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18
While trying to copy the contents of a 16GB usb drive, I got a warning that there was not enough free space. Checking the properties of the folder tree on the usb drive, I found a large number of ".ßßß" files that claim to be around 3.5GB each, for a total of approximately 908GB (which I don't think could be possible on a 16GB drive).
Obviously there is something going on here, but I cannot find any reference to this file type online.
When I try to delete these files, they request administrator permission (which I provide). However, they then throw a "File Access Denied" error and state that I require permission from the adminsitrator...
Does anyone know what the purpose of these files are, and how to remove them?
17This looks like malware, possibly using USB spreading technologies or obfuscation of file content/names to destroy data. It's definitely nothing normal or expected. The filesize also only appears to be this big. – confetti – 2018-08-01T18:04:39.970
69I think your drive, or at least the filesystem on it, might be toast. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams – 2018-08-01T18:07:17.600
8That... looks like FS corruption. Try running
chkdsk
orRepair-Volume
on the drive? – bwDraco – 2018-08-02T05:43:39.7904Is this drive from China? They used to change FW to report bigger size than real. If end was reached, writing begin on start, thus overriding FS. – JIV – 2018-08-02T12:02:51.233
@JIV Link or it didn't happen. – Mr Lister – 2018-08-04T15:04:46.493
5
@MrLister Among many blog posts and articles (0 1 2) there are two mentions by Andrew Huang (of Xbox jailbreaking fame) in pages 151-152 and 292-293 of his book "The Hardware Hacker", one of the chapters where he analyzes all kinds of counterfeit electronic parts.
– user1686 – 2018-08-04T15:38:01.0032What's the file system? NTFS or FAT? – Thomas Weller – 2018-08-05T12:48:56.927
1
FYI - a fun, semi-related, thread, "Pseudo English looking characters used in Windows 10 Insider Preview"
– BruceWayne – 2018-08-06T21:09:12.377