HOW TO REMOVE SHORTCUT VIRUS FROM YOUR FLASH DRIVE [TESTED AND TRUSTED]

Computer Virus infection is only removed through antivirus programs as you know, but this time we are talking about Shortcut Virus, a new modern virus automatically comes in your computer/USB/SD card and convert all of your content into a shortcut. Some time this virus makes you content invisible (not showing) and storage showing still full. The first thing I really got mad about Shortcut virus problem is not removable by anti-virus programs, even when you scan the shortcut virus infected location with an antivirus, it reply “No threat detected” and it becomes really confusing. People who don’t know how to remove this virus, they just perform a format over infected storage. If you’re helpless to format your storage, so please don’t do this again, because it is not a genuine solution. If your storage didn’t contain files or anything important, then you should format your storage because formatting also a another method to flush out shortcut virus.

The cause of this virus is an internet, third party software, USB storage and more. Sometime when you connect a pen drive to your friend’s computer for exchanging data, but you didn’t know your friend’s computer is already infected by a shortcut virus. As you connect the pen drive back to your computer, the virus becomes the part of your computer.
Remove Shortcut Virus From Pen Drive & SD Card

There are two different methods available to remove this virus, First is using CMD and secondary is using a Software. Before going though a method, I highly recommend you to First Scan the infected storage with an antivirus, and then go for the below methods. If your USB is bootable then it may change to normal.
Method 1 > Using command prompt

Follow the steps below to remove shortcut virus using command prompt (CMD):

Run Command prompt as Administrator. (Windows key + R > Type CMD & press ENTER, or search CMD > Right click to CMD and Select “Run as Administrator” or right click over Start button and select command prompt (Admin))
cmd-admin-vt
Connect your infected USB storage (Pen drive, SD card, etc.) with your Computer.
Scan USB with an antivirus program (Not compulsory but its effective) and if the antivirus found some virus or threats, so delete it.
Type the following command in Command prompt: attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:\*.*, (Where, X is the USB drive letter) and press Enter. (For example: If your drive letter is D, then the command is attrib -h -r -s /s /d D:\*.*)
cmd-attrib-cmd
Copy all data from USB flash drive to your computer.
Format the USB drive.
And, copy all data back to the USB flash drive.

Now all Shortcut files are fixed and working as normal files. The reason why I suggest you to format the USB is because there was some unknown files automatically generate as you use the command. Know more about Attrib command.
Method 2 > Using Software

I found some software on the web that can easily fix the shortcut virus problem. I’m using USB Fix for this tutorial because it works great and it is absolutely free. Follow the steps below to remove shortcut virus using USB Fix software:

Download, install and launch USB fix (If your antivirus showing virus in the software so please disable it for a few minutes).
Close all programs running in the taskbar (Because the software kill all running programs and you may lose data).
Connect all of your shortcut virus infected USBs with computer, and Choose Clean.
clean-usbfix
Wait.. And virus from all connected USBs goes automatically fix.

It automatically cleans the shortcut virus from all USBs and don’t forget to restart your computer after using this tool because it makes changes in windows directory and until you restart your computer, it will not work properly.
Flush out from your Computer Hard disk

Removing this virus from your computer feels a little tougher than USB, because people store copies of data in USB, but your computer hard disk contains all important data that you can’t revert changes easily. The first time when I found this virus in my laptop, I re-install my windows, but after when I found some tools for the problem, I start using only tools, because re-installing windows waste your lots of time and shortcut virus is not a very big deal as you think.
Fix shortcuts already created on your drive

If your computer files was already converted into the shortcut, then you should try command prompt same as above method.

> Type: attrib -h -r -s /s /d <Your drive letter>: \*.* (For example: If your drive is C: then the command is attrib -h -r -s /s /d C:\*.*)

OR
Use Shortcut Virus Remover

I saw the shortcut virus script is running in the task manager with a name called wscript.vbs and you can kill the process to prevent your computer from creating a shortcut virus in USBs.

To kill the process, Open task manager > Select process (More detail) > Scroll down below and find wscript.vbs process > Right-click over and end the task.

OR

Use one of these software to remove wscript from your computer:

Shortcut Virus Remover
USB fix