New Virus Makes Folders Invisible

One of the handiest tools I have found for ferreting out unknown viruses is installing a dual-boot instance of a Linux distro on the computer- one can access the MS sector for read only, and have a look at hidden files, etc. I have found viruses this way. One needs to know the name of the file one is looking for, but I have found that there are a number of tools around that can help determine what is actually running on the computer when booted into Windows- Glary Utilities comes to mind. Have a look at all the running processes, determine those that might be suspicious, and search for them on the Internet. If you find one that is suspicious, you can delete it from the Linux system. You can also recover your files from Linux. You should be able to see the folders, open them and copy the files to another medium from Linux.

Hi there,

First Reboot and tap the F8 or delete key every second until the screen opens either black or blue with white letters. Select safe mode with networking; use up/down arrows and it will boot into safe mode, the start up will be different but relax and soon the sign on page will appear and the the resolution will be strange. Log into the administrative account then download F-secure Blacklight and run the scan and follow recommendations. Maybe nothing there, okay.

Next. in the start menu search box type regedit and then press enter. Find

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\ Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL·

After finding these path you can look an see the file Checked Value,

Just double click the file and you have to modify the data value as DWORD Value to 1. ·

Closing the regedit then go to Tools –>Folder Options ·

Click on View Tab Options and then select Show Hidden files and Folders.

Actually we're using Windows XP and the DWORD Value in the registery is already 1. The folers are alright in our flash drives in the beginning but when we access them in our PCs, one by one the folders turn into .exe files and dissappear. I dont believe its a registery issue - Its a virus, in our PCs.

For now we have stopped storing our within folders and directly save individual files in the drives, not inside folders.

How can this problem be resolved without formatting the drives?

Download Flash_Disinfector.exe and save it to your desktop.

Disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware applications as they may otherwise interfere

Double-click Flash_Disinfector.exe to run it and follow any prompts that may appear.

• The utility may ask you to insert your flash drive and/or other removable drives including your mobile phone. Please do so and allow the utility to clean up those drives as well.
• Wait until it has finished scanning and then exit the program.
• Reboot your computer when done.

I downloaded, installed and ran the Flash Disinfector program but the folders in my USB are still invisible. Though I can see them from 'dir/ad' in DOS but not in windows.

This is first the first time you've said that the files are on a flash drive what you need is data recovery

I did mention it b4. Data recovery is what im using right now to recover the hidden data. But thats not the permanent solution. When i again insert the flash disk in my PC, again, the folders in the USB disappear one by one. What i forgot to mention is that before the folders turning to .exe and disappear, b4 that, our McAfee Antivirus gave a virus warning for each folder. After the folders went off, the same antvirus could NOT be detect any virus, neither in our PC nor in the USB.

McAfee gets false positives too. On another computer download Avira rescue tool to disk then reboot with disk in drive and flash in port.

had similar problem...solved it

go to this link and follow instructions

http://www.bharathtech.com/2010/10/finding-disappeared-files-and-folders.html