Why has Google Earth gone from my laptop?

[ChickenGuy]

It's stupid things like this that really make me lose my temper and want to rip Windows 7 out of my laptop with my bare hands.

My laptop has apparently decided to:

- remove Google Earth from my system,
- refuse to let me see the icon for it when I re-download it,
- pretend that I haven't just installed it,

Meanwhile, the Google Earth website obviously tells you everything about the program EXCEPT where you're supposed to find it on your computer.

All this despite it (of course) having worked perfectly fine for MONTHS until now.

What the FUCK is going on?

 

[trinket]

Here you go:

http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=182171

Installing Google Earth on Windows 7

This article helps resolve the following issues:

* Installation problems, including Error code = 0x80072ee2
* No Google Earth desktop icon
* Disappearing Google Earth desktop icon

 

[ChickenGuy]

^ All fixed!

I uninstalled the program, ran the repair software that was suggested, then re-installed - it's all fine now!

I did have to sign up and pay for the yearly subscription to that online repair program - so maybe not so good - but at least it did the job. And not only that, it's also seems to have fixed a long-standing bug I had with Windows automatic updates where corrupt files were preventing a proper installation - it all appears to be sorted out now.

Thanks for the help and the link, trinket.

 

[trinket]

I did have to sign up and pay for the yearly subscription to that online repair program - so maybe not so good - but at least it did the job.

Hmmm, that doesn't seem right, that you have to pay for anything as part of this process. The "Windows Installer Cleanup Utility" that Google suggests is free; they wouldn't advise paying for a piece of software to resolve an issue like that. Did you inadvertently sign up with one of the ad windows at the download site for a companion/competing product? It probably wasn't necessary, but at least it may not be spyware/malware since it's from a reputable download site.

 

[ChickenGuy]

Did you inadvertently sign up with one of the ad windows at the download site for a companion/competing product?

SHIT!!!!

That's exactly what I've done!

I pressed the green button top right, naturally assuming it was a legitimate link - I see now from looking at the URL that it was an ad!

Those bastards should NOT BE ALLOWED to deliberately disguise ads as download buttons like that! They know fucking fine what they're doing - relying on every single customer they get being a mistaken purchase! And now I fell for it, and they've got about £50 ($80) from me!

Are you saying that I could and should have got the same result for free?

There you have it folks - I was just conned.

 

[trinket]

ChickenGuy, yes, try to get a refund, complain about the product confusion/misleading page to the company itself (be nice; "you can catch more flies with honey"). If that doesn't work, play hardball and contact your credit card company and get a refund (they'l do a "chargeback" to a vendor).

I guess you clicked on the wrong green button (there are a few). As you say, you were in the banner ad, not the free, main item linked to on the page. I don't know your level of computer-savvy, but you have to look closely at the way banner ads are sized and structured in relation to the main content on a page and always look at the URL you're following. It raises red flags when you're asked to fork over dollars as well - don't do it unless you know what you're purchasing and genuinely need/want it!

 

[ChickenGuy]

THIS NIGHTMARE GETS WORSE.


I removed the software, deleted the files, and reverted the system. I sent them a message about how I was tricked into signing up, and asked for a refund.

Now they're saying that I didn't uninstall properly, and are telling me to reinstall the whole software in its entirity just to uninstall it properly again.

They won't refund me unless I do this.

So I go to reinstall - I CAN'T because it can't install while Windows automatic updates are running.

And as you can see from the other thread I just made, I CAN'T stop the automatic updates loading because of a long-standing bug in my system.

I can do NOTHING more about this refund until my other problem in resolved.

At this point, I will direct you to the more serious problem in my other thread:

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=354769

And only when THAT issue has been resolved, will we ever find out if THIS issue can be resolved.





I can't believe how a small problem with Google Earth has escalated in one day into a chain of events that has conned me out of £50 and has crashed ALL sound and video on my laptop.