RipNAS folders replaced by shortcuts in Windows 7

[mike_jordan]

Hi Spoon

Not sure if you can help with this, but I've had no luck posting to Windows forums.

Seen from Windows Explorer in Windows 7, all the folders on my RipNAS have suddenly been replaced by shortcuts, whether seen from Libraries, Computer or Network.

If I attempt to open a folder from Libraries, I get the security warning - "Do you want to open this file?" and if I try to open it, Windows can't find it.

If I try to open the folder in the mapped drive in Computer, I get the same warning, but this time I can open the folder, and folders within it, and get to the files themselves, though the folder symbols are still replaced by shortcuts and I get the security warning at each stage.

If I open the Music folder in the RipNAS under Network, I still see a bunch of shortcuts and once again, Windows can't find it when I attempt to open a folder.

I've tried a System Restore - no luck. And accessing the RipNAS from a second desktop running Windows 7 on the network gives the same results as above.

What does work? Well, everything else. Kinsky works fine and plays the music. DBpoweramp CD ripper rips to a new folder on the RipNAS, which is correctly displayed in Windows 7 and can be opened without problems via all routes.

Any ideas?

[Spoon]

Do you have a different computer you can browse the ripnas with, does it work?

[mike_jordan]

I do. It's running Windows 7 too and it has exactly the same problem. Folders on the RipNAS are shown as shortcuts, except those that have been created since the problem, which are correctly displayed.

[Spoon]

It points to the ripnas not the other computers as being the issue. I have no clue how a network share would appear as a shortcut.

[mike_jordan]

That's rather how I saw it. I will persevere with Windows forums. Could this be a WHS issue?

[Spoon]

Not sure.

[mike_jordan]

An update.

This proved to be an infection with Trojan.Ransom.ED. This changes the flags on the RipNAS folders to "hidden" and replaces them with shortcuts. McAfee did not detect it and I eventually removed it with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

From there, in Explorer's Music Library it goes "Organise>Folder and Search Options>View tab>Show hidden files, folders and drives" and the folders should reappear. Select all the folders and change the attributes to unhide them and their contents.

See http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...-ae01adaf9df6/