How to recover files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive

How to recover files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive: Many a times, people complain about the below problems-

“The folders in my pen drive are changed to shortcut files.”

“I cannot access data files in USB Pen drive and hard drives”

“The used space in my USB Pen drive is full but I cannot access the files.”

Many people suffer from these problems and thus result in losing the essential data files. Sometimes, it may happen that you have saved some important data in your pen drive but they are not accessible!! as you see some shortcuts with same file name. Till the time you try to figure it out, the original data is gone. You know your device is infected by virus but cannot do anything and thus format the USB Pen drive. This results in losing the important data. So, in this article I will teach you how to recover files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive.

Methods to recover files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive/hard drives:

Method 1:

Press Windows + R button. This will open RUN window.
Type cmd and press ENTER.
The Command Prompt window will appear on your screen.
Turn your Caps lock ON.
Type the following command in the Command Prompt window:- ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D G:/

NOTE: G:/ is the drive letter of your Pen drive. If you USB has another drive letter then replace G:/ with that drive letter.

How-to-recover-files-infected-by-Shortcut-virus-from-USB-Pendrive-1

Press ENTER.
You are done!! Check your USB Pen drive. You have recovered files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive.
Copy all the files to your hard drives and format the pen drive. The virus will be removed after formatting.

Method 2:

Open MY COMPUTER. Go to TOOLS at the top as shown in the below picture. Select FOLDER OPTIONS.

How-to-recover-files-infected-by-Shortcut-virus-from-USB-Pendrive-2

A new window will pop up on your screen. Go to VIEW tab.

How-to-recover-files-infected-by-Shortcut-virus-from-USB-Pendrive-3

Choose the option ”Show Hidden files and folders” and uncheck the boxes before ”Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)”.

How-to-recover-files-infected-by-Shortcut-virus-from-USB-Pendrive-4

Now open your pen drive. All your data will be visible.
You are done!! you have recovered files infected by Shortcut virus from USB Pen drive but for this method you need to keep these settings intake as the files has become operating system files.

75 COMMENTS

Kamal Dabee Jun 3, 2014 At 1:43 pm

Thanks for the tip. It worked.

- Ayan Jul 29, 2014 At 8:28 pm
  
  Thanks for your appreciation, Kamal!! 🙂
  
- marko Aug 29, 2014 At 3:17 am
  
  Method 2 works like a charm, thanks a lot.
  
Iwan Jul 4, 2014 At 11:12 am

thanks for the resolution. It works.

- Ayan Jul 29, 2014 At 8:28 pm
  
  Thanks for your appreciation, Iwan!! 🙂
  
Imran Jul 29, 2014 At 1:47 pm

Highly appreciate….its really working…..thnxxxx

- Ayan Jul 29, 2014 At 8:29 pm
  
  Thanks for your appreciation, Imran!! 🙂
  
John Jul 30, 2014 At 6:02 pm

Thanks man, more power to you. 🙂

- Ayan Jul 31, 2014 At 1:17 am
  
  Thanks for your motivation, John. 🙂
  
Chester Jul 31, 2014 At 1:23 pm

Thanks mate. Totally worked.

- Ayan Jul 31, 2014 At 7:56 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure, Chester and Thanks for your feedback.
  
osama Aug 16, 2014 At 10:51 pm

boht zabrdst cheez ha mere 1,322 files chalen jateen…..thanks alot

DEEPAK Aug 17, 2014 At 12:40 pm

its not working it showing the same problem

- Ayan Aug 17, 2014 At 9:15 pm
  
  It would surely work. Please check if you are following the same method as mentioned in the article.
  
fes Aug 19, 2014 At 7:06 am

thanks a lot, just managed to retrieve my lost assignment. tip was helpful

Gucci Aug 24, 2014 At 4:38 pm

Thanks for the useful tip. It worked

- Ayan Aug 24, 2014 At 10:41 pm
  
  Always my pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Jeffrey A. Hernandez Aug 28, 2014 At 1:14 pm

Thank You So Much Sir
It really works…
All my important files has been recovered…

- Ayan Aug 29, 2014 At 12:21 am
  
  Always my pleasure Jeffrey and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Raja Aug 30, 2014 At 1:07 pm

I put some files in my destop.bt that files infected by shortcut virus.hw can i recover my data? Thats are imptnt files.do u knw any solutions?

- Ayan Sep 3, 2014 At 1:53 am
  
  Follow the methods described in this article. You would successfully recover the files.
  
K Balaraju Aug 30, 2014 At 7:02 pm

THANKS FOR GIVING VALUABLE SOLUTION FOR MY LOST DATA DUE TO VIRUS

- Ayan Sep 3, 2014 At 1:55 am
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Virusssssss Sep 1, 2014 At 3:26 pm

When i press enter it wont work. why? it just leaves a space underneath. 🙁

- Ayan Sep 3, 2014 At 2:10 am
  
  Use Method 2. It would surely work.
  
Abhishek Sisodiya Sep 3, 2014 At 11:20 am

What about windows 8? #code not working there

- Ayan Sep 4, 2014 At 5:02 pm
  
  Use method 2. It would surely work.
  
Arun Sep 3, 2014 At 3:00 pm

Thank you dude…..

- Ayan Sep 4, 2014 At 5:19 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure Buddy. 🙂
  
PRAIRNA MALLA Sep 8, 2014 At 9:18 pm

THANX FOR UR HELP, AFTER FOLLOWING METHOD 1 BOTH MY FOLDERS AND SHORTCUTS WERE THERE.WILL IT CAUSE ANY PROBLEM TO MY COMPUTER

- Ayan Sep 9, 2014 At 9:12 am
  
  No, it won’t cause any problem. And Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Nishant Sharma Sep 12, 2014 At 11:16 pm

Thank you sir.Second way worked out

- Ayan Sep 13, 2014 At 11:02 am
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
HRITHIK Sep 15, 2014 At 10:21 pm

thanks a lot buddy! i was worried a lot from many days

i tried every computer shop but no one could help it !!!

at last i tried your trick and it worked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanxx a lot ARYAN vey much

i found my very precious data

- Ayan Sep 17, 2014 At 4:55 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure, buddy. And thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
HARDIK Sep 27, 2014 At 7:24 pm

DUDE ,
AFTER THE COMMAND IS EXECUTED
I AM RECIEVING A MESSAGE
“ACCESS DENIED-H:\AUTORUN.INF”
WHAT TO DO KNOW? (THE SECOND METHOD IS ALSO NOT WORKING)….

- Ayan Sep 27, 2014 At 10:12 pm
  
  Follow the second method, it would absolutely work. Make sure the files are in the pendrive. See the properties of the USB.
  
SASI Sep 30, 2014 At 4:34 pm

it WORKED WELL THANKS

- Ayan Oct 1, 2014 At 12:56 am
  
  Always my pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
prarthana Oct 2, 2014 At 9:00 pm

if this works for me them i would surely pray for your good!@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Ayan Oct 3, 2014 At 12:20 pm
  
  It would surely work. 🙂
  
ECHO Oct 3, 2014 At 11:00 am

THNXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DEAR

- Ayan Oct 3, 2014 At 12:22 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure. 🙂
  
SOE MYAT Oct 9, 2014 At 9:52 pm

Thanks a lot !

- Ayan Oct 15, 2014 At 8:05 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Prateek Oct 16, 2014 At 11:20 pm

Had a pre wedding shoot in my pd and it just created the shortcut due to virus.. but using the first method i got everything back… man u saved my life

Thanks a ton
‘

- Ayan Oct 18, 2014 At 7:46 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. I am glad that I could help you. 🙂
  
Idid Oct 21, 2014 At 2:39 pm

But it didn’t work for me..do u have any others idea?

- Ayan Oct 26, 2014 At 8:15 pm
  
  It would surely work. Make sure you are following the method correctly.
  
vicky Oct 27, 2014 At 4:45 pm

thanks for the information…its very useful for me…

- Ayan Oct 27, 2014 At 11:48 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
AKSHAY Oct 29, 2014 At 7:53 am

thanx bru thanx a (lot)*100 ; i hv suffered from this problem in the past also nd always formatted the pd thinking only a tech could recover such things but this time i googled the problem and it was so easy thnx a lot
i also hv a ques :- since now my pc is likely to be infected by this shortcut virus ,will it also infect all my files if i connect my hard disk and if so how shud i get rid of it

- Ayan Oct 31, 2014 At 4:30 pm
  
  Yes, it would spread to your hard disk too. To remove shortcut virus, read this article.
  http://www.techdisko.com/delete-remove-shortcut-virus-usb-pendrive-hard-disk-pc.html
  
sUBRATO PAUL Nov 3, 2014 At 1:11 pm

nice dude

sudha Nov 4, 2014 At 2:09 pm

thanks dude it really working

- Ayan Nov 5, 2014 At 1:18 am
  
  Always my Pleasure, Sudha and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
  - SURYA Nov 20, 2014 At 12:43 am
    
    Thanks brother.
    
    - Ayan Nov 20, 2014 At 8:18 pm
      
      Always my Pleasure, buddy. 🙂
      
Hisyam Hilmi Nov 18, 2014 At 9:04 pm

yo man,i follow your last step and it works, but now it became hidden file and i cant unhidden it. please help me

- Ayan Nov 20, 2014 At 8:36 pm
  
  These files have become protected operating system files. So, it will be default hidden. If you want to unhide it, then try removing the virus by a good antivirus or by using shortcut virus remover tool.
  
FATIN Nov 20, 2014 At 3:43 pm

you are so genius! thanks a lot! phewww

- Ayan Nov 20, 2014 At 8:17 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
- Ayan Nov 20, 2014 At 8:17 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure and thanks for your feedback. 🙂
  
Kim Nov 21, 2014 At 5:19 am

Hi Ayan,

I appreciate your website with all the free information! Thank you.

Unfortunately, none of the above methods have worked to restore my files on my C Drive. They are all still shortcut files and I can’t open any of them. I have tried all the methods, most of them several times, and nothing has worked so far. Do you have any other suggestions? I noticed that all the icons on my desktop have also been wiped off, if that helps the diagnosis.

Thanks so much!

-Kim

- Ayan Nov 21, 2014 At 11:09 pm
  
  The second method would surely work. I do not know why isn’t it working. Please make sure that the files are in your C drive and you haven’t deleted it.
  
CHINTU Dec 7, 2014 At 9:14 pm

awesome trick buddy…..

Prajakta Jan 23, 2015 At 1:04 pm

Hi Ayan,

Thank you very very much!!!!

Your 2nd method saved us.

God bless you.

Best Regards,
Prajakta

- Ayan Jan 23, 2015 At 10:30 pm
  
  Thanks for your appreciation, Prajakta. 🙂
  
Anoon Jan 30, 2015 At 6:35 pm

Method 2 just works. Thanks a lot bro!

- Ayan Feb 3, 2015 At 6:33 pm
  
  Always my Pleasure, buddy. 🙂
  
Ariful Islam Mar 8, 2015 At 11:25 am

Thanks a lot…it is working fine…

Himanshu Saini Apr 7, 2015 At 8:35 pm

Thanks a lot brother…!!
It almost saved my life…!! 😛

- Ayan Apr 14, 2015 At 10:20 am
  
  Always my pleasure, buddy!! 🙂
  
Hariharan Apr 10, 2015 At 6:39 pm

THANKS A LOT MAN!!!! 😀

THIS IS SOME SERIOUS FIX….WORKED GREAT 😀

THANKS A LOT AGAIN 😀

kimmic25 Dec 5, 2015 At 8:32 pm

Hi i have a pendrive its not showing on my computer i was thinking id change the letter of the name . So maybe it would show and i could see the files it contains a virus if i do this after can j use cmd and restore my files back ? Just in case it wownt work method 1 nothing would be lost right from my files ???