How To Remove Shortcut Virus From Pendrive
I know how annoying it is to have to constantly delete and reinstall viruses from a pendrive because of my inner nerd. Viruses that alter shortcuts might make it difficult to access your files by hiding them, creating duplicate shortcuts, or both. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to manually delete the shortcut virus from your pendrive so you can access your data again and use it normally.
First, remove the pendrive from your computer in a secure manner. This prevents the virus from infecting other devices on the network.
The second step in getting rid of the shortcut virus is to scan your computer with your antivirus program. Scan the whole system, including the flash drive, using your chosen antivirus program. This will aid in locating and removing any harmful files connected to the shortcut malware.
Third, turn on the option to see hidden files; the shortcut virus often conceals your data by doing this. File Explorer’s “View” tab is where you’ll find the option to unhide these documents. If you want to see files and folders that are normally hidden, use the “Hidden items” option.
Then, remove linked files. In File Explorer, go to your flash drive and check for any odd shortcuts. You may recognize these files by their familiar names, only the “.lnk” extension will be appended at the end. Choose the shortcut files you suspect may be infected and remove them.
The fifth step is to restore the hidden files and directories once the shortcut files have been removed. choose anything left on your flash drive in File Explorer, right-click, and choose “Properties.” To make your files visible again, go to the “General” page and uncheck the “Hidden” attribute. Then, click the “Apply” button.
The sixth step is to delete the “autorun.inf” file that the shortcut virus usually leaves behind on the USB flash device. Launch File Explorer and go to your flash drive to delete the file. Using the right mouse button and the “Delete” option, you can find the “autorun.inf” file and get rid of it.
Seventh, launch the Command Prompt to make sure the infected shortcuts are gone for good. In order to access the Command Prompt with administrative privileges, right-click the Start menu, and then choose “Command Prompt (Admin).” A fresh instance of the command prompt will launch.
Step Eight: Clean and Run Diskpart: Type “diskpart” into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter to launch the Diskpart tool. Then, type in each command one by one and hit Enter afterward:
- “list disk” (shows a directory of all the disks that may be used)
- “select disk [disk number]” (chooses the USB flash drive you specify by number)
- “clean” (formats the flash disk)
After executing the Diskpart instructions, step nine is to format the pendrive to start fresh. To format your flash drive, right-click it in File Explorer, choose “Format,” and then adhere to the on-screen prompts. You should back up any necessary files before proceeding, since this will permanently delete anything from the pendrive.
To recapture access to your information and restore the pendrive’s functioning, it is essential to eliminate the shortcut virus. You can successfully remove the shortcut virus and prevent its recurrence by following the step-by-step process outlined in this guide, which includes scanning with antivirus software, turning on the show hidden files option, deleting shortcut files, removing the autorun.inf file, using Command Prompt, and reformatting the pendrive. Protect your flash drive to keep your information safe.