External Hard Drive error ~$WV.FAT32

Hi vacky,

Now just doing a post-mortem, which will help others to not blindly follow specific instructions given under specific circumstances in a specific case. Each case is different in someway or other and I have rarely come across one that is the same. So it is always better to start a new thread, even if you think it is almost alike.

The use of WinRAR is specifically to show all the hidden files. The drive has to be plugged in with Shift key pressed so that any autorun is defeated. If the autorun.inf is found in the drive, it has to be opened with Notepad to find out the exact malware location in the PC which it kicks to run.

In the case of flippylumpy, he found no autorun.inf file. ( Before coming here he had run some antivirus/antimalware program and that probably had deleted it.) So he was advised to open each and every folder in WinRAR, check, retain only his Data folders/files and delete everything else. He was then able to successfully unhide those folders/files using the unhide command and back his data successfully to another external drive.

You missed a golden chance of opening the autorun.inf file in notepad that would have shown the location of the malware. You could have been advised correctly had you come on a new thread. Now cottonball has to do it.:)

As cottonball suggested start a new thread and cleanse your P.C.. As his sharp eyes found you still seem to have all data in the drive. So there is still hope.:)

Thanks cottonball and jumanji..

New post : external hard disk has data but does not show when opened

jumanji said:

Yep, Flippylumpy,

As I said WinRAR is used here to view and delete all unwanted/suspicious files even the superhidden files.. So here it is just delete all except your data folders/files.

Ok, I knew that you may see an empty drive.:) ( If you go into Disk Management, can you see that it still shows only about 70 GB free? Rest your data.)

The virus has hidden all your files. WinRAR shows you all.

OK I think the job now is simpler. Just unhide all files and change the attributes.

1)Click on "Start"

2) In the Search field type run

3) In the dialog box click on Run to bring the run dialog box.

4) Enter the following command .

attrib -h -r -s /s /d h:\*.*

( Here h: is your external drive. Check the drive letter of your external drive and substitute with the correct drive letter. For example if your drive letter is J then

attrib -h -r -s /s /d j:\*.*

Click on OK.

Now you should be able to see all the files.

Once these are unhidden, thoroughly check the drive with an antivirus program.

Do report when done. ( I am very poor in writing commands.:))

.

Uhm... A bit help with the highlighted in red, anyone... please. I have a similar problem with my seagate external hard drive and followed everything prior to this quoted post until I got to the commands to type in the 'run' dialogue. No matter how I do it, the files still don't come up and the drive remains empty even if disk management shows its contents are still present.

So, anyway to get my hidden files to show up? Or to show me how best to type that command (are there spaces in between all or few of them?)? Thanks

Welcome to SevenForums

attrib -h -r -s /s /d g:\*.*

Just copy and paste the above command against the command prompt. Change g to your actual drive letter.

(The command is attrib[SPACE]-h[SPACE]-s[SPACE]/s[SPACE]/d[SPACE][driveletter]:\*.*)