MSE program is installed on my pc but windows explorer cannot find it

  • Thread starter Thread starter L Morris
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L

L Morris

Hi, helpful knowledgeable people!

I just noticed an icon on my task bar has gone blank, after a period ofnot using my laptop, and it says when I click it that whatever it was it no longer exists.
Then I learned it was originally a shortcut for Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE).
I tried to find it in My Programs to reinstate the taskbar shortcut, but it was nowhere to be found. I searched for it by name in windows Explorer too, with no results other than a past Norton diagnostic scan report I saved which lists all the software etc installed on pc at that time.
So I went to the MSE site and tried to download and reinstall it.
It says it cannot do so, however, as I already have a version of MSE installed — which it can detect — but, again, when I search for it in windows Explorer it does not appear to exist. I don't doubt that it is installed — I just can't find it and I don't understand!
As I cannot locate it anywhere on my system (computer literate but not especially knowledgeble and am no expert), not under this name nor by the name WIndows Antimalware Something which it was referred to as on its website, obviously I cannot run it, let alone re-instate a taskbar shortcut icon.
What's going on, please? What do I need to do to be able to run a MSE scan? I think I may have possibly recently turned it off, to give Norton 360 a bit longer of a chance (faulty inner argument to do with having bought it! Don't like it, only thing that's been useful is its Diagnostic Scan, which AVG does too ...but I've not got AVG on this computer), but I know not to run both in realtime, but I haven't tried to get rid of MSE at any point — I can't toally rermember, because I hadn't used the computer for a few weeks, but I thought I may have turned off its real-time protection.. maybe...but I'm not certain because I also think I turned off all of Norton's and just haven't uninstalled Norton yet ...but am going to soon, after one more system diagnostic scan first (not antivirus scan, just an info scan).
Obviously there's no question of it not being installed because its own self tells me I already have it on my system, plus I know I did not delete it at any point.
What is MSE called to search for and locate it on my computer?! I'm sure it used to be there under the simple name I'm using! I don't understand what's happened.
Thanks, if anyone is aware of this being something that has come up for anyone else.

Morven x

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