 Home here and no problems ever with this issue.

 

Dzien dobre!

 

It could be a Windows X update that changed or “broke” an underlying DLL or similar “library” file.
It could be a software update to the app itself.
It could be a software update from another app that changed a common DLL file — especially if the software package requires an older version. Same thing if a new (to you) piece of software or app was recently installed.
It could be a “false positive” from your anti-virus or malware detection program(s).

Disappearing apps are a red flag of an AV false positive. Many AV packages will move or “quarantine” suspect apps... some will delete them outright.