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Virus Infected – Access the Hidden Files in Any Removable Media

When the flash  drive or any external storage device  is infected with a virus. The common problem we  encounter is that the files and  folders are missing inside. We thought that the files and the folder in the removable drive is deleted by virus.

The original copy is hidden inside the removable storage media ( that is, memory card, sd card, Microsd, flash disk, portable drive, built-in memory of cellphone, thumb drive, etc.).  If you haven’t yet update your antivirus to it’s latest definitions, the probability you will get infected this kind of infection is very high.

So be careful when using your external storage media to the computer that have not yet updated their antivirus program or no antivirus at all.

Hide by Virus

The picture ‘The Original Copy” is hidden by default. If you want to show this file again, just right click the folder and click properties and uncheck the Hidden selection.

But wait it’s not all  the time you open the properties you come up with the same information. Sometimes the Hidden option  selection is blurred and  can’t be access through uncheck.

To solve the problem:

    • You may copy or backup all the files inside the folder
  • after copying/ backing up all the files in different folders you may format the storage device or just delete the hidden folder

When you’re not comfortable the copying procedure you m
ay follow my alternative option:

    • Click Start Menu, Click Run (Windows XP System)
    • Click Windows Icon, click search area (Windows Vista and Windows 7)
    • Type Cmd
    • Hit Enter key on the keyboard
  • The windows command prompt appears
Windows CMD

Depending on the drive letter of your usb flash drive or removable device, type at the command prompt in this format

    • Removable device drive letter then colon
    • Sample if the the drive letter of the drive is F:
    • type F: , then hit enter
    • at the F:>
  • type the attrib –s –h –r  filename
attributes

In the above picture the research folder is blurred or hidden, to show the folder I type the attrib –s –h –r  research (research is the filename of hidden folder) to show it (hidden files in removable media|).

The solution above is useless  when your computer is still infected with a virus.

Fear not! your files are just hidden, most of the times you could easily unhide them through “tool>folder options>view>show hidden files and folders but there are cases wherein you still could not see your files.

Alternative way

Here is the step by step procedure to those files hidden by a virus

  • 1. Press Start and choose run
  • 2. On the dialog box type in cmd
  • 3. On the Command Prompt type in the drive letter followed by a colon
  • 4. type in attrib *. -h -s /s /d
  • 5. if problem still persists try typingin attrib -r -a -s -h *.*

Always remember to place a hidden folder named “autorun.inf” on your usb stick, this usually helps prevent infection on whatever computer you insert your pendrive on (incase your drive gets contaminated)

Tags : File RecoveryVirus Removal