Free Shortcut Virus Remover Software/Tool

The Shortcut Virus

The shortcut virus is a type of malware that infects hard drives, USB flash drives, pen drives, and SD cards, spreading to any storage device it's connected to. It can also be contracted by running an infected .exe file. Once infected, the virus hides all files on the affected device and replaces them with shortcuts of the same file names, allowing it to replicate and spread further into the storage device when a shortcut is opened.

The shortcut virus is not only frustrating but also potentially malicious, as it can access and steal personal information from your computer or storage device. However, it's possible to recover files affected by the virus without causing lasting damage, and this can be done for free using built-in Windows software.

Free Shortcut Virus Removal Tool

There are several third-The best shortcut virus remover tool is surprisingly free and already on your Windows PC: Command Prompt (CMD). With CMD, you can easily remove shortcut virus files from any drive connected to your PC, including your hard drive, USB flash drive, pen drive, SD card, and more, by simply specifying the drive letter.

Remove the Shortcut Virus

To remove the shortcut virus, you need to use a CMD shortcut virus remover to delete the virus files. Additionally, you must check the registry to terminate the startup processes associated with the virus, to prevent it from reappearing. The process involves using the registry editor to find and delete the malicious entries. This ensures that the virus is completely removed and doesn't come back.

PAGE CONTENT:

Remove Shortcut Virus Files with CMD
Delete Shortcut Virus Processes from the Registry
Check and Cleanup Shortcut virus with Antivirus Software

To remove the shortcut virus, start by disconnecting all external storage devices and removing the virus files from them using the cmd. Once that's done, you can safely remove the virus from your internal hard drive. This approach helps prevent the virus from spreading to your internal drive via the external devices.

1. Remove Shortcut Virus Files with CMD

 Warning: The Command Prompt, also known as cmd, is a powerful tool that requires caution when used. If you're unsure about how to operate it, only use trusted sources for input commands. Improper use of cmd can cause serious damage to your system, so it's essential to back up your system to avoid any potential harm.

Step 1: Right-click on "Start" and select "Command Prompt (Admin)".

Step 2: 1. Sign in with your Administrator account and password if the system asks.

Step 3: Type: attrib -h -r -s /s /d D:\*.* and hit "Enter". (Replace D: with the drive letter of the location where the virus files exist.)

Step 4: Type: del autorun.inf and hit "Enter".

To remove the shortcut virus from your storage devices, replace the autorun.inf file with other virus extensions such as *.ink, *.exe, or *.vbm, which will delete the suspicious files. This should allow you to view and use your data normally.

 Notice:: If you're still unable to view or access saved files on the previously infected device, you can find additional guidance on recovering your data in the supplemental file recovery section.

2. Remove Shortcut Processes from the Registry

If your computer itself is infected, this step is not necessary. However, it can provide some peace of mind to know that the virus is not hiding on your PC. If only your storage devices were infected, and not your computer, this step is unnecessary.

Step 1: Press Win+R and type: regedit to enter the registry.

Step 2: To access the Run registry key, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Run.

Step 3: Look for any suspicious file names in the list and search the name of any suspect virus processes. Delete the ones that are known to be malware, but take care not to delete any important non-virus processes.

To remove the shortcut virus, it's essential to check the startup applications on your PC, as the virus often gets added there. This involves going to the Task Manager, clicking on the "Startup" tab, and looking for any suspicious entries.

Step 4: Press Win + R and type: msconfig then click "OK".

Step 5: In Startup, disable everything except for trusted apps and antivirus software.

Step 6: Then restart your computer.

3. (Optional) Cleanup Shortcut Virus Remnants with Antivirus Software

Antivirus software can't directly remove the shortcut virus, but it can ensure there are no virus remnants on your PC. Download and install antivirus software to scan your Windows PC, and you may need to try multiple options as some may be more effective for your specific hardware setup. Some recommended antivirus software to remove the shortcut virus include [list].

Trojan Removal Tool.
Shortcut virus fixfolder.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

Supplemental: Recover Files After Removing the Shortcut Virus

When attempting to remove the shortcut virus from your PC or external storage devices, there's a risk of accidentally deleting non-virus files in the process. It's essential to browse your devices to check if any folders or files are missing. Manually searching an entire hard drive for potentially lost files can be a time-consuming and error-prone task.

To alleviate the strain of a virus attack, deletion, or formatting, use data recovery software to search your drive for lost files. Deep Data Recovery scans deep into the data content of your disk to find all lost data. Download it for free to see if you've lost any files.

Free Download
Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

If you've lost a few files, you can recover them for free. The free version lets you recover up to 2GB of data and preview any number of files to check their quality, but for unlimited recovery, you'll need to upgrade to the Pro version.

Step 1. Select file types and click "Next" to start

Run Qiling virus file recovery software on your Windows PC. Select the file types you want to recover and click "Next" to begin the recovery process.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2. Select the virus infected drive to scan

To scan for lost or hidden files on a disk attacked by a virus, select the disk to scan. Be aware that this process may potentially cause more harm than good, especially if the virus has modified system files or is heavily integrated into the operating system, as it may lead to system instability or crashes. Proceed with caution and consider creating a system restore point or backing up important data before scanning.

If a virus has hidden or deleted files on an HDD, it's best to install recovery software on a separate volume or an external drive, to prevent overwriting the existing data.
If the infected device is an external hard drive, flash drive or memory card, you can install the software on the local drive of the computer, as it doesn't matter in this case.

Step 3. Check all scanned results

Deep Data Recovery will immediately start a scan process to find deleted or hidden files on a virus-infected hard drive, allowing users to quickly locate wanted files using the filter or type grouping feature to display specific types of files such as pictures, videos, documents, or emails.

Step 4. Preview and recover deleted/hidden files

After the scanning process is complete, you can preview the recovered files. Select the files you want to recover and click the "Recover" button. It's essential to save the restored files to a different, secure location on your computer or storage device, rather than the original location where they were lost.