MyPCHealth

Virus or Spyware has hidden/deleted my files

Some of the more recent strains of fake Anti Spyware software have started to hide peoples documents, program files and desktop icons. This is an attempt to convince you that you have some kind of hard disk error that has caused it. It gives the software more legitamacy and will encourage you to pay for this bogus software. Once you have got rid of the spyware thats plaging your computer we can go ahead and unhide the files and icons that have disappeared.

Option 1 : Removing the +H attribute set by the rogue scamware.

If this infection has hidden all your program files,system files and icons. You will need to unhide them again by taking off the +H attribute. To do this for your whole disk please do the following :

• Click the windows or start button.
• In the Run/Search box type cmd
• A Black Window will appear with white writing. Then type the following
• c: then press enter (just incase you are not on the correct drive)
• Then type cd \ and then press enter. This will take you to the root of c:

Below are few options - remove hidden attributes from users folders so icons on desktops, start menus etc or remove +h from the whole disk.

• If you wish to remove the hidden attribute from just the users folder type cd users press <enter> then type attrib -h /s /d and press <enter>
• If you wish to remove the hidden attribute from all users start menu (this is for windows 7 as start menu location different) type cd \programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu\ then press <enter>. Type attrib -h /s /d and press <enter>
• If you wish to do the whole computer just type the following attrib -h /s /d and press <enter>

• This may take some time and you will see lots of text going up the screen. This is the computer checking each file for that attribute and removing it if it exists.
• Once finished reboot the computer and see if your files have come back.

Option 2 : Removing the +H attribute set by the rogue scamware.

If you do not feel comfortable with the above method you can download a program called unhide from bleeping computer to do a similar job.

Note : If your computer is not allowing you to run executable files, instead asking for what program do you wish to open it with. Your exe extension has been altered by the virus causing it not to work. You will need to reset your default file assocations (windows 7).

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