What to do about a virus hiding my files?

Question

I went to Control Panel>Appearance and Personalization>Folder Options and made sure the "Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives" was checked and I unchecked"Hide protected operating system files".
Multiple sources told me to do these things, but it only partially worked:

- Most of my files seem to have returned. However, they are all either locked or appear faded, as if they're not completely recovered.
- Extra files have appeared, I'm assuming because I unchecked the Recommended setting that hides protected operating systems.
- My anti-malware systems have been hidden as well.
- And my Internet Explorer favorites have yet to be unhidden at all. No matter what I do with the Internet Options, they remain hidden.

I've tried multiple tutorials from bleepingcomputer.com and I've even asked this question a few times on Y!A, but with no luck. Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

soupfine · Accepted Answer

Your files appear "faded" because that is how Windows shows hidden files when you change folder options to show hidden files.

What you are going to have to do is change the properties of those folders and files back to normal view (not hidden). Right click on a folder, click on properties and uncheck the box for "hidden". and click apply. When Windows asks if you want to apply the change to all files in the folder say yes.

In cases where the folder is not hidden but some of the files in it are, make that folder hidden then make it not hidden and be sure and apply the change to all files in the folder.

It may be a tedious process  but that is what you are going to have to do.

Once you changed the properties of the files and folders that were hidden back to normal view than you go to folder options and go back to the default settings.

batten · Answer

first of all, You cqan do a NON-unfavourable deploy this may no longer result what you've on your gadget. it really is going to (might want to) deploy over itself and also you would possibly want to be advantageous. however, The virus that you're contaminated with would nevertheless proceed to be on you different drives and once you accesed between the contaminated archives, develop, all yet again. So make positive what you choose to do formerly leaping in with a totoal or non unfavourable instlall. wish this help

Jimbo Slice · Answer

You can try an anti-virus like AVG.

If you have nothing you want on your computer that you care about you can always start from scratch.  Just reinstall windows.  That's what I do when the problem is too complicated and everything I try doesn't work.

Anonymous · Answer

If you have another computer then you can see if you can download a live cd antivirus which will run from a cd you burn it to. this will erase the virus, but as far as the files to unlock them you will need to contact manufacturer to see if they will fix it for you, download a program from the internet that will unlock them, but may be illegal depending on where you get it, or try to replace them.

Anonymous · Answer

Hello,
A good tool I used to clean up and speed up my PC is CCleaner. You can download it for free here http://bitly.com/UrATHB
I have been using it for years
Good Bye

Anonymous · Answer

Boot a GNU/Linux Live CD

http://ubuntu.com
http://fedora-project.com/

you need ntfs-3g, but i think ubuntu at least has that by default

Daniel · Answer

WHOA WHOA WHOA.
Internet explorer? Well, there's your problem right there.

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What to do about a virus hiding my files?

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