hidden folders

Discussion in 'malware problems & news' started by anonymtrk, Jul 11, 2008.

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  1. anonymtrk

    anonymtrk Registered Member

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    hello,
    some days ago i was away from home and when i cme back, i saw that my computer became full of oll wares (malware, spyware etc..)
    then i formatted and now i see that some of my folders are hidden in drive D:\ where i keep my music, films etc. i can only see them when i uncheck "Hide protected operating system files "

    how can i normalise those folders as it did not normalize when i re-formatted the computer.
     
  2. HURST

    HURST Registered Member

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    Right click on the folder, properties, and un-check "hidden".

    But if this was so right after the reformat, you might want to consider using a zero tool to completely wipe your hard disk, re-flash the bios and then reinstall windows.
     
  3. Taliscicero

    Taliscicero Registered Member

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  4. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

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    Sounds like an infestation of teenagers to me
     
  5. anonymtrk

    anonymtrk Registered Member

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    right clicking and unchecking "hidden" is not working as i can not uncheck it. those folders seems like "System Volume Information" folder. i dont want to lose my data and i think there is no problem with bios.
    and one more way,
    is there anyone who knows how to make a folder hidden as system folders??go guys, i need a solution, i say this to especially the experts of the site :)
     
  6. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

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    What is the operating system? (e.g.: XP; Vista) What is the file system of the D: drive? (e.g.: FAT16; FAT32; NTFS). Was the D: drive compressed? Is the D: drive a physically separate drive or another partition on the same drive as the drive you reformatted?
     
  7. bigc73542

    bigc73542 Retired Moderator

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    Unlkess I am missing something here you said you formatted the computer. And what type of format did you do?? If you did that without backing up your files then you lost them.
     
  8. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    The normal procedure when going away from home :
    1. Backup your system and backup your data BEFORE leaving.
    2. Shutdown your system and turn it off.
    3. After coming back : zero your harddisk(s)
    4. Restore your system image and restore your data-image
    5. You have your computer back as it was.

    If your computer is for everybody at home and the rest of the street, use a login password.
     
  9. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    wow people slow down. not everyone is as paranoid as you are.

    hello anonymtrk,
    im assuming your formattted C: reinstalled windows and left D: where your music is stored untouched?
    and now see folders only when you show hidden folders?
    keep the show hidden folders option on and please tell us the folder names?
    or even better post a screenshot.

    to prevent this in the future i would recomend the following
    1. buy a second hard drive, external if possible.
    2.make sure windows installation is clean before you go away
    3.image windows on to second hard drive. using an imaging program such as shadow protect desktop.
    4. backup your data on to your second hard drive
    5.create a recovery cd for your imaging program. if shadow protect desktop burn the .iso file to a cd using a cd burning program. i use ashampoo for burning .iso files
    6.turn off computer. remove second hard drive or unplug it if its external
    7. store second hard drive along with the recovery cd in a safe place such as a a cupboard in your bedroom.
    8. go on holiday
    9. when you come back format C: and D:
    10. reattach your second hard drive
    11. restore image of C: created before you went away.
    12. restore your data from second hard drive.
    13. use computer.

    if you have confidental information store it on your second hard drive only at all times. so if you have confidental information stored on d: now back it up to second hard drive and delete it from first hard drive.
    hope its not to long LOL.
    if you dont understand something feel free to ask or pm me
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2008
  10. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    But iodore is blaming us to be paranoid, although we don't see much difference with his 13-step procedure.
    However in this case 13 is lucky number. ;)
     
  11. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    Hey ERik,
    the 13steps are to avoid it in the future.
    i still want to know what folders only show with the option to show hidden files and folders.
    might not be malware.
     
  12. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    Hard to find out, if you can't see it with your own eyes.
    Personally, I wouldn't spend any time on finding the reason. I simply would format my data partition and restore my data. Two easy jobs and the rest is waiting, time enough for a cup of coffee.
     
  13. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Another rarely mentioned way to hide a folder although mind you this is not impenetrable to those in-the-know, but a common user might quickly move on past trying to figure it out even though it's just a simple common tweak of sorts for xp.

    You copy the below in notepad (of course), name it whatever dot bat, then make sure to save as "all files" and the batch file is made. You click on the batch file, it makes the folder named "Secure" and when you click on the batch again it asks if you want to lock it and shows Y or N. Very basic stuff i found while browsing the net a long time ago. After it's locked the folder immediately transforms to FONTS and when clicked steers it to another direction. Click the Batch again, it asks for password, in this case i named it "password" (read the batch lines), enter it, and your "Secure" folder with contents resurfaces again.

    if NOT %pass%== password goto FAIL


    I always been intrigued by these type little tweakies as well as vbs too, and is why i'm always looking for something fascinating if not fun to break the monotony occasionally.

    All it does is use your system's attribute file to change the folder, and if you can find the list of other GUID's, you can make it open in desktop or whatever.

    Theres much better alternatives to preserving programs and files you might not want executed by the unknowing and this is just a small example that might come in handy for someone one day who gets on your PC and fires up a real problem.

    If they done that to me, i would have to reach for an image restore but only after zeroing my disc because i keep close to the desktop surface a whole lot of malware samples for research and all it takes is tapping the worse one, and pop goes the weasel.

     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2008
  14. caspian

    caspian Registered Member

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    Would you mind explaining what zeroing a hard disk is? I assume that the restoring system image and data image is referring to that program "first defense"?
     
  15. Taliscicero

    Taliscicero Registered Member

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    Zeroing of 0ing a Hardrive is basicly overwrighting your whole harddrive with 0's or Random digits. Basicly so the harddrive has nothing but 0's on it.

    Google Dariks boot and nuke.
     
  16. caspian

    caspian Registered Member

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    Thanks for the explanation.
     
  17. anonymtrk

    anonymtrk Registered Member

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  18. thanatos_theos

    thanatos_theos Registered Member

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    Hello and welcome to Wilders anonymtrk. Try this,

    Open Command Prompt
    Type cd\
    Press Enter
    Type cd windows\system32
    Press Enter
    Type attrib.exe -s d:\programlar
    Press Enter

    *Repeat for musik folder, just change d:\programlar to d:\musik

    Go to Folder Options, check hide system folders, click ok. Check if your programlar and musik folders are not hidden anymore.

    thanatos
     
  19. anonymtrk

    anonymtrk Registered Member

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    thank you thanatos_theos, with a little change in command solved my problems. i changed the command like this
    attrib.exe -s -h d:\programlar
    and another question, is there a way that i can use this command to the sub folders of Programlar??
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2008
  20. thanatos_theos

    thanatos_theos Registered Member

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    Try,

    attrib.exe -s -h d:\programlar /s /d

    There is a software that can do this for you however it is not free. Maybe we could suggest to Chris that he adds this tweak to xp-AntiSpy. Chris is currently asking for tweaks.

    thanatos
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2008
  21. happytilton

    happytilton Registered Member

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    Take a look at ERASER: http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

    --
    happytilton®
    ----
     
  22. caspian

    caspian Registered Member

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  23. happytilton

    happytilton Registered Member

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    You're most welcome.

    --
    happytilton®
    ----
     
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