USB Thumb Drive appear as shortcut

How to Remove Shortcut Virus from USB Drive and PC?

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Last updated on May 30th, at 12:25 pm

The shortcut virus is a malicious software that infects pen drives, USB drives, and hard drives. This virus turns files into shortcuts. It can be frustrating and pose a risk to your data. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the steps to remove the shortcut virus from all your USB devices and PC.

When the shortcut virus infects a device, all saved files become inaccessible. To access your files, you need to remove the shortcut virus. Here’s how to remove the shortcut virus from your USB drive, pen drive, or SD card using cmd and recover your files.

The Problem with Shortcut virus

Typical issue with the shortcut virus: When I click on a USB thumb drive in Windows Explorer, Windows Explorer opens a shortcut of the USB thumb drive. And when I click on the USB thumb drive shortcut icon, windows display the message “The specified module could not be found”.

I can not access the files in my USB thumb drive, even though Windows shows the correct size and available free space in the USB thumb drive”

I am sure many of us have faced this Pendrive Shortcut Problem, an error in reading the content of the USB thumb drive. Windows just can not read any content of the USB thumb drive.

This is a problem with the file structure. Most likely your USB thumb drive was hit by the shortcut virus. Your anti-virus must have detected the virus and either isolated it or deleted it. Resulting in a problem with the file structure of the USB thumb drive.

See also How to protect Pendrive, USB drive from virus, and Malware.

What this shortcut virus does is take the help of one of the system programs to create a shortcut.exe on the Pendrive and you will not be able to access the data on your Pendrive without double-clicking on this shortcut (Which in return again installs the virus on your system).

To get rid of it you either need to remove the shortcut virus manually or prevent the virus from getting access to that system program.

Steps to remove shortcut virus from pen drive, USB drive

If your USB drive doesn’t have important files you can try to Format it, but if it contains important files then follow these steps to remove the shortcut virus and recover your files

  • Insert the USB thumb drive on the PC and scan for any virus.
  • Open Windows Explorer (open my computer) and note down the USB drive letter.
  • Go to start>Run> type CMD in the field.
  • Select the Command prompt and click to Run as Administrator.
  • In the command prompt window type the following line

attrib -h -r -s M:*.* /s /d

Note: M should be replaced by your USB drive letter. Press enter. Wait for a few seconds.

how to remove shortcut virus

In most cases, the above command works. But just in case it doesn’t solve your problem you can try the following command.

attrib -h -r -s /s /d M:\*.*  ( M stands for the drive letter for your Pendrive)

Now open My computer and check your Pendrive. It should open, it may contain the shortcut for the USB thumb drive and also a few folders.

Check the folder if all your files are intact, you can delete the shortcut icon. Copy your files save them on the Desktop and format the Pendrive, to be on the safer side.

Additional TIP: If you know your Pendrive is infected with a virus, don’t double-click on it. Try to browse it using right-click or try to open it in a new window.

Double-clicking runs the “Autorun.inf” which is mostly accompanied by a virus. Inside Autorun.inf there are commands written that finally execute your virus. Hence double-clicking an infected PD runs your virus and infects the PC.

Conclusion
Shortcut viruses can be a real headache, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can effectively remove them and protect your devices. Remember to stay vigilant, keep your antivirus updated, and regularly back up your data. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure your pen drives, USB drives, and hard drives remain secure and virus-free.

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