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Unhide your folders and files hidden by the virus.
Now you see your files, now you don’t?
You installed or updated your antivirus, and your files just disappeared. Oh my goodness!
You are now in a panic. It seems that you lost all your precious data, your report (with deadlines), presentations, list of clients and more. You blamed your antivirus and yourself. What can you do?
First, don’t blame yourself, it is the right thing you should do. Having an antivirus and keep it updated is wise. It just happen you installed or updated it after the virus is already infecting your files.
Second, don’t blame your antivirus, it isn’t the reason, why your files are gone. It is the virus that hides it, and replaced it (to make it unnoticed the virus resembles your files). However, your antivirus is smart enough, detects the virus and deleted it.
How to recover your files?
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Now that is your problem, but I will help you find a solution.
Step 1
- Go to my documents, organize, folder and search options and click the view tab.
- Under the Hidden files and folders, select the show hidden files, folders and drives.
- Uncheck the “hide extensions for known files” and “hide protected operating system files”.
Now you can see your hidden files in semi transparent and as you can see the extensions of your files are now visible .docx, .pptx, .txt and so on.
- Right click your hidden folder (it’s semi transparent) click properties.
- Under the general tab, uncheck the hidden. In some cases this solves the hidden files problem but most of the time this doesn’t help. If you solved your problem, good for you, if not don’t worry let’s proceed to the next step.
Step 2
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Just copy the code below (start from the bottom to completely copy the code) and paste it in notepad, save it as folder.vbs (change the .txt extension into .vbs) . Then paste it inside your HDD, SD card or USB drive from where your files were hidden and run it.
Don’t forget to change the “d:” in cDrive with your current drive letter.
‘ Change d: to the drive letter where you want the change will happen.
cDrive = “d:”Set FSO = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)
ShowSubfolders FSO.GetFolder(cDrive)
WScript.Echo “Done with fix.”Sub ShowSubFolders(Folder)
str = “”
For Each Subfolder in Folder.SubFolders
str = str & ” ” & Subfolder.Path
subFolder.Attributes = 0
ShowSubFolders Subfolder
Next
End Sub
You should see all your folders now. How about my image of precious moments, word documents and other files? Please take note that the above code is created to unhide folders alone the files outside your folders isn’t included. To unhide your files outside your folders let’s jump to the next step.
Step 3
- Click start, run, type cmd.
- Type your drive letter with colon Ex. e:, press enter.
- Then type
(without quotes)
Congratulations, you just retrieve your files and folders. If you have any better idea on how to unhide files and folders hidden by virus. Please share it with is, by commenting below. It will be highly appreciated.
Tharaka deemantha says
It’s very easy to recover files according to Your procedure. I think it’s the simplest way. Thank you !!!!
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Tharaka, Am happy that you found this helpful.
Kent basalan says
After searching for like 20 sites where they just copy and paste all solutions but you have the unique procedure and the only working one. Kuddos
Simon says
Wow…wow…wow. Ma’ man thanks so much! U just help me recover all my important document, especially my certificates. U r d best. Thank u so much!
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Simon, You are always welcome! 🙂 Am happy that you are able to unhide all your files with this guide.
Prateek says
recycle bin error what is the solution
I.C Tiempo says
Hi, open command prompt as administrator and type this command
rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin.BOT says
You saved my A$$….Thank you very much….!! 🙂
I.C Tiempo says
Your welcome 🙂
Mikis Zezas says
at command promt
Once you’re on the correct drive, type:
“attrib *.* -h -s /s /d” (without quotes) and hit Enter.
be careful with spaces
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Mikis,
Thank you for your input.
Mahmoud says
how to run the folder.vbs ??? it’s just FIL with open is only option
other thing the shortcut is not in removable disk it’s on hard drive D
please help me.
maria says
Wow thank you so much! YOU ARE LITERALLY A LIFE SAVER ALL MY REQUIREMENTS IN SCHOOL WERE THERE AND ALL THE MEMORIES OHMYGOD THANK U SO MUCH U DONT EVEN KNOW ♥♥♥
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Maria, am glad that you were able to recover all your files infected by virus using this guide. You are very much welcome 🙂
camille says
thank you sir 🙂 just asking now i can see my real folder? can i delete already the shortcut file inside my drive?
I.C Tiempo says
Sure, you can delete the shortcuts remnants from your Hard drive or Flash drive.
Camille says
Thank you!! IT WORKED!!!
Ben Dover says
for anyone having errors using the vbs file
try this
cDrive = “g:”
Set FSO = CreateObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)
ShowSubfolders FSO.GetFolder(cDrive)
WScript.Echo “Done with fix.”
Sub ShowSubFolders(Folder)
str = “”
For Each Subfolder in Folder.SubFolders
str = str & ” ” & Subfolder.Path
subFolder.Attributes = 0
ShowSubFolders Subfolder
Next
End Sub
just change the drive letter
Iae says
It still says there’s an invalid character, the ‘ and “
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Iae, pls “select all” and copy everything into your notepad and saved it as .VBS.
Peter says
This helped me save my usb. they also stored the files in a map with no name. just renaming it brought them back.
Ajeet says
Comment Text* hey dude its not working.. the vbs file is showing some error.. And although cmd is showing that.. “Path not found”..
please help me..
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Ajeet, please follow the instruction carefully. Kindly change the drive letter to your device drive letter.
TRES says
Thanks a lot… very helpful and easy to follow.. I’m about to throw my usb but because of your help it save and recovered…wishing you the best and more people can use your help
mah says
Thank you very much.
But,I got error while running the .vbs file .
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Mah, can you please post the error message?
Mr. Hus says
Thanks a lot for this tutorial! It solved my problem. Thanks again.
I.C Tiempo says
You are very much welcome Mr. Hus!
Thando says
Thank you very much, I was just about to give up and format everything stored in my drive
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Thando, you are very much welcome! It’s good to hear that you are able to unhide your files which was hidden by virus after following this guide.
Md Aktar Hossain says
Excellent assistance. Thanks and best wishes.
I.C Tiempo says
Hello MD Aktar,
Thank you for the commendation. I am happy to hear that this post helped you solved your hidden files issue.
Zarko BrankovicZarko Brankovic says
Wow thanks a LOT 😀
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Zarko, I am happy to know that this guide on how to unhide files and folders hidden by virus, helped you solved your problem.
A. RahimAbdul Rahim says
my file & folder semi appear but folder.vbs didn’t run , show error :
Script: H:\folder.vbs
Line: 19
Char: 16
Error: Syntax error
Code: 800A03EA
Source: Microsoft VBScirpt compilation error
Plz guid me …
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Rahim, please try the solutions here: How to remove shortcut virus permanently.
Oscar says
Nice hacks! helped me today!
Thanks so much!
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Oscar, you are always welcome. I am happy to know that this post (how to unhide files or folders hidden by virus) somehow, helped you.
Arijit Halder says
Hi
The description is quite good and even a non-expert can follow your aforesaid guide. But there is no way I found to solve the problem permanently. Can you suggest any way for permanently remove or stop the creation of shortcut virus on flash drive?
Anyway, it’s really a good one.
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Arijit, thank you for the compliments. Please follow the guide here: How to remove, stop, prevent shortcut virus permanently?
Hesham says
Very helpful info….thanks
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Hesham, it’s good to hear that you find this post helpful in unhiding files hidden by virus. You are most welcome.
Primus says
OMG thanks for this solution. I thought I’m gonna lose all my documents. thank you very much.
I.C Tiempo says
Hell Primus, am glad to learn that I was able to help. Thank you also for your appreciation and kind words.
Josip says
Hello there, my mom uses and old laptop with windowsxp on it and the script compilator keeps returning syntax erors for the ‘ ” or other signs, i removed the comments but even so it stops compiling in the first line of text when it reaches the “F:” part, any idea how to change it to work?
I.C Tiempo says
Hello Josip, I just updated the code, you can try to copy it now. Tell me if it works, again don’t forget to change the drive letter. By the way, upon pasting the code into notepad please delete the “read more etc…” at the bottom before saving.
Giuseppe says
Hello,
How or what made the decision to change the extension into .vbs, you have time to explain why these three letters and to pertaining from source?
The First step never cured and the Tabs from my Windows are set different from your windows.
I am going to try the Code, how was this developed into process steps in writing if you have time explaining?
I.C Tiempo says
Hi Giuseppe, the following are command script, if we use the.txt it won’t run. This script is developed just to unhide folders and sub-folders that’s been hidden by viruses (it will only work on windows environment).
steve says
Hey thank you! I needed only to uncheck…..-
best wishes
Robert says
Thank you, you made my day. Now I can see all my files.
I.C. Tiempo says
Hello Robert, am glad that you are able to unhide files and folders hidden by virus with this guide.