.lnk file extension virus

Viruses and worms
1

OS is XP. all my files have been changed to the .lnk extension and nothing will run. I get the message Windows cannot start this file. Even when running in safe mode an .EXE file will not run… I do not know the name of this virus or where I even got it from as I do not use this computer for email. Could anyone be of help? Thank You. fnash

2

Hi fnash and welcome to the forums
I do not know what is causing your problem however I ran a search
using “virus changed extension to .lnk” and there many results
Sorry I can not be of more help

3

This guy had the same problem and found a fix at this forum, You’ll have to read down a bit.

http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/132017.html

It’s under Response Number 6.

4

Thank both of you guys for the help. Marc57, thanks again to you as that forum answered and cured my problem. No reformat necessary, which is what I feared. Now I have both the XP fix and the Link fix on CD. Handy if I need it again… It was like magic… Thanks and hope I can help out sometime also… fnash

5

As mentioned in the above message the problem WAS fixed but it returned. Now the two fix it files will not work. So I am back to square one. I could use any additional help. Thank You, fnash

6

Perhaps this may help you some. Please read the “Specific Notes” part in particular.

http://filext.com/detaillist.php?extdetail=LNK

Also, seems like I remember reading something about SpySheriff (adware) being “linked” with this issue but I can not find that now.