How to Unhide a Folder/Files Infected by Virus using Command Prompt

This case usually happens on our external USB drive and, in the worst case, on your computer or laptop drive. A virus infects your system, causing your files to be hidden without making any changes to the saved files. In that situation, you might wonder where your files are located or who deleted them, even though you worked hard to save them.

At first glance, you cannot determine if your files are hidden unless you change your computer's folder view options. A common sign of a virus infection is seeing an autorun.inf file (though not always), or your folders might become executable files, which is not the usual file type.

To fix this, first scan your drive with the latest updates from your Antivirus software. Alternatively, you can use malware removal tools, as not all antivirus programs can detect new viruses or malware.

After scanning with your Antivirus, your infected folder or files might seem gone. In reality, the virus just hides them after infection.

Unhide your infected files and folders:

1. Open the Windows Command Prompt:
• For Windows XP: Click Start > Select Run > Type 'cmd' then hit Enter.
• For Windows 7: Press Windows+R on your keyboard > Type 'cmd' then hit Enter.
2. In the Command Prompt, type the directory of your flash disk (for example: E:) and press Enter. (Where E: is the drive letter of your flash drive.)
3. Then type attrib -s -h /s /d and press Enter.
4. You're done!
5. If all your folders on the USB become shortcuts, try the following command: attrib -s -h -r /s /d f:\*.* (where f: is the USB drive letter).

Note: Before cleaning and removing the drive, make sure your PC is also virus-free and that the antivirus definition is up to date. After cleaning your USB, you can transfer the recovered files to another storage device and then try reformatting the infected one to ensure it works normally again.