External HDD can't be open but can be partially detected

Day 2 guys, still nothing, I just want to access the drive and copy the files, I'll try to use the external HDD later in another computer and see if it works there.

The way you have put up your problem must have confused and scared everybody. :)

Anyway let us rework and see whether we can get to know something about.

Just before returning home, you plugged it into another PC and you were able to open it. By that I presume it was working perfectly. Right?

Now go to that PC and plug-in your drive into that. Check and let us know whether it is still working fine. If you can access all the files, then copy it to another external drive.

If you can't access the files then check whether it shows up in 1. the Device Manager ( Any error message in Properties? ) 2. Does it show up in Disk Management? If so please take a screenshot and post it. Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Remember on that other PC and not on your PC. And use the Windows snipping tool to get your screencapture as per the above Golden tutorial.:)

Is this external drive powered from an external adapter or is is bus powered from the USB port? If it's the latter, it may be that the computer can't supply enough power to it - hence the clicking noises. I've had this problem with some of these drives - work with some computers but not others. Try connecting it another USB port.

@jumanji: It was an internet cafe computer that I used, a Windows 7 64-bit, don't know what's the real version but it's Home Premium or above since the taskbar is translucent. Tried to visit it today but it was closed, I'll try tomorrow and see if it works.
@Britton30: I just plugged it in, I wasn't using it, it was there for standby.
@johngee: It would be weird, when I plug my drive to my own PC, it works all the time, I always use the front right port for the drive and it works, but this time it's not working, tried to use the front left port, nothing, tried the vacant rear port, nothing. I'll try to use the other 3 ports and give it a shot.

OK. I thought you had used the drive on a friend's PC. You may connect your drive to any other known-to-be good PC, check your drive and put out the screenshots.

Here's the sitrep guys, this ain't the computer that I used before going home since the cafe was closed again, I asked the owner, he said that they aren't sure when are they gonna open it again. I'm currently using a different PC on a different internet cafe and it was detected but can't open the drive since before you can open it, there is a shortcut appearing naming "RAIN", and an error appearing when I click it, I had experience folders turning into shortcuts w/o reasons and I can still open them, this one is different.
The the code for the target location.

Code:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe ~$WF.NFC,crys mnabnobcobc mnabnobcopcopcdpqdeqreqb

I just need to get inside the drive to copy it, maybe my own PC has a problem.
Specs of the other internet cafe's PC:

Not to worry. Your external drive which is a 300GB drive shows some 42 GB free. All your data is safe. What is now clear is your drive is OK but inflicted with the shortcut virus - which only affects USB drives. There can be many variants, but let us start and find out.

Now plug-in your problem drive into your PC. Does it show up in Disk Management? ( I would be surprised if it does not, for it did show up on the other PC)

If it shows up in Disk Management, then,

Download and install WinRAR 32bit or 64 bit as appropriate to your system. WinRAR archiver, a powerful tool to process RAR and ZIP files

Safely remove all external hard disks and pen drives.

Shut down your computer and reboot.

Plug-in only the problem drive while pressing the left Shift key so that autorun is disabled.

Run WinRAR, navigate to the afflicted drive, click/double click on it to explore.




It will show all the files including the hidden files present in that particular drive.

Search for the file autorun.inf and open it with Notepad. Look for any .exe file entry in the text. This is the culprit that gets executed. Take a note of this .exe file name and close it. ( if you do not find any .exe file, please take a snapshot of the the autorun.inf in the Notepad and upload it for our examination. Use the Windows snipping tool to make the screenshots.

How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista

A Preferred Method of Uploading/Posting Screen Shots )

Now that you know the name of the .exe file, search, locate and delete it from your PC. Also delete the autorun.inf file in your USB drive. (Right click on it and delete file in WinRAR)

Close WinRAR.

Now restart your Computer. Your system should now be free from the shortcut virus.

If at any point, you have any difficulty in following the instructions or do not know what to do further, do not hesitate to ask for clarifications.

Even if I am not there, someone else will be glad to help you.

Still not working jumanji, only "Devices and Printers" can detect it, while for the others can't, MY computer can't detect it for some reason, while for OTHER computers can detect it, I think this is more on computer problem rather than an external HDD problem, there's no "Snipping Tool" in my PC. Those screenshots in post #8 came from an OS that is a hybrid of XP and Windows 7 !?!?, looks like a W7 but has the functionality of an XP, nevertheless, that other PC can still detect it.