USB Storage devices are best for transferring data from One PC to another. But this also makes them most vulnerable to malware and virus attacks. When you plug in the USB flash drive/ Pen drive into a system which is infected from malwares and viruses, the malwares automatically gets transferred to your device. This way they spreads from one system to another.
One of the virus/malware from which many USB drives are infected is shortcut virus. This virus turns the files and folders on your drive into shortcuts. You cannot open the files and folders as this gives you error. You cannot manually remove this virus as your data will also be removed. One way to remove the shortcut virus from your USB flash drive is to format the drive. But you do not want to do this if your drive contains some important data. I faced the same problem and searched over the Internet for the same. I found a very easy method to get rid of shortcuts from my flash drive without losing the data. In this post I am going to share it with all of you.
One of the virus/malware from which many USB drives are infected is shortcut virus. This virus turns the files and folders on your drive into shortcuts. You cannot open the files and folders as this gives you error. You cannot manually remove this virus as your data will also be removed. One way to remove the shortcut virus from your USB flash drive is to format the drive. But you do not want to do this if your drive contains some important data. I faced the same problem and searched over the Internet for the same. I found a very easy method to get rid of shortcuts from my flash drive without losing the data. In this post I am going to share it with all of you.
Removing the Shortcut Virus
I able to completely remove the shortcut virus from my USB storage drive (without losing my data) with the help of small software called USB Fix. Here is the step by step guide.
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1. First you need to install the USB fix software. It is of very small size(about 3 MB).You can download it from their website or from the link provided below. This worked on Windows XP, Vista, windows 7 and windows 8. Download here –USB FIX2. Once downloaded, run it. You do not need to install it in order to run it. It will ask you for the Admin privileges, just allow it.
Note: Some antivirus programs do not allow running this tool. I recommend you to disable your antivirus protection before running it.3. Click on the Clean Button and follow the instructions. Just Click No when it asks for the forum assistance. Before Clicking Clean make sure that your infected flash drive/ pen drive is connected to the PC.
4. It will start scanning all the External storage devices (your pen drives, flash drives,memory cards, etc.) and your PC’s hard disk. It will stop some windows processes and your running programs will close (save your work before running it). Don’t panic and let it finish the scan. 
5. On the completion of the scan, you can see the number of threats that are removed from your system. It will also show you the Log file which contains the information about your system and removed viruses.
6. Open your USB flash drive and you can see that all the shortcuts have been removed. Also your data is safe and intact.7. Here I attached screenshots of my USB drives before and after scanning withUSB Fix.
Before Scanning (Drives Infected with shortcut virus)
After Scanning (Drives free from shortcut virus)
In addition to removing viruses/malwares, it also fix other problems related to removable drives. There exists other methods for removing the shortcut virus from pen drives, but this one is the most simplest and easy to use method that works.You can use USB Fix to completely remove shortcut virus from your pen drive, memory cards, External Hard disks and even from your PC’s Internal hard drive. Have any problems, let me know by commenting below. Worked for you, share it to help others.
I able to completely remove the shortcut virus from my USB storage drive (without losing my data) with the help of small software called USB Fix. Here is the step by step guide.
Recommended Reading
Use System Restore to fix Windows problems and undo unwanted changes
1. First you need to install the USB fix software. It is of very small size(about 3 MB).You can download it from their website or from the link provided below. This worked on Windows XP, Vista, windows 7 and windows 8.
Download here –USB FIX
2. Once downloaded, run it. You do not need to install it in order to run it. It will ask you for the Admin privileges, just allow it.
Note: Some antivirus programs do not allow running this tool. I recommend you to disable your antivirus protection before running it.
Note: Some antivirus programs do not allow running this tool. I recommend you to disable your antivirus protection before running it.
3. Click on the Clean Button and follow the instructions. Just Click No when it asks for the forum assistance. Before Clicking Clean make sure that your infected flash drive/ pen drive is connected to the PC.
4. It will start scanning all the External storage devices (your pen drives, flash drives,memory cards, etc.) and your PC’s hard disk. It will stop some windows processes and your running programs will close (save your work before running it). Don’t panic and let it finish the scan.
5. On the completion of the scan, you can see the number of threats that are removed from your system. It will also show you the Log file which contains the information about your system and removed viruses.
6. Open your USB flash drive and you can see that all the shortcuts have been removed. Also your data is safe and intact.
7. Here I attached screenshots of my USB drives before and after scanning withUSB Fix.
Before Scanning (Drives Infected with shortcut virus)
After Scanning (Drives free from shortcut virus)
In addition to removing viruses/malwares, it also fix other problems related to removable drives. There exists other methods for removing the shortcut virus from pen drives, but this one is the most simplest and easy to use method that works.
You can use USB Fix to completely remove shortcut virus from your pen drive, memory cards, External Hard disks and even from your PC’s Internal hard drive. Have any problems, let me know by commenting below. Worked for you, share it to help others.
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