All folders in usb turn into a lnk file

[carol22]

Hi, i encounter this problem just now, i can't access to my sub drive.
My usb does not show up under devices when i want to select,
and I can only access through desktop with the external drive pop up.

All my files inside usb turned into a single lnk file.
Is there any solution or steps i can follow to get back my file???

I don't understand why it become like this, but the files contained is important to me.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

I'm a bit confused about your mention that "All your files turned into a single .ink file"

.ink is a Microsoft Windows shortcut extension … are the files from a PC?

Firstly, what type of files are they? Documents, Images etc?

You could try changing the file extension to whatever it should be … for example .jpg, .pdf etc. If this doesn't work try the following:

Open up the drive in Finder & in the upper right Search Field place your mouse cursor in it & press the Space Bar. This will then display the Search options. Make sure that the Search location is the USB drive & not "This Mac". Next, click on the + button at the far right, next to "Save". A new section appears where you'll see "Kind" is "Any". Click on "Any" & select whatever your files ought to be, say, Image, Document, PDF or whatever … if there is a mix you may need to try this a few times …

Let us know if your files show up.

 

[carol22]

I'm a bit confused about your mention that "All your files turned into a single .ink file"

.ink is a Microsoft Windows shortcut extension … are the files from a PC?

Firstly, what type of files are they? Documents, Images etc?

You could try changing the file extension to whatever it should be … for example .jpg, .pdf etc. If this doesn't work try the following:

Open up the drive in Finder & in the upper right Search Field place your mouse cursor in it & press the Space Bar. This will then display the Search options. Make sure that the Search location is the USB drive & not "This Mac". Next, click on the + button at the far right, next to "Save". A new section appears where you'll see "Kind" is "Any". Click on "Any" & select whatever your files ought to be, say, Image, Document, PDF or whatever … if there is a mix you may need to try this a few times …

Let us know if your files show up.

Hi ! I used to have a few folders in my pendrive, which is under FAT format, can be supported both windows and mac computer.
All my folders basically contain .jpg, .excel, .docx ...etc, folders/ files were created on my mac.

all these folders turned into one .lnk after i sent my pendrive to do some printing,
and I can't open the .lnk with both mac and window.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Try my previous advice regarding how to manually search for your files & report back, you'll need to perform a search for each file type changing "Any" to whichever file type you know should be there, you never know your luck

 

[carol22]

I'm a bit confused about your mention that "All your files turned into a single .ink file"

.ink is a Microsoft Windows shortcut extension … are the files from a PC?

Firstly, what type of files are they? Documents, Images etc?

You could try changing the file extension to whatever it should be … for example .jpg, .pdf etc. If this doesn't work try the following:

Open up the drive in Finder & in the upper right Search Field place your mouse cursor in it & press the Space Bar. This will then display the Search options. Make sure that the Search location is the USB drive & not "This Mac". Next, click on the + button at the far right, next to "Save". A new section appears where you'll see "Kind" is "Any". Click on "Any" & select whatever your files ought to be, say, Image, Document, PDF or whatever … if there is a mix you may need to try this a few times …

Let us know if your files show up.

Try my previous advice regarding how to manually search for your files & report back, you'll need to perform a search for each file type changing "Any" to whichever file type you know should be there, you never know your luck

Hi, Spawn!
I tried your advice, and it works !!!
Thank you so much for your time and effort to reply this, i really appreciate it.

Is there any solution to prevent this to happen again ??

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Glad to help out

You wrote it happened after you sent your pen drive to do some printing … did somebody else use your pen drive to do this? Is this the first time it's happened? Do you frequently work between Mac OS X & Windows with this pen drive? It might not happen again, it's difficult to say … I would make sure you have a back up of anything you put on your pen drive just in case.

I did find this:

Restore missing files on USB and solve shortcut link file virus on Windows and MacOS

I suggest reformatting the pen drive again.

 

[carol22]

Glad to help out

You wrote it happened after you sent your pen drive to do some printing … did somebody else use your pen drive to do this? Is this the first time it's happened? Do you frequently work between Mac OS X & Windows with this pen drive? It might not happen again, it's difficult to say … I would make sure you have a back up of anything you put on your pen drive just in case.

I did find this:

Restore missing files on USB and solve shortcut link file virus on Windows and MacOS

I suggest reformatting the pen drive again.

Is the first time. I work quite frequent between mac and windows.
Once again thanks for your advise, i just reformat the pendrive.