# [SOLVED] All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!



## thebor3y (Mar 25, 2011)

I plug in my flash drive into my laptop and all my files are displayed as shortcuts, shortcut files can't be opened but shortcut folders can be opened sometimes. So I unplug it and reinsert it nice and slow...same thing. After some Googling I kept finding the same "fix", which is run the following command from a command prompt (attrib -h -r -s /s /d g:\*.*). I've also run virus and malware scans on my USB drive, nothing found. Also ran scans on my computer, nothing found. And this happens on ANY other  computer I plug it into, and then it happens to any flash drives plugged into those other computers

I did several formats to the drive but once I plug it into my computer again and put any file it's turned again into a shortcut.

my problem is not with the flash drive or the data on it, my biggest problem is that my computer keeps doing this to all flash drives.
Please Help!! THANKS

hp pavilion dv6 notebook
windows 8


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## thebor3y (Mar 25, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post my problem, if not please somebody tell me where to post it..


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

I moved it to Removable Media . . have you tried the drives in another pc?


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## thebor3y (Mar 25, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

when i plug the drive into other pcs, the pc also reads files as shortcuts and when I copy files to the pc, the pc gets infected and does this to other removable drives...


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## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

What does running a *sfc /scannow* cmd as an administrator from the cmd prompt report ?

*Edit -* Don't know if resetting the USB drivers would do anything but you could give it a try USB Driver Reset and USB Ports Power State Reset - Sysnative Forums


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## thebor3y (Mar 25, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

@ tomken15
cmd report : http://i.imgur.com/tX5qE8L.jpg


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## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

The cmd is entered as I'd typed it.

There's a space before the forward slash but not after it as the examples in the cmd window illustrate - *sfc /scannow*

It seems to me as if the files aren't being copied in the correct format somehow onto the USBs, but don't know why or how - hence the suggestion for the system file check and have you tried the USB driver reset yet ?


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## thebor3y (Mar 25, 2011)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

PROBLEM SOLVED!!
I was using eset smart security but I switched to avast and it's gone.
Thank you Tomken15
Thank you Old Rich


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

*Re: All my flash drive files are showing up as shortcuts!*

Whoda thunk? .


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## Tomken15 (Dec 7, 2011)

Well that's one possible solution to try and remember :grin:


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