How to hide a folder on a USB flash drive. How to open hidden files on a USB flash drive

There are many viruses on the network that affect the operation of personal computers, phones, tablets and other equipment. In addition to those malicious programs that have a direct impact, there are those that simply hinder the user's work.

One of these viruses infects external drives information, and the most susceptible to its influence are flash cards. A virus can make a USB flash drive unreadable for a computer, make it a "carrier", delete any files from it, or hide them from the user. In the latter case, in place of the files, a person sees their duplicate shortcuts that cannot be opened or used in any other way.

A similar virus first appeared back in 2012 and still prevents electronics users from living peacefully. So what if all the folders on the flash card suddenly turned out to be shortcuts?

How to understand that a USB flash drive is infected

Typically, in such cases, when you try to open folders, a dialog box appears informing you that there is a system error. Then the folder can open, although sometimes this does not happen.

In order to determine if folders are shortcuts, you should take a closer look at the icon: if there is a tiny arrow from the bottom left, this is a shortcut.

In the event that most folders (if not all) have a similar sign, then with a high degree of probability the flash card is a carrier of a virus that has infected the system.

In this case, you do not need to format the USB flash drive, because most often this problem eliminated in a few steps.

How malware works

After hitting removable storage the virus "lives" in the system folder RECYCLER. Further, in order not to detect his presence, he hides it through system commands. The virus places a virus code in the folder, which can be called anything: this provides the virus with an excellent camouflage.

Each file or folder acquires the status of "hidden" and "system", which prevents the user from seeing them while working. And in the end, the virus creates shortcuts to all of them.

The system command is triggered when you click on the shortcut. It is this action that launches the virus located in system folder... If the antivirus installed on the PC ignores the malicious program, the computer will be infected. The result can be very different, from copying any entered passwords to remote access to a personal computer.

Removing viruses from flash media

In the event that the antivirus detects a threat, it must be removed.

Please note that if the file belongs to the folder of the Windows system, then the removal should be done as much as possible.
carefully so as not to harm the system personal computer... To do this, the infected file must be quarantined and, if possible, disinfected. The rest of the files can be deleted.

It does not matter if malware was found or not, in any case, the system must be scanned using third-party resource- CureIt. It is required to repeat the process of scanning the C: drive and removable media using a similar program. It is advisable to check your computer for viruses after an urgent scan of these locations. If you scan all disks at the same time, it will take more than one hour.

At the end of the scan (even if no viruses were found), you can proceed to the manifestation invisible folders if the problem has not been fixed before.

How to develop folders and files

In order to do this, it is necessary to finally get rid of the virus.

This can be done in the following ways:

• use the command line;
• use a bootable Live DVD (or USB flash drive);
• use file managers like Far or Total commander.

The most effective way is the second, however it requires some skills that the average PC user usually lacks. So the most in a simple way, understandable to everyone, is the third.

In order to restore folders, you should:

1. Download the program (32 + 64-bit) and then install it.
2. Update the program if necessary.
3. In order to use the program for free, after opening it, click on the start button under the required number.
4. Select your flash card in the window on the left.
5. Even if it seems that there are no problems on the flash card, a careful examination of the file extensions can find inconsistencies. The fact is that folders as such have no extension, while shortcuts go under "Ink".
6. It is required to click on the "Configuration" button, then select the "Settings" section. After that, in the window, you must select "Panel Content" and put a checkmark next to "Show hidden files"," Show system files».
7. Apply.
8. "OK".

The appearance of the flash card had to change due to the manifestation of hidden folders. It is necessary to clear the USB flash drive by deleting any files that have the "Ink" extension. In a dialog box, you need to confirm your consent to this operation.

In order to finally return visible folders, it is enough to remove the attributes "system", "hidden" and others from them. Unfortunately, Windows system will not allow such an operation to be performed, which will require Total Commander.

After selecting files by simultaneously pressing "Ctrl" and the English "A", you must open "Files" and select the function "Change attributes".

• systemic;
• hidden;
• archival;
• only for reading.

After clicking "OK" the files located on the flash drive will be viewed using the usual Explorer.

The most important thing is not to forget to remove the virus itself. This will require deleting the RECYCLER folder. Sometimes, with this action, a warning pops up that the file cannot be deleted. To solve this problem, it is necessary to mark the button "with administrator rights".

If you use a flash drive not only on home computer, then, for sure, they faced a situation when the USB-drive had to be cleaned of viruses. You could enter it at work, a friend's computer, at school, college, and so on. And having connected it to a computer or laptop on which the antivirus was installed, alarming messages began to appear that the removable media was infected.

But what if after checking with an antivirus program and removing viruses, there is nothing on your removable media? This situation can be easily corrected if you have caught a virus that has hidden all files and folders on the USB flash drive.

Not only a virus could hide everything on USB, but, for example, your friend, who knows a little about this, and decided to play a trick on you.

In general, let's figure out how to display all hidden files and folders on a USB flash drive so that we can work with them again.

First of all, connect the device to the computer or laptop on which the antivirus program... Then scan it for viruses and, if necessary, cure it. This will prevent you from infecting your computer through the connected USB device.

How to return everything through Explorer

There are several ways to find and display all documents. The easiest is to use Windows Explorer.

If you have installed operating system Windows 7, then go to the "My Computer" or "Computer" folder and open the USB flash drive. Then go to the "Tools" tab and select "Folder Options" from the menu.

In the next window, open the "View" tab. In the "Advanced options" section, find the "Show hidden files, folders and drives" field and put a marker next to it. Click Apply and OK.

After that, all recorded files will be displayed, but they will be muted, and you will not be able to work with them. Select them - press Ctrl + A. Then click on any highlighted with the right mouse button and select from context menu"Properties".

On the "General" tab in the "Attributes" section, uncheck the "Hidden" box. Then click "Apply".

A window like this will appear. In it, put a marker in the field "To the selected items and to all subfolders and files" and click "OK".
Then click "OK" and in the "Properties" window.

After that, all files and folders will become visible.

If your operating system is Windows 10, then go to the "This PC" folder and go to the "View" tab. Then click on the button "Options" - "Change settings for folders and search."

On the "View" tab, uncheck the "Hide protected system files" box and put a marker opposite "Show hidden files in folders and drives". Then click "Apply" and "OK".

Right-click on the muted file and select Properties. In the properties window, uncheck the "Hidden" box and click "Apply" and "OK". Make all the necessary documents visible in this way.

When everything is ready, go to the "Folder Options" again and return everything back - select "Do not show hidden files, folders and drives."

Using Total Commander

If you are used to using Total Commander instead of standard Explorer Windows, it is also able to help us. Go into it and select the letter that corresponds to the flash drive. Then click on the "Configuration" tab and select "Settings" from the list.

Further in the list on the left, go to the "Content of panels" and put a check in the main window in the box "Show hidden / system files". If you have two different fields, then put a tick in both: "show hidden" and "show system". Click "Apply" and OK.

After everything is displayed on the device, you need to make them visible. To do this, select everything, then click on the "Files" tab and select "Change Attributes" from the list.

In the next window, uncheck the "Hidden" and "System" boxes and click "OK".

Now you can work with everything that you have recorded on USB. This method, unlike the first, will allow you to display not only hidden files, but also system ones.

Recovering a flash drive after a virus through the command line

You can also use the command line to recover hidden files after a virus. To get started, insert the drive into your computer, go to the "My Computer" folder and see which letter corresponds to the removable device. In the example, this is M:

If you have Windows 10, then you can start the command line like this: right-click on the "Start" button and select "Command line (administrator)" from the menu.

In the window command line enter a drive letter with a colon:
m:

and press "Enter".

Then press "Enter". When the process is complete, all documents on your device will become visible.

Choose one of the described methods to display all files hidden on the flash drive. I hope everything will work out and you will be able to work with important and necessary documents again.

If a user has ever used a USB drive not only on his computer, then he was faced with the fact that it needed to be cleaned of malware. This could happen anywhere and when turned on, messages will appear that the flash drive is infected. However, it happens that even after deleting them, the files cannot be found. It is possible that the virus simply hid the documents or it was done by someone you know.

The simplest and quick way- use the "Explorer" from Windows.

1. Open "My Computer" from the "Start" menu, insert the USB flash drive into the port and double-click on it. In the top menu there is a section "Service", by clicking on which you need to select from the list of "Folder options".

   

2. A window will appear where you also need to find "View" in the top menu. There are two thematic blocks in this tab, we need “ Extra options". There you need to find the "Show hidden files" column and tick the box next to it. Then the user needs to save the changes by clicking "Ok".

   

3. After these actions, a list of files will open in front of the user, but their peculiarity is that it will not be possible to work with them. Select all folders with the mouse and press RMB (right mouse button). In the list that appears, click "Properties".

   

4. The user will immediately see the "General" tab, where he needs the "Attributes" block, where there will be a checkbox next to the "Hidden" indicator. You need to remove it and save the changes.

   

5. The system will issue a confirmation of the attribute change. It is necessary to check the box next to the second option, agreeing to change all selected folders. Click the "Ok" button, then "Ok" again, but in the same "Properties" window.

   

After these simple actions all hidden files will be visible again.

File Explorer Actions for Windows 10 Users

Actions for users look different:

After completing these actions, it is important to go to the "Folder options" section again, in the additional parameters, check the box next to "Do not show hidden files".

Application of "Total Commander"

The application of the above method is most relevant, but if the user has this program, then its application will also be useful.

1. Open the window and click on the left side of the letter that corresponds to this drive. Now you need to find the "Configuration" section in the top menu, then click "Settings" in the list that appears.

   

2. Here you will need the section "Panel Content", which the user will find in the left column. In the "File Display" tab, you need to check the box opposite the first item. If this parameter is divided into 2 points, then you need to check the boxes next to "Show hidden", as well as next to "Show system". Then the user needs to save the changes.

   

3. Now you need to make the documents that appear visible. Select their mice, click at the very top on "File", then select "Change Attributes".

   

4. Near the indicators "Hidden", "System" there will be markers that need to be removed and press "Enter".

   

Note! The advantage this method is that it allows you to see both hidden documents and system documents.

Command line recovery

This recovery method is also relevant.

1. Insert the USB flash drive into the port, go to "My Computer", pay attention to the block "Devices with removable media". There you can see the letter that corresponds to your drive.

   

2. Then open the "Start" menu, write "cmd" in the search bar. The system will give a hint, you need to click on the program that appears in the window. This is relevant for Windows 7 users.

   

3. Windows 10 users can click on "Start" with RMB (right-click), then find "Command Prompt" in the list and click on it.

   

4. In the black window that appears, write "m:" (without quotes) and press the "Enter" key (or another letter that corresponds to the name of the drive).

   

5. The next step is to enter “attrib –h –s / d / s” (also without quotes), after which the user needs to press “Enter” again.

   

Now all files and folders will become

Video - How to open hidden files on a USB flash drive

All files and folders on it become hidden by viruses. Because of this, users face a problem. There are files on the flash drive, but you can't open them. In this article, we will consider just such a problem. Now you will learn how to open hidden files on a USB flash drive.

Step # 1. Find a computer with an antivirus.

If the files on the flash drive have become hidden, it means that the flash drive has been infected with a virus. It is possible that not even one. Therefore, you cannot simply connect this USB flash drive to the first computer that comes along. Otherwise, you put your computer at risk and in some cases the computer may be infected with viruses located on the USB flash drive. Therefore, first of all, you need to find a computer with an antivirus. Also, before connecting an infected flash drive, you need to make sure that the antivirus is up and running.

Step # 2. Connect the USB flash drive to your computer and check it for viruses.

After you have found a computer with an antivirus, you can connect a USB flash drive to it. Immediately after connecting, open "My Computer" and right-click on the icon of the connected flash drive. In the menu that opens, select the item "" or "Scan for viruses" if you have an English version of the antivirus. After that, wait until your antivirus checks all files on the flash drive.

Step # 3. Turn on the display of hidden folders.

In order to open hidden files on a USB flash drive, we need. To do this, you need to open a window with settings called "Folder Options".

If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 10, then you need to open any folder and on the "View" tab click on the "Options" button.

If you are using Windows 7, then you need to open any folder and press the ALT key. After that, a series of drop-down menus will appear at the top of the window (File, Edit, View, Service, and Help). Here you need to open the "Tools" menu and select the "Folder Options" item.

After that, the "Folder Options" window will open in front of you. In this window, you need to go to the "View" tab and scroll to the end of the "Additional parameters" list. There you need to uncheck the box next to the function "Hide protected system files" and check the box next to the function "Show hidden files, folders and drives." After that, you need to save the changes by clicking on the "Ok" button.

After these simple manipulations, hidden files on your flash drive will become visible, and you can open them.

Step # 4. Make hidden files and folders visible on the flash drive.

Also you can make hidden files and folders visible again. To do this, select hidden files or folders on the USB flash drive and open their properties. After that, uncheck the box next to the "Hidden" attribute and save the changes by clicking on the "Ok" button.

It should be noted that sometimes after infection with viruses, the "Hidden" attribute is not removed. In such cases, the easiest way is to copy the files to your computer and delete the folder.

Additionally. Also you can open hidden folders on a USB flash drive using. To do this, open a command prompt and go to your USB flash drive. To do this, just enter the drive letter and colon. This is done like this:

After that enter the following command:

• attrib -s -h *. * / s / d

On the command line, it will look something like this:

The execution time of the attrib command depends on the number of hidden files and folders on the flash drive. It usually only takes a couple of seconds. After the command line prompts you to enter the following command, you can check the USB flash drive. If everything was done correctly, then all hidden folders and files on the USB flash drive should become visible.

If you use a flash drive not only on your home computer, then, for sure, you have come across a situation when the USB drive had to be cleaned of viruses. You could enter it at work, a friend's computer, at school, college, and so on. And having connected it to a computer or laptop on which the antivirus was installed, alarming messages began to appear that the removable media was infected.

But what if after checking with an antivirus program and removing viruses, there is nothing on your removable media? This situation can be easily corrected if you have caught a virus that has hidden all files and folders on the USB flash drive.

Not only a virus could hide everything on USB, but, for example, your friend, who knows a little about this, and decided to play a trick on you.

In general, let's figure out how to display all hidden files and folders on a USB flash drive so that we can work with them again.

First of all, connect your device to a computer or laptop that has an antivirus program installed. Then scan it for viruses and, if necessary, cure it. This will prevent you from infecting your computer through the connected USB device.

How to return everything through Explorer

There are several ways to find and display all documents. The easiest is to use Windows Explorer.

If you have the operating system Windows 7, then go to the folder "My Computer" or "Computer" and open the USB flash drive. Then go to the "Tools" tab and select "Folder Options" from the menu.

In the next window, open the "View" tab. In the "Advanced options" section, find the "Show hidden files, folders and drives" field and put a marker next to it. Click Apply and OK.

After that, all recorded files will be displayed, but they will be muted, and you will not be able to work with them. Select them - press Ctrl + A. Then click on any selected with the right mouse button and select "Properties" from the context menu.

On the "General" tab in the "Attributes" section, uncheck the "Hidden" box. Then click "Apply".

A window like this will appear. In it, put a marker in the field "To the selected items and to all subfolders and files" and click "OK".
Then click "OK" and in the "Properties" window.

After that, all files and folders will become visible.

If your operating system is Windows 10, then go to the "This PC" folder and go to the "View" tab. Then click on the button "Options" - "Change settings for folders and search."

On the "View" tab, uncheck the "Hide protected system files" box and put a marker opposite "Show hidden files in folders and drives". Then click "Apply" and "OK".

Right-click on the muted file and select Properties. In the properties window, uncheck the "Hidden" box and click "Apply" and "OK". Make all the necessary documents visible in this way.

When everything is ready, go to the "Folder Options" again and return everything back - select "Do not show hidden files, folders and drives."

Using Total Commander

If you are used to using Total Commander instead of the standard Windows Explorer, then it can also help us. Go into it and select the letter that corresponds to the flash drive. Then click on the "Configuration" tab and select "Settings" from the list.

Further in the list on the left, go to the "Content of panels" and put a check in the main window in the box "Show hidden / system files". If you have two different fields, then put a tick in both: "show hidden" and "show system". Click "Apply" and OK.

After everything is displayed on the device, you need to make them visible. To do this, select everything, then click on the "Files" tab and select "Change Attributes" from the list.

In the next window, uncheck the "Hidden" and "System" boxes and click "OK".

Now you can work with everything that you have recorded on USB. This method, unlike the first, will allow you to display not only hidden files, but also system ones.

Recovering a flash drive after a virus through the command line

You can also use the command line to recover hidden files after a virus. To get started, insert the drive into your computer, go to the "My Computer" folder and see which letter corresponds to the removable device. In the example, this is M:

If you have Windows 10, then you can start the command line like this: right-click on the "Start" button and select "Command line (administrator)" from the menu.

In the Command Prompt window, enter the drive letter followed by a colon:
m:

and press "Enter".

Then press "Enter". When the process is complete, all documents on your device will become visible.

Choose one of the described methods to display all files hidden on the flash drive. I hope everything will work out and you will be able to work with important and necessary documents again.