File deletion issue - ML NOT to blame - [RESOLVED] [UNRELATED]

[Alkahest]

I'm new here and just installed ML on my 60D. The thing works like a charm but I hadn't felt a need to join the forum until after yesterday night after I found a problem. Maybe this problem is known to you all and I have missed it, or maybe it is normal for ML. Either case I found it out the hard way.

I had just shot a short animation sequence using the Audio Remoteshot with ML (that was a great help) and took came home to finally transfer the material to my PC. Everything was alright till then.
I removed the SDHC (8gb lexar class 10) - with all the due precautions and waiting appropriately for opening the card gate after shut down and another 5 seconds after the LED goes out on the gate before pushing to release the card.
I used my notebook's in built card reader to read the card (its the only reader i have and used it to install ML too) and opened up the folder and put the photographs on transfer.

Here's where the problem comes about what I did different from the regular things that I do. I by chance clicked on the ML User Guide pdf that was in the Card's Root and opened it.

the transfer completed and I ejected the card and put that back in the camera. When i turned the camera back on to clear the photos from the card the camera's start screen said "Cannot create folder" - the same message that you get when you do not format your camera after a firmware update or ML install. So I did exactly that and formatted my card while keeping ML on it and it was up and working normally again. To figure out the problem I then had the card back in again and opened the user guide from it again. The same thing happened this too and it was fixed by the format. The card in fact did not give any problems as such until I did not try to open any of the ML files from it and stayed put with  opening only the eos100 media folder.

Later after I was done checking this I decided to open the files I had transferred and realised to my horror that not a single one was there in the folder to which I had transferred them to! Thankfully I was able to recover them from the card with some recovery softwares, However I did decide to ask about this over here because of that. I believe that the file deletion came about because I opened the user guide while the transfer happened?


Either way the problem really comes down to this - I figure out that I must not open any of the ML files directly from the card on my pc and that it is a dangerous thing to do?? OR is this some sort of an error occuring of which I need to be more beware of / re-install ML or do a workaround? ALSO, I'm only using the Stable Release of ML (v2.3) and no other version at all.

[walter_schulz]

This should not be an issue with Windows. Okay, you didn't follow the proper procedures unmounting removable devices under Windows but I never had such problems.

EDIT:
Can you take a look into your virus scanner and Windows event logs if there was some warning/alarm at the time you removed the card?

[Alkahest]

I worked through it a bit more and found out that the problem is probably not with ML at all. The thing started to occur such that every time I'd insert my card and open even the DCIM folder on it and then put it back into the camera, the camera wouldn't read it.
I think it is a virus at work here maybe because my notebook is not showing the folders as simply fodlers anymore but hidden files and in place of them there are .exe versions of the folders that are. I can access the media on it alright but once I do so then until I format the card my camera won't read those cards again and keep saying "cannot create folder" I have little clue of how to get rid of the .exe creation thing!

[walter_schulz]

Well, we're not neighbours, I suppose. I would throw an USB device over the fence then. Containing something called Desinfec't which will run 2-4 virus scanners to look out for the beasts haunting your PC.

[Alkahest]

searching up the net I found out atleast what the thing's called - W32FDC
and yes now I am looking for ways to figure out how to remove this, any more names than what you mentioned to help in the process?

[walter_schulz]

First hit on google:
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/system-security/tp/free-bootable-antivirus-software.htm

[pv25pv]

i dealt with it once..had to remove some registry keys manually in order to kill it..instructions from http://www.ehow.com/how_6163868_remove-w32_sillyfdc-virus.html
i also use nod32 and malwarebyte

[Alkahest]

Thanks for the info people, plus atleast I can say ML was nowhere at all at fault here. I'm installing Avast and am going to look up the links you mentioned. Also figured out that how to make the camera read the card again without a format. Had to delete the .exe. versions and unhide the real folders. However the problem occurs again when the card is put into the pc, probably because the virus fires up again when the pc detects the card. I have turned off Autoplay but that hasn't helped.
Pffftt.
Seriously sometimes I think if it is better to invest in a Mac just for the photo/video, way too many virus hassles on the pc :/
Once again thanks for the support, I'll try out the methods you've suggested!

[walter_schulz]

Well, this worm is quite old and easy to deal with. Am I right guessing your not using any protection on your PC?

[Alkahest]

Yep you are in a way, Norton just expired a month back *sighs*

[walter_schulz]

2 Samuel 1:27

[Alkahest]

I am no christian but I did get that reference, I'd agree. Between Avast's Boot Scan solved the problem along with clearing out the registries. Everyone's help is greatly appreciated on this issue! The camera and cards both are up and running as normal and no more .exe folders on them. However, I realize now that my storage drive is quite infected with the same maybe and would require the same treatments, hopefully I am successful with that too Thanks again people!

Also if there's a way to change the thread name and if not then close it? I don't want to be blaming ML in any way for this one!