How to remove viruses from the USB DRIVE.

To disable Auto Run functionality in Windows, do the following:

1.
2.
3.

Go to Run > gpedit.msc. This will open the Group Policy Editor.
Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows
Components > AutoPlay Policies
In the right hand pane, enable Turn off Autoplay setting.

This will prevent Windows from automatically using autorun.inf file in the USB drive.
If your USB drive is already infected with a virus, you can safely delete the
autorun.inf file and then scan the USB drive with an antivirus to make sure that the
USB drive is clean from all malware.
Autorun.inf can be deleted in two ways. First by using Windows Explorer:
1.

Press Windows Key + E to open Windows Explorer. From the left hand tree,
open the USB drive. This should not trigger the auto run functionality of USB.

2.

Now from the left hand content pane, delete the autorun.inf file. Make sure
that you are showing hidden files from Folder Options as autorun.inf is usually a
hidden file.

Secondly, you can also delete the infected autorun file from command line.
1.

Go to Run > cmd. This should open the command prompt.

2.

Type g: where g is the USB drive letter.

3.

Now run the following command: attrib -h -r -s -a *.*. This will remove the
attributes hidden, archive, system from all the files.

4.

Type del autorun.inf. This will delete the autorun.inf file.

If you want to make sure that in addition to the autorun file, the virus is also removed
from the USB drive, you will need to open the autorun.inf file in notepad and see
which files and executables are triggered during autorun. Delete those executables
and you will be safe from the wrath of USB viruses.

One of the ways by which your system can be infected by virus is through USB, so check the
following steps to check if your usb has virus and remove it.
Step 1:
1. After connecting your usb,open command prompt from start-->cmd
2. In the command prompt type the drive leter : and press enter [ex: d:]
3. Now type dir and press enter
4. List of files in your usb will be shown
Step 2:
1. Now open another cmd window
2. Type the drive letter,but now instead of dir type dir /w /a and press enter
3. Now files with all the attributes will be shown [even hidden files will be shown ,many virus
files will be hidden]
4. Now match the files with step 1

5. Any suspicious file may be a virus

6. Some examples are

Autorun.inf

Ravmon.exe

New Folder.exe

svchost.exe

How to remove the virus:

1. In cmd after typing the usb drive letter [ex d:]
2. Type attrib -r -a -s -h *.* and press enter.
3. This will remove the Read Only, Archive, System and hidden file attribute from all the files.
4. Now just delete the files using the command del filename.
5. Example del Ravmon.exe.
6. Delete all the files that are suspicious.
This autorun.inf file is a read only ,hidden and a system file and the folder option is also
disabled by the virus. This is deliberately done by the virus in order to protect itself.
autorun.inf initiates all the activities that the virus performs when you try to open any
drive.
You have to just delete this file and restart your system to correct this problem.
Follow the set of commands below to show and delete the autorun.inf
1. Go to Start then Run and type cmd and press enter. This will open a command
prompt window. On this command prompt window type the following steps.
2. type cd\ press enter
3. type attrib -r -h -s autorun.inf press enter
please note the spacing: no space between the dash and the letter & a space after the r
h and s

4. type del autorun.inf press enter

if the PC returns a "file not found" message - check the spelling for autorun.inf
5. if you have a d drive: type d: and press enter for d: drive partition. Now repeat steps
3 and 4. Similarly repeat step 5 for all your hard disk partition.
Restart your system and your trouble will be fixed. Except the program that caused the
problem is still in your computer.

Tips, Tricks & Warnings

After you "unhide" your files, remember to scan your computer/Laptop for viruses
if you don't know how these files were hidden in the first place.
Make it a habit to check for hidden files. If you keep on seeing hidden files on
your computer without you really doing it, it is highly possible that there is a virus.
You would need then to run a strong anti-virus and do a complete computer scan
in order to get rid of this.
Check which types of files are usually being hidden. The pattern may be able to
tell you what type of virus you have in your computer.

Questions and Answers

How to unhide my files in flashdrive?
My flashdrive got a virus and now all files have become hidden. What can I do to restore
my hidden files?
There are many ways to unhide files from a flash drive and one of them is by simply
using the command prompt as stated in this article which you can easily follow following
the steps provided.
Another option is through the use of "Folder Options". These are the steps to properly
unhide your hidden files mostly caused by virus infection using Windows 7 operating
system:
1. 1
Click Start.

2. 2
Then click your flashdrive to open (usually the default is F:).
3. 3
Inside your flashdrive, click "Organize" at the top left part of the window.
4. 4
Click "Folder and Search Options".
5. 5
Click the "View" tab.
6. 6
Tick the "Show hidden files" under the "Hidden files and folders".
7. 7
Then click "Apply" and "OK".
Your hidden files will now become visible.
Here are the steps to make the hidden files to become permanently visible:
1. 1Follow the above steps.
2. 2Right-click the hidden file.
3. 3Click "Properties".
4. 4Then untick or uncheck the option "Hidden".
5. 5Then click "Apply" and "OK".
Take note that after making your hidden files visible, thoroughly scan your flash drive for
viruses using your preferred antivirus program in order to prevent the files to become
hidden again.

How to open my hidden files and folder?

I don't remember the directory and folder name in files, pictures, or videos?
Different operating systems have specific methods of displaying hidden files and folders.
If in case you forgot the directories or even the file names, that wont be a problem
because you can enable display of folders you have set hidden by performing these set of
actions:
If you are using Windows XP:
1. 1
Click on the Start button that can be found right at the left lower part of
the screen.
2. 2
Choose Control Panel from the Start menu.
3. 3
Click on Appearance and Themes from the Control Panel menu.
4. 4
Go to Tools and click on Folder Options.
5. 5
Click the View tab.
6. 6
Click to enable the Show Hidden Files and Folders option.
7. 7
Click Apply and OK.
For Windows Vista, take these steps:
1. Go to Start button that can be found on the bottom left part of the screen.
2. Click on Control Panel.

3. Choose Classic View.

4. Click on Folder Options.
5. Go to View tab.
6. Select and check on the Show hidden files and folders option.
7. Click Apply and OK.
If you are using Windows 7, perform the following actions:
1. Click on the Start button located at the lower left portion of the screen.
2.Go to Control Panel.
3.Click on the Category button found on the right upper corner of the
menu.
4In the drop-down menu bar, choose Small Icons.
5Click on Folder Options from the All Control Panel Items.
6Select View tab and enable the Show hidden files, folders, and drives
option.
7Click on Apply and OK buttons.