"Application not found" error while opening flash drive, shortcut files in flash drive comes back after deleting

Question

Original Title: When I insert my flashdrive and i open it, it says "application not found"

When I insert my flashdrive and i open it, it says "application not found". But when I opened it through the navigation pane, it opened. But the files inside my flashdrive became shortcuts, luckily the folders did not. When I deleted the shortcut files and when i close the window, it appears again after i open it. And the target location indicates "system32" Is it a virus or what? What should I do to fix it? I need your help badly. Anyone? :(

Answer 1

Hello Diane,

Welcome to Microsoft community Forum.

As per the description, I understand that you get “application not found” error message when you connect your flash drive to the computer. However, when you open through the navigation pane it opens but it includes some shortcut files and they come back even after deleting.

I would appreciate if you can provide us the following information to help us understand the issue better.

1. Are these shortcut files unknown files or already present files have been changed to shortcuts?
2. Have you checked connecting the flash drive to any other computer? Do you get the same issue there as well?
3. What is the make and model of your computer and your flash drive?

If the shortcut files which comes back even after deleting are unknown files, most probably these are viruses. I would suggest you to****scan your computer with Microsoft Safety Scanner, just to make sure that the computer is free of all infections.

Download and run Microsoft safety scanner to scan your computer for viruses

http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx

Note: Any data files that are infected may only be cleaned by deleting the file entirely, which means there is a potential for data loss.

On addition to that you may also run System file checker tool to scan the system integration and fix system file corruption (if any).

The sfc /scannow (System File Checker) command scans all protected system files, and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions.

Use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files. ****http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833/en-us

Hope this works. Please let us know the results. Feel free to write us back for any further assistance, we’ll be glad to assist you.

Answer 2

I have the same problem

"Application not found" error while opening flash drive"

Other PCs do not give the problem with the same flash drive.

I have used sfc /scannow but it shows no errors

Previously there was no problem, so something must have changed

Help please

Regards

Barry White