System error 126. Causes and devices causing the error “The specified module was not found”
Some users, while working on the Internet, encounter special virus programs that modify files on removable media, making them invisible. In some cases, they are replaced by various scripts or shortcuts with similar names and shortcuts that infect your computer. This article describes in detail how you can open hidden files and folders on your flash drive and return them to their original attributes.
First of all, it is worth noting that under no circumstances should you open or run duplicate files created by a virus, as this will lead to infection of your personal computer, even with an antivirus program enabled. Scan your entire PC and removable device with an antivirus, and then you can start troubleshooting.
Setting up Windows Explorer
In order for users to be able to view hidden files located on a flash drive, it is necessary to correctly configure the parameters for displaying objects in Explorer (a program for working with files and folders). To do this you will need to do the following:
Now you will see all files that have the “Hide” attribute. You can open the root directory of the flash drive and continue working with the necessary information.
Changing Attributes
So that hidden files can be seen by other users on other computers, you need to change their properties. To do this, you need to right-click on the desired object to bring up the context menu and select “Properties”.
In the window that opens, you need to uncheck the boxes next to the “System” and “Hidden” parameters. Click "Apply" to save the changes and "Ok" to close the window and display the files. This way you can edit the parameters of all the data you need.
However, if there are a lot of objects on the flash drive, changing all the files one by one will be inconvenient and time-consuming.
Creating a bat file
You can create a simple script with your own hands that will independently “repair” all the data on the removable media. Follow a few simple steps indicated in the instructions:
Some users, while working on the Internet, encounter special virus programs that modify files on removable media, making them invisible. In some cases, they are replaced by various scripts or shortcuts with similar names and shortcuts that infect your computer. This article describes in detail how you can open hidden files and folders on your flash drive and return them to their original attributes.
First of all, it is worth noting that under no circumstances should you open or run duplicate files created by a virus, as this will lead to infection of your personal computer, even with an antivirus program enabled. Scan your entire PC and removable device with an antivirus, and then you can start troubleshooting.
Setting up Windows Explorer
In order for users to be able to view hidden files located on a flash drive, it is necessary to correctly configure the parameters for displaying objects in Explorer (a program for working with files and folders). To do this you will need to do the following:
Now you will see all files that have the “Hide” attribute. You can open the root directory of the flash drive and continue working with the necessary information.
Changing Attributes
So that hidden files can be seen by other users on other computers, you need to change their properties. To do this, you need to right-click on the desired object to bring up the context menu and select “Properties”. 
In the window that opens, you need to uncheck the boxes next to the “System” and “Hidden” parameters. Click "Apply" to save the changes and "Ok" to close the window and display the files. This way you can edit the parameters of all the data you need. 
However, if there are a lot of objects on the flash drive, changing all the files one by one will be inconvenient and time-consuming.
Creating a bat file
You can create a simple script with your own hands that will independently “repair” all the data on the removable media. Follow a few simple steps indicated in the instructions.
Some users, while working on the Internet, encounter special virus programs that modify files on removable media, making them invisible. In some cases, they are replaced by various scripts or shortcuts with similar names and shortcuts that infect your computer. This article describes in detail how you can open hidden files and folders on your flash drive and return them to their original attributes.
First of all, it is worth noting that under no circumstances should you open or run duplicate files created by a virus, as this will lead to infection of your personal computer, even with an antivirus program enabled. Scan your entire PC and removable device with an antivirus, and then you can start troubleshooting.
Setting up Windows Explorer
In order for users to be able to view hidden files located on a flash drive, it is necessary to correctly configure the parameters for displaying objects in Explorer (a program for working with files and folders). To do this you will need to do the following:
Now you will see all files that have the “Hide” attribute. You can open the root directory of the flash drive and continue working with the necessary information.
Changing Attributes
So that hidden files can be seen by other users on other computers, you need to change their properties. To do this, you need to right-click on the desired object to bring up the context menu and select “Properties”.
In the window that opens, you need to uncheck the boxes next to the “System” and “Hidden” parameters. Click "Apply" to save the changes and "Ok" to close the window and display the files. This way you can edit the parameters of all the data you need.
However, if there are a lot of objects on the flash drive, changing all the files one by one will be inconvenient and time-consuming.
Creating a bat file
You can create a simple script with your own hands that will independently “repair” all the data on the removable media. Follow a few simple steps indicated in the instructions:
Viruses cause all files and folders on it to become hidden. Due to this, users are facing problem. There are files on the flash drive, but I can’t open them. In this material we will look at just such a problem. Now you will learn how to open hidden files on a flash drive.
Step #1: Find a computer with an antivirus.
If the files on the flash drive become hidden, it means the flash drive has been infected with a virus. It is quite possible that not even one. Therefore, you can’t just connect this flash drive to the first computer you come across. Otherwise, you will put your computer at risk and in some cases the computer may be infected with viruses located on the flash drive. Therefore, first of all, you need to find a computer with an antivirus. Also, before connecting an infected flash drive, you need to make sure that the antivirus is up and running.
Step No. 2. Connect the USB flash drive to your computer and check it for viruses.
Once you have found a computer with an antivirus, you can connect a flash drive to it. Immediately after connecting, open “My Computer” and right-click on the icon of the connected flash drive. In the menu that opens, select “ ” or “Scan for viruses” if you have an English version of the antivirus. After that, wait until your antivirus scans all the files on the flash drive.
Step #3: Turn on hidden folders.
In order to open hidden files on a flash drive we need. To do this, you need to open a settings window called “Folder Options”.
If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 10, then you need to open any folder and on the “View” tab click on the “Options” button.
If you are using Windows 7, then you need to open any folder and press the ALT key. After this, a series of drop-down menus will appear at the top of the window (File, Edit, View, Tools and Help). Here you need to open the “Tools” menu and select “Folder Options”.
After this, the “Folder Options” window will open in front of you. In this window, you need to go to the “View” tab and scroll to the end of the “Advanced options” list. There you need to uncheck the box next to the “Hide protected system files” function and check the box next to the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” function. After this, you need to save the changes by clicking on the “Ok” button.
After these simple manipulations, hidden files on your flash drive will become visible and you will be able to open them.
Step No. 4. Make hidden files and folders on the flash drive visible.
You can also make hidden files and folders visible again. To do this, select hidden files or folders on the flash drive and open their properties. After this, uncheck the “Hidden” attribute and save the changes by clicking on the “Ok” button.
It should be noted that sometimes after infection with viruses, the “Hidden” attribute is not removed. In such cases, the easiest way is to copy the files to your computer and delete the folder.
Additionally. You can also open hidden folders on a flash drive using . To do this, open the command line and go to your flash drive. To do this, simply enter the drive letter and a colon. This is done like this:
After that, enter the following command:
- attrib -s -h *.* /s /d
On the command line it will look something like this:
The execution time of the attrib command depends on the number of hidden files and folders on the flash drive. This usually only takes a couple of seconds. After the command line prompts you to enter the following command, you can check the flash drive. If everything was done correctly, then all hidden folders and files on the flash drive should become visible.
There are many viruses on the network that affect the operation of personal computers, phones, tablets and other equipment. In addition to those malware that have a direct impact, there are also those that simply make the user's work more difficult.
One of these viruses infects external storage devices, and flash cards are most susceptible to its influence. A virus can make a flash drive unreadable for a computer, make it a “carrier,” delete any files from it, or hide them from the user. In the latter case, in place of the files, a person sees their duplicate shortcuts, which cannot be opened or used in any other way.
A similar virus first appeared back in 2012 and still prevents electronics users from living in peace. So what to do if all the folders on the flash card suddenly turn out to be shortcuts?
How to understand that a flash drive is infected
Typically, in such cases, when you try to open folders, a dialog box appears informing you that there is a system error. Then the folder can open, although sometimes this does not happen.
In order to determine whether folders are shortcuts, you should take a closer look at the icon: if there is a tiny arrow at the bottom left, it is a shortcut.
If most folders (if not all) have a similar sign, then with a high degree of probability the flash card is a carrier of a virus that has infected the system.
In this case, there is no need to format the flash drive, since most often this problem can be resolved in a few steps.
How the malware works
After getting onto a removable drive, the virus “inhabits” the RECYCLER system folder. Then, in order not to detect his presence, he hides it through system commands. In the folder, the virus places virus code, which can be called anything: this provides the virus with excellent camouflage.
Each file or folder acquires the status of “hidden” and “system”, which prevents the user from seeing them while working. And in the end the virus creates shortcuts to all of them.
The system command is triggered when the shortcut is clicked. It is this action that is launched by the virus located in the system folder. If the antivirus installed on the PC ignores the malicious program, the computer will become infected. The result can be very different, from copying any entered passwords to remote access to a personal computer.
Removing viruses from flash media
If the antivirus detects a threat, it must be removed.
Please note that if the file belongs to a Windows system folder, then deletion should be done as much as possible 
carefully so as not to harm the personal computer system. To do this, the infected file must be quarantined and, if possible, disinfected. The remaining files can be deleted.
It doesn’t matter whether malware was found or not, in any case, the system must be scanned using a third-party resource - CureIt. You need to repeat the process of scanning the C: drive and removable media using a similar program. It is advisable to check your computer for viruses after urgently scanning these places. If you scan all disks at the same time, it will take more than one hour.
When the scan is completed (even if no viruses were detected), you can proceed to reveal invisible folders if the problem has not been resolved before.
How to show folders and files
In order to do this, it is necessary to finally get rid of the virus.
You can do this in the following ways:
- use the command line;
- use a bootable Live DVD (or flash drive);
- use file managers such as Far or Total Commander.
The most effective method is the second, however, it requires some skills that, as a rule, are absent from the average PC user. So the simplest way, understandable to everyone, is the third.
In order to restore folders, you should:
- Download the program (32+64-bit) and then install it.
- Update the program if necessary.
- In order to use the program for free, after opening it, you must click on the start button under the required number.
- Select the flash card in the window on the left.
- Even if it seems that the flash card does not have any problems, if you carefully examine the file extensions, you may find inconsistencies. The fact is that folders as such do not have an extension, while shortcuts go under “Ink”.
- You need to click on the “Configuration” button, then select the “Settings” section. After this, in the window you need to select “Contents of panels” and check the boxes for “Show hidden files”, “Show system files”.
- "Apply."
- "OK".
The appearance of the flash card should have changed due to the revelation of hidden folders. You need to clean the flash drive by deleting any files with the “Ink” extension. A dialog box asks you to confirm your consent to this operation.
In order to finally return visible folders, it is enough to remove the “system”, “hidden” and other attributes from them. Unfortunately, the Windows system will not allow such an operation, which requires Total Commander.
After selecting files by simultaneously pressing “Ctrl” and the English “A”, you need to open “Files” and select the “Change Attributes” function.
- systemic;
- hidden;
- archival;
- only for reading.
After clicking “OK”, the files located on the flash drive will be viewed using regular Explorer.
The most important thing is not to forget to remove the virus itself. This will require deleting the RECYCLER folder. Sometimes during this action a warning appears that the file cannot be deleted. To solve this problem, you need to check the “with administrator rights” key.
