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Desktop files on C: Drive have been turned into .LNKs

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RedLetterDayMan

PCHF Member
Jul 14, 2021
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#1
The title explains my issue well enough, however I believe my issue is more complicated than it seems. I've tried about every other fix on the net for this, and yet, my files till remain as shortcut.LNKs


I've tried about 4 different fixes now, to no avail. Last resort is file recovery software but even so, would it work?
 
#2
while file recovery software may help, I'd certainly be guessing it won't.
and what happens when you click on those desktop icons?
and is your other personal files OK, like pictures, documents etc?

what scans have you run so far?
what are the things you have tried so we don't go over suggestions already tried?

and I'm guessing you don't have any file backups or system images!!!
 
#3
So far i've tried editing the registry, using Malwarebytes pro to see if there been an infection, I've tried using command prompt as it was shown in a youtube video. Some of the files are fine, where others are not. I mostly had a collection of images and TXT files that I had on my desktop which I moved into a ZIP file a few weeks ago. Thats how long the issue has persisted. One day they were fine, the next I started noticing a handful of files had been turned into shortcuts and I haven't been able to figure out when exactly or why. I removed the files from the archive and placed them back on the desktop to better picture.
 
#4
so is it only the files on the Desktop effected?
your pics, docs, music folder etc are OK?

and these screwed up Desktop files, you have them backed up in a Zip file?

what ever happened, the first thing to do is make sure it hasn't effected other files in other folders and that what it has effected can be recovered.

let's be honest here - any chance it was user caused??? :)
sounds like the archiving to ZIP file is about when the shortcuts appeared. :unsure:
 
#5
Do you use OneDrive?
If yes check to see if those files are there. I’m wondering if OneDrive has uploaded those files & those are the shortcuts to the original files.
If you check the properties of the shortcut/.link file does it indicate where the original file is located?
 
#6
Bruce said:
so is it only the files on the Desktop effected?
your pics, docs, music folder etc are OK?

and these screwed up Desktop files, you have them backed up in a Zip file?

what ever happened, the first thing to do is make sure it hasn't effected other files in other folders and that what it has effected can be recovered.

let's be honest here - any chance it was user caused??? :)
sounds like the archiving to ZIP file is about when the shortcuts appeared. :unsure:
Click to expand...
I have no idea honestly, I remember just sticking them in a ZIP to get em out of the way, everything was fine, files worked as intented. Couple days later they were all shortcuts inside the ZIP.
 
#7
Bastet said:
Do you use OneDrive?
If yes check to see if those files are there. I’m wondering if OneDrive has uploaded those files & those are the shortcuts to the original files.
If you check the properties of the shortcut/.link file does it indicate where the original file is located?
Click to expand...
I just checked one drive. Didn't find the files. It's strange that it's only affecting a handful of files. Originally I just had some pictures, other random documents on my desktop that I just moved into a ZIP. Everything worked as intended and I moved the zip to another drive. Some time later I open the file and they're almost all shortcuts. However, not all of them. Like 6 files out of them were fine, the rest were shortcuts. Trying to open one of these files says the content relating to it is gone and prompts to delete the shortcut, but i'm almost certain they should be the original files themselves.
 
#12
Have you checked File History & system restore to see if anything is there?
If there isn’t then I’m out of options other than recommending that you begin to use disk imaging software in case this happens again.
 
#13
can we back up are a bit and get some previous questions answered.

is it only files on the Desktop effected?
your files in Documents and Pictures (for example) are still fine?

if other folders are also effected, you have some infection and settings change that has caused this.
if it is only those Desktop files, then it is somehow connected to your ZIP activity.
I think it is the later! :whistle:

have you opened that ZIP file (double click it) and seen that it contains all you files in question?
while in the ZIP archive you should be able to double click each item and if a document, then Word will open, if a music file then your media player will open - does that happen?

if that all happens then these archived files can be unzipped back onto the Desktop.
if they are also just shortcuts in the Zip'd file then you are buggered really.
what happens when you double click one of those shortcuts?

forget System Restore, that won't help you here.
did you check File History - was it turned on?
do you have any backups?

assuming all the above is negative - where did those files that are now shortcuts come from?
looks like they are all audio files?
can you get them back from the original source? - CD, download etc.
 
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