Restoring Missing Files and Folders after Virus Attack

Virus is malware or spyware that can destroy your computer system or corrupt the files stored on your PC. All kinds of viruses can spread through Internet or different storage media. If your computer is infected with virus, it might also infect the files stored on other media like external hard drive, USB flash drive, memory card, etc when you connect any of those devices to this computer. Usually, virus attack might cause system crash and even delete or hide files stored on hard drive on your computer. If you find that some files or folders are missing after virus attack, you had better not write new data or run anti-virus software to remove the viruses. You have chance to recover missing folders and files after virus attack from backup drive or use free data recovery software – iCare Data Recovery.

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How Was Your Computer Attacked by Virus?

As you know, virus can spread in different ways. Therefore, your computer is easily infected with different kinds of virus in following situations:

1. Install unknown, unsafe or pirated program on your computer

Some people like to install pirated programs on their computer since pirated versions are usually cheaper, but the problem is that pirated programs usually have no security assurance. Your computer might be attacked by virus after installing some pirated or unknown programs, so you had better be careful when attempting to install any software on your computer.

2. PC was infected with virus after visiting unsafe website or opening suspicious links

If you often visit some unsafe websites or opening some suspicious links, you computer is also easily attacked by virus. Unsafe websites and some unknown emails from strangers usually contain virus, after visiting which your computer will be infected with virus.

3. Connect a virus-infected device to your computer

If you connect a device that contains virus to your computer, your computer will be infected with the same virus too. For example, if your memory card is infected with virus, your computer will be attacked by the same virus after you connect this memory card to your computer and vice versa.

Threats Caused by Virus Attack

Virus is a harmful program that could cause many troubles and threats to your computer, files stored on different media. For instance:

  • Windows system crash due to virus infection
  • Hard drive, external HDD, USB flash drive, memory card corruption after virus attack
  • Files and folders are hidden or deleted by virus
  • confidential data gets stolen and personal privacy has leaked out

Recovering Files and Folders Deleted by Virus with Computer Built-in Tool

You may use a personal computer that runs Windows OS like Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, etc. Or you may use a computer that runs Mac OS. Whether you use a Mac computer or Windows computer, your PC might be attacked by virus. There are different solutions for missing file recovery on Windows or Mac after virus infection.

Recovering Missing Files / Folders on Mac after Virus Infection

1. If you lose important data on Mac after virus infection, you can try to recover missing files or folders with Mac Time Machine. Time Machine is Mac built-in backup tool, with which you can backup data on Mac OS. When files got lost, you can restore lost files with the Time Machine.

2. You can also recover lost data from iTunes backup or iCloud backup on Mac computer.

Restoring Deleted Files / Folders on Windows after Virus Attack

If you lose files on Windows operating system, you can perform system restore to recover lost files and folders if you have set up backup in advance. Or you can also recover missing files after virus infection from previous backup if you have made a copy of the important data to another storage media.

Restoring Missing Folders Files after Virus Attack with Freeware

No matter you recover deleted folders with Mac Time Machine, iTunes/iCloud backup or perform system restore on Windows, the central premise is that you have set up to backup data in advance. If you fail to restore lost files from iTunes / iCloud backup or other backup drive because you have not made any backup, you can use freeware, iCare Data Recovery, to recover missing files after virus infection.

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select recovery mode

Step2. Choose the drive where data got missing and then wait the software to scan.

wait while scanning

Step3. Preview some files and then save the lost files to another drive.

preview found photo

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Methods to Remove Virus

In order to remove virus from your computer, you can perform following operations:

  • Reinstalling system after data recovery
  • Reformatting the drive which has been attacked by virus
  • Run anti-virus software to remove virus

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