Filenames and details blank in Windows Explorer until selected

[David Bower]

I've already searched the Internet at large and newsgroup postings,
but all to no avail - hopefully someone here will have previously
experienced the problem and be able to post a solution.

The problem is thus:

I've just installed an old ex-Windows 98 hard drive in my Windows XP
box. Generally speaking, all is fine; the drive is correctly
recognised and fully usable from within Windows XP.

However, all filenames and file details of all the files and folders
in the root directory of the newly added drive are blank (or hidden)
until the file is selected (at which point all the usual details are
displayed). When unselected, the filename and details disappear
again. The folder list in the left hand pane displays correctly,
complete with folder names. Newly created files and directories in
the root folder also have hidden filename and details until selected.
If a new folder is created and all the files and folders (including
hidden and system files) from the root directory are moved into the
new directory, then filenames and details are displayed as expected.
Filenames are shown correctly by dir from a Command Prompt. Changing
the view to Details, Icons, Thumbnails, List or Tiles has no affect on
the hidden details. Filenames and file details of all subfolders
display correctly.

Please can someone help with my phantom filenames!!

Thanks,
David Bower.

 

[Guest]

do you know how to change the font color? i have seen this happen to others
who had the fonts set to white and could not see the details until selected.

 

[David Bower]

Paul,

Thank you for your reply. I've managed to fix the problem! Your
guess was right - the font colour was set to white since when the
drive worked by itself there was a "lovely" pattern set as the
folder's background. This background has gone when used as a second
drive, but the font colouring has remained.

I managed to uncover the desktop.ini file and simply deleted it (since
I wasn't interested in any of the display settings). All is now well!

Thanks again,
Dave.