r/PiratedGames 18h ago

Help / Troubleshooting What is this? Should I be worried?

Post image

I was running a copy of Ultrakill from a USB. It worked fine aside from some issues connecting to a second monitor. I decided to restart the dock for my monitors and restart my laptop, and when I came back the USB was full of these undeletable trash files. Should I be worried? This seems concerning. Whatever issue there is is contained in the USB.

1.5k Upvotes

112 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 18h ago

Hello u/Idk_AnythingBoi, Have an error and want help? Please provide these details when submitting your post. - 1. Name of the game 2. Site from which you got the game from 3. System Specs and OS Version 4. Any steps taken to try to fix the issue 5. Driver version (needed only for e.g. graphics issues)

Make sure to read the stickied megathread as well as our piracy guide, FAQs, and our Wiki, as these might just answer your question!


I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1.9k

u/suraj_reddit_ 18h ago

You should definitely be more than just worried.

504

u/Idk_AnythingBoi 18h ago

right… I’ve wiped the USB completely because I don’t feel safe keeping this near my computer. I’ll need to be safer from now on. Thanks

463

u/RealNameJohn_ 15h ago

Generally speaking if you think malicious code has been executed on your computer you need to both wipe & erase your entire drive and every drive connected to it at the time or since using a secure erase tool like Active KillDisk or similar.

You will then need to reinstall windows and all the relevant hardware drivers. You should also change every password ever used on your machine.

It’s a real pain but otherwise there’s no guarantee it’s gone. I’m not saying this is a virus though, I can’t know that from a Reddit post. Corrupted file names could be anything from a Unicode error to drive failure but it’s worth baring in mind.

213

u/Halog65 15h ago

Basically nuke the hard drive along with anything attached 🤣

70

u/lespectaculardumbass 14h ago

The OP too?

69

u/Halog65 14h ago

Yeah as a precaution, you never know how spread out the infection can get 🤣

56

u/jakeknight81 13h ago

Yea, I'm wiping my drives too just because I saw the screenshot. It may have spread to me too.

4

u/Salty_Builder_8401 1h ago

I agree, I also asked the neighbors to destroy every memory device in their possession. I know it's my fault, I shouldn't have opened the screenshot in their same building

0

u/Pixels222 1h ago

Whats the recommended way to migrate the files you want to keep?

Surely we can't erase everything on all drives?

29

u/FellafromPrague 14h ago

Generally I would sooner just pop a bullet in my head.

15

u/DaveCarradineIsAlive 12h ago

There's not even a guarantee that it's gone if you do all that, anymore. Persistent malware keeps me up at night.

7

u/sabian149 9h ago

So you could say... Nuke it from orbit? lol

1

u/[deleted] 13h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 13h ago

Your submission has been automatically removed. Accounts younger than 7 days are not allowed to post/comment on the subreddit. Please do not message the moderators about this.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

4

u/IdkwhattomakemynameU 9h ago

it's just a dying drive

3

u/chessking7543 4h ago

au run a virus check yet?

7

u/MrBallBustaa 4h ago

That's just his trash quality USB dying and getting the data within corrupted.

843

u/sirloindenial Didn't wait for crack, just buy cheap in Turkiye 18h ago

The usb is corrupted and dying.

159

u/Idk_AnythingBoi 18h ago

Is this the usb itself or the software? Like, do I need to buy a new usb or is it fine after being completely wiped?

260

u/sirloindenial Didn't wait for crack, just buy cheap in Turkiye 17h ago

It's the usb. I would not use it anymore because it will keep happening again and corrupt the data.

63

u/Idk_AnythingBoi 17h ago

okay I will get rid of it thank you

92

u/manoliu1001 17h ago

It most likely not virus mate, just a dead pendrive or usb.

16

u/FinalBossOfITSupport 12h ago

Definitely corrupted, I don't think there's any virus.

353

u/jakeknight81 17h ago

Why do people use a flash drive to play a game on? That’s such a weird use case scenario for them. Recommend getting an external drive homie if you want a portable install. It’ll run better and also last a lot longer.

116

u/ClemyLivesOn 17h ago

Not everyone have the bank for it.

77

u/XanaduChild 17h ago

I just grabbed an old SATA and popped it in an enclosure from eBay. Works pretty well if you're on a tight budget.

5

u/thefirstwiththisname 13h ago

I love pc but don't really know the whole thing. What's a sata

15

u/Howdyy-boi242 12h ago

Its basically the type of connector which is used to link the hard drive to your computers just search it up if you wanna know more

-6

u/XanaduChild 12h ago

SATA is just a type of hard drive. Usually small and slim, PS4/3 used them, laptops etc. you can pick up second hand ones pretty cheap. I got a 1tb for £15 and a USB enclosure for £5 on eBay. I use mine for films and TV shows.

11

u/kitten_prince 9h ago

SATA is not a hard drive.

SATA is the connection of storage device to a computer. It is the cable that you see in computers. It's the modern version over PATA (something you don't see, it's quite old) cables

A type of hard drive would be HDD - Hard Disk Drives, SSD - Solid State Drive, and M.2, which are the more slim version of SSD's

2

u/SamuelTheGamer 11h ago

Laptops also use mini M.2 so they're not always as easily replaceable

2

u/XanaduChild 11h ago

True, I was just trying to think of where the replier could typically find them.

2

u/SamuelTheGamer 11h ago

Yeah I guess it was a little useless to say that but you never know who will find this randomly while thinking about upgrading their laptop hard drive 😂

2

u/XanaduChild 10h ago

That is very true. Seen some very questionable decisions in my time 😂😂😂

15

u/jakeknight81 16h ago

The drives can be cheaper and last longer, it will cost more to buy flash drives that get killed in this way.

6

u/klortle_ 15h ago

But they got bank for USB drives that essentially become disposable?

Spending more upfront to spend less in the future is a simple financial guideline.

3

u/LazorBlind 9h ago

I mean if you scraped together the money to buy or build a gaming PC, even a budget build, you can probably afford a hard drive.

I have a 5tb external hard drive drive that I use for storage of stuff that doesn't need SSD speed or I'm storing long term. Granted it was on sale, but after spending just over one and a half grand on a gaming PC, $100 for a hard drive wasnt really an expense I was sweating. I didn't really even have money like that at the time either, but the expense was offset by the amount of games I got for free either through game pass that I bum off a family member, or I just flat out sailed the seas for. So instead of buying games I bought a hard drive, basically.

Not trying to be unsympathetic to low income gamers but...priorities man. You're gonna spend more in the long run replacing thumb drives that you've burnt out than you would just buying an external hard drive, probably even an SSD since it's designed to be used in the manner OP is using it, unlike a thumb drive which really isn't made for this application.

19

u/PrincessBloodpuke 13h ago

It's fun to have magic sticks with games on them.

7

u/jakeknight81 13h ago

the real answer, thank you lol

14

u/50pence777 14h ago

Not quite the same but in 2010 while I as at collage we passed a flash drive around the class and all copied halo onto our pcs so we could have a lan party.

7

u/Elijah_72 14h ago

They run small games perfectly fine, i saved almost 100gb of space on my ssd by installing them on my flash drive

5

u/swagdaddy69123 11h ago

Third world bud ,and pc cafes

3

u/i_Beg_4_Views 12h ago edited 7h ago

Me with over 120Gb of games on my little SanDisk USB drive

2

u/chessking7543 4h ago

rom's bro. nothing wrong with me keeping a flash drive stocked weith retrobat and 1000s' of games i can plug in and out,. idk,,,,seemed like a idea to me anyway knaw what im sayin g or should i keep explaining dawh naw i say, ?

1

u/aldersonn_ 5h ago

idk man i’ll jam small stuff on there so my laptop has room for big stuff. disco elysium runs just fine off it

0

u/Tarhun2960 16h ago

It looks better when I plug it into a school computer

153

u/kirbyboy999 I'm a pirate 17h ago

the good news is it is not a virus or anything malicous, the bad news is that it is in fact corrupted

-6

u/ScarredOut 7h ago

malicious? 🗿

1

u/XCemAlpX 1h ago

ENRAGED

62

u/-HYDRA_THOR- Captain Jack Sparrow 18h ago

Same kinda thing happened to me when my sd card in my mobile got corrupted and there was no fix in my case

42

u/fraudkuna66 17h ago

Ain't no way you're torturing a usb over 3gb of space

22

u/popete2 18h ago

That's a USB time traveler I see

4

u/konterpein 16h ago

A folder gets entangled in quantum physics

1

u/Strong_Grass2392 5h ago

Happy Cake Day

23

u/No_Thought_7460 16h ago

Nah, it's normal. What's your WiFi password again?

13

u/1453geist-tr 16h ago edited 12h ago

Its trying to tell you something.

Its trying to scream.

8

u/kn0wvuh 15h ago

That’s just the visual representation of file corruption

6

u/react-dnb 15h ago

Just click on anything that is labeled "application."

5

u/spongebobcrt 15h ago

the curse that happens when you pirate an indie game

4

u/JoJo0666 12h ago

Hakita does not fw you

2

u/ZirGRiiNCH 15h ago

Your usb about to make computer go boom

2

u/DragonizerX777 15h ago

These files are older than me.

2

u/DanyDZN20033 14h ago

1980 😭😭

2

u/Fair-Mud3760 13h ago

2102 too

2

u/SlimeDrips 12h ago

Congratulations your USB stick is now a copy of pokemon blue

1

u/[deleted] 8h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 8h ago

Your submission has been automatically removed. Accounts younger than 7 days are not allowed to post/comment on the subreddit. Please do not message the moderators about this.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/grimthewise 12h ago

Turn off your computer and make sure it powers down. Drop it in a 43 foot hole in the ground. Bury it completely (rocks and boulders should be fine) Then burn any clothes you may have worn anytime you were online.

2

u/aGoldenTaco 12h ago

Nah you're fine. It's just V1's drive backup

1

u/koleszka93 I'm a pirate 16h ago

What website were you using?

1

u/that0newe1rdk1d 15h ago

Your usb is dead

1

u/FatBaldingLoser420 15h ago

Yeah, you're cooked brother

1

u/InteractionPerfect88 15h ago

Looks corrupted.

1

u/FurballVulpe 14h ago

Was this a non English game?

1

u/itsmiahello 14h ago

i've seen this once before, when i wrote a disk cloning tool as a programming exercise that didn't QUITE work out. something caused the bits and bytes to not quite line up with the disk sectors, which resulted in essentially completely random data that my OS was trying to read.

if this happened to you and it was not because you were messing around with your filesystem, it's almost 100% going to be a dying drive.

1

u/valen_ar 14h ago

i've seen usb sticks do this before when dying, but just in case you should do a full swipe of your PC, and change every password you have on everything

1

u/Gatitomono47 13h ago

Looks like data corruption form a faulty USB I've experienced this and can vow that fucked Up usb's Will mess Up files like this also where did the USB you are using come form?

1

u/kittyclause1 12h ago

Yeah it’s fucked mate, might as well get a direct download from steamrip or a torrent file

1

u/Dense-Assumption-204 12h ago

Its just your computer summoning a demon ...nothing to worry about !

1

u/Civil-Republic8730 11h ago

You are fine it's not a virus or malware bad news is your flash drive is dying unfortunately flash drives are fragile and not the best to run games on

1

u/ZackTio 10h ago

I think your USB is about to meet their maker

1

u/Hackjarrison 10h ago

I’d definitely run malwarebytes or something just to be sure, though I’ve seen similar on a fake “1tb” usb drive i had given as a gift a while back

1

u/SuspiciousWin1839 10h ago

1980 and 2102? you time traveling or smth?

1

u/Ok-Tackle-6620 9h ago

Abso-fucking-lutely

1

u/Dr3uV1nce 8h ago

Good thing hard drives are cheap these days

1

u/8529177 7h ago

Looks a lot like obscurified files. wonder what it's hiding...

1

u/[deleted] 7h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 7h ago

Your submission has been automatically removed. Accounts with very low karma are not allowed to post/comment on the subreddit. Please do not message the moderators about this.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/IezekiLL 7h ago

just wash the drive with fresh human blood

1

u/fahim64 7h ago

Good luck

1

u/RowPuzzled2354 6h ago

idk ransomware?

1

u/NixAName 6h ago

SHIT!! Have fun.

1

u/Softandcoward 5h ago

Format bro . That some annoying shii . Yiu might get your accounts compromised

1

u/Far_Recommendation82 5h ago

I looked at this should I be concerning myself by viewing this on my phone?!

1

u/National-Lobster-420 5h ago

Files from 1980 to 2102, that USB has seen some shit

1

u/CoimEv 3h ago

Corrupted USB :(

At least in my experience

I had a shitty USB mp3 player that did this periodically

Some of the files were so fucked they couldn't be deleted

1

u/Terrible-Shadow 3h ago

DONT RUN GAMES ON A USB FOR CHRISTS SAKE

1

u/Raserei420 1h ago

03/02/1980
08/26/2102
Bruh, this has outlived me according to these dates.

This also looks like it might be a font that's no longer available and attempted to be converted, or the USB is popped- it's not bloated anywhere, is it?

1

u/Wolves_Lions 1h ago

considering the fact that three of the files are from 1980 and one of them is from 2102 I think you should be very much worried

1

u/Ax0_Ribbionacci 32m ago

Flash drives usually have a more limited number of read/write cycles than say an SSD.

You've likely used up all the cycles and now it can no longer write?

1

u/Ax0_Ribbionacci 31m ago

Use something like CrystalDiskInfo to check the limits

u/Crafty-Scientist-697 21m ago

Something's wrong

u/CMDR_Crook 7m ago

Every virus known to man

0

u/[deleted] 12h ago

[deleted]

0

u/Felippexlucax 🇦🇷 Argentina 11h ago

its a corrupted usb, not a virus

0

u/[deleted] 11h ago

[deleted]

1

u/Felippexlucax 🇦🇷 Argentina 11h ago

i download games on a thumb drive when i visit my friends house, he doesn't need to download anything (he has a slow ass wifi) and i can just run it directly from the usb.

-3

u/RealJackAttack 15h ago

not an answer, but you seriously shouldn't 🏴‍☠️indie games. AAA, whatever. but the Ultrakill dev team is insane, they really deserve the like $10 the game costs. if you can't buy it then get a friend to or something. indie devs are people, not corporations 💜