HIdden folders/files question

[Will]

Many of my .doc files are duplicated when Hidden Files are visible. Can this be avoided? It makes for one complicated appearance.
Is Windows Explorer doing this or the program that created the file originally (in this case it would be Wordpad or Open Office's
Swriter). I really need to have Hidden Files visible. I guess another option would be to have Hidden Files on a keyboard shortcut
so I can quickly toggle it on and off.

 

[Daave]

I really need to have Hidden Files visible.

For what reason?

 

[Will]

I really need to have Hidden Files visible.

For what reason?

So often what I'm looking for is Hidden. Especially in Documents and Settings.

 

[Bob I]

Many of my .doc files are duplicated when Hidden Files are visible.

No they aren't.

 

[Daave]

So often what I'm looking for is Hidden. Especially in Documents and
Settings.

Again, why are you looking for such files so frequently? Which files in
particular?

 

[Will]

I really need to have Hidden Files visible.

Again, why are you looking for such files so frequently? Which files in particular?

I'm trying to learn how to back up efficiently. I only want to back my certain preferences and other files. Not the entire C drive
or Documents and Settings.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I'm trying to learn how to back up efficiently. I only want to back my
certain preferences and other files. Not the entire C drive or Documents
and Settings.

So, be careful, and stop wasting time trying to hide/unhide stuff. Your time
would be better spent doing google searches and asking questions here about
where certain preferences are stored, like the address book, etc.

If you're prone to strange hand tremors which cause you to accidentally
delete things, you need a visit to a neurologist.

 

[Will]

Many of my .doc files are duplicated when Hidden Files are visible.

No they aren't.

Lol....OK. I started with a rebuttal there but now I'm realizing that I think those duplicates were caused somehow when I moved all
my .doc files over from a Mac to a Windows computer. I'm deleting them and it doesn't seem to influence the main files at all.
This is great. That was causing a real mess in my folders.

Does anyone know if a .DS Store file is from a Mac or a PC? Can I delete those as well? There seems to be one in every folder. I
did just noticed though that a recent .odt file that I created in Open Office Swriter seemed to have a duplicate hidden file though
the size is only about 1k.

 

[Daave]

I'm trying to learn how to back up efficiently. I only want to back
my certain preferences and other files. Not the entire C drive or
Documents and Settings.

Which preferences?

Which other files?

If you are truly interested in backing up efficiently, you should
instead image your entire hard drive with a program such as Acronis True
Image. And then simply make incremental images (which are much smaller).
This way, *everything* gets backed up *properly* -- not only your data,
but your operating system and all its updates, patches, etc. as well as
all your programs along with all the settings, preferences, etc.

If, instead you decide to back up the sorts of things you mention, you
will discover it is incomplete and anything but efficient!

This article contains an excellent explanation of a proper, "efficient"
backup process:

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=314

 

[Paul]

Lol....OK. I started with a rebuttal there but now I'm realizing that I
think those duplicates were caused somehow when I moved all my .doc
files over from a Mac to a Windows computer. I'm deleting them and it
doesn't seem to influence the main files at all. This is great. That
was causing a real mess in my folders.

Does anyone know if a .DS Store file is from a Mac or a PC? Can I
delete those as well? There seems to be one in every folder. I did
just noticed though that a recent .odt file that I created in Open
Office Swriter seemed to have a duplicate hidden file though the size is
only about 1k.

It is from a Mac.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.DS_Store

Paul

 

[Will]

I really need to have Hidden Files visible.

Which preferences?

Which other files?

If you are truly interested in backing up efficiently, you should instead image your entire hard drive with a program such as
Acronis True Image. And then simply make incremental images (which are much smaller). This way, *everything* gets backed up
*properly* -- not only your data, but your operating system and all its updates, patches, etc. as well as all your programs along
with all the settings, preferences, etc.

If, instead you decide to back up the sorts of things you mention, you will discover it is incomplete and anything but efficient!

This article contains an excellent explanation of a proper, "efficient" backup process:

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=314

The article is good, no question about it. But my interest here is more of the learning variety. I guess its not possible to hide
a hidden file/folder more than it is. Just one level. I can change the icon appearance I suppose in folders that I use frequently.
That's sort of a solution. Just a lot of work initially.

I wonder if its possble to change many icons at the same time? That would be great.

 

[Richard]

Many of my .doc files are duplicated when Hidden Files are visible. Can
this be avoided? It makes for one complicated appearance. Is Windows
Explorer doing this or the program that created the file originally (in
this case it would be Wordpad or Open Office's Swriter). I really need to
have Hidden Files visible. I guess another option would be to have Hidden
Files on a keyboard shortcut so I can quickly toggle it on and off.

Hi Will,

Of course, you really should leave well enough alone, but...

In my userprofile folder, I made a shortcut to the hidden "local settings"
folder, so that whether "show hidden..." is active or not, I can use the
shortcut to open that folder. A better way is to make a batch file to open
all the folders associated with disk maintenance, for instance:

[begin quote:]
start C:\WINDOWS\Temp
start explorer "C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR-NAME\local settings\temp"
exit
[:end quote]

Copy and paste the code into NotePad and save as X_folders.bat and put it on
your desktop, for instance, or make a Start Menu shortcut. The example only
includes 2 lines, but you could make a 2nd copy of that 2nd line and
substitute "Temporary Internet Files" for the word "temp". Note that the 1st
line does not include the word "explorer" - you only need to include that if
there are spaces in folder or file names, and use quote symbols. You may
need to set your Folder Options to "Open each folder in its own window."


HTH. (Hope This Helps.
--Richard