Folders and files on USB drive (as well as external 1.5TB hard drive) have been turned into shortcuts

elfinerisa · May 4, 2013

Hi everyone
I got all the files and folders on the USB drive as shortcuts. Really freaked out at first, and when I searched the web I found that they were not totally gone. Rather they had been transformed into hidden folders and files, and the shortcuts were still able to direct me back to those files (having said that i did need to ask the folders to show all hidden files and folders). now my question is, I am still able to access the files (not sure how long I would still have access until they are really totally dead, as I only had this problem yesterday at 4:11pm), but I don't know how to get rid of the "shortcuts", and let the "hidden files" stay unhidden at all times. i had a new antivirus installed (Nod 32) but I couldn't leave it running all the time, because when it runs it will say all those "hidden ones" are suspicious and would quarantine them. can anyone help? would really appreciate your contribution!!

popatim · May 4, 2013

that sounds like the indovirus. perhaps its out in a new form now as this originated quite a few years ago and should be easily detected by any new a/v software.

Gabr156i · May 5, 2013

Back up all your important data right now and run your antivirus tool to clean the virus afterwards.

elfinerisa · May 5, 2013

but is there anything I can do that would :
1) turn the "shortcuts" into "original target"? or maybe
2) turn the "hidden" (the original ones) into "unhidden"?
i don't really know whether I can "back up" the files. i mean, i don't know where the virus is (is it originally on my laptop? or on my usb drives?) and I don't know whether they would be carried forward to any other places when I do a back up?

is it actually safe to insert any other USB drives to my laptop now? would that virus climb onto any other attachments?

popatim · May 6, 2013

the shortcuts aren't really shortcuts. they are the virus. clicking them runs the virus which gives you access to the hidden folder. This is only tru if it actually is the indo that you have. Run an updated A/V scan from a boot dvd/usb so we can find out which one you have and perhaps find a removal tool online. Like I said Indo is quite old so this must be a new form of it going around so the old tools won't work right.

prashag · Aug 31, 2013

I have the same problem with all the usb devices I attach to my laptop......I have Mcaffe version 15.6 but it is not detecting any viruses......plz solve my problem

popatim · Aug 31, 2013

Please start your own thread.
Also Mcaffe has like 50 products. It would help to be more specific.

pickle1 · Jan 21, 2014

Try this 1.

Check whether the files are not in hidden mode. Follow the following steps.

Step 1:

Click on the below link and download the file "AutorunExterminator"

http://en.kioskea.net/download/download-11613-autorun-exterminator

Extract it --> Double-click on "AutorunExterminator" --> Plug your External

hard drive now.

This will remove the autorun.inf files from your External hard drive and also from

the drives.

Step 2:

Click on "Start" -->Run --> type cmd and click on OK.

Here I assume your External hard drive as G:

Enter this command.

attrib -h -r -s /s /d g:\*.*

You can copy the above command --> Right-click in the Command Prompt and

paste it.

Note : Replace the letter g with your External hard drive letter.

Now check for your files in External Drive.

Step 3:

After that, download the Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from the below link

http://en.kioskea.net/download/download-105-malwarebytes-anti-malware

Update it --> Perform "Full Scan"

Note : Default selected option is "Quick Scan".

Good Luck.

Search

Folders and files on USB drive (as well as external 1.5TB hard drive) have been turned into shortcuts

elfinerisa

Honorable

popatim

Titan

Gabr156i

Honorable

elfinerisa

Honorable

popatim

Titan

prashag

Honorable

popatim

Titan

pickle1

Honorable

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page