Hidden Folders won't appear

  • Thread starter Thread starter X7or
  • Start date Start date
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X7or

I know, I know this question has been posted a million times, but my
problem is not the usual kind.

The thing is, I want to view a hidden folder and I go to Control Panel,
Folder Options, Show Hidden etc. And when I go to the folder I wanted
to see, nothing changed, I can´t see it. Now, I repeat everything on
control panel again and it doesn't display.

Any help?
 
Type or paste the path to the folder in the Run command, it doesn't matter
what your settings are, the folder will display. I.e. Start | Run

Also...

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
and
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide extensions for known file types
and
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
Click Apply | Click OK

When you uncheck: Hide protected operating system files,
you will get this message...

Warning
----------
You have chosen to display protected operating system files (files labeled
System and Hidden) in Windows Explorer.These files are required to start and
run Windows. Deleting or editing them can make your computer inoperable.Are
you sure you want to display these files?
----------

Click YES.

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
But X7 you will still not see the contents of your System Volume
folder.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Wesley Vogel said:
Type or paste the path to the folder in the Run command, it doesn't matter
what your settings are, the folder will display. I.e. Start | Run

Also...

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347

To display Hidden files and folders...

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
and
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide extensions for known file types
and
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
Click Apply | Click OK

When you uncheck: Hide protected operating system files,
you will get this message...

Warning
----------
You have chosen to display protected operating system files (files labeled
System and Hidden) in Windows Explorer.These files are required to start
and
run Windows. Deleting or editing them can make your computer
inoperable.Are
you sure you want to display these files?
----------

Click YES.

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
X7or said:
I know, I know this question has been posted a million times, but my
problem is not the usual kind.

The thing is, I want to view a hidden folder and I go to Control Panel,
Folder Options, Show Hidden etc. And when I go to the folder I wanted
to see, nothing changed, I can´t see it. Now, I repeat everything on
control panel again and it doesn't display.

Any help?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I tried what you suggested and still can't see a file I need (it's an
autorun.inf I placed on a SD card to enable an icon to it).

The problem is: I go into folder options, then check view hidden files,
click on accept and nothing changes. I go again into the view tab and
the option to hide files is checked instead of the view files I checked
just seconds ago...
 
EDIT

I can run the file going into run etc. What I want to do is fix the
problem with the folder options settings that doesn't save my option
for viewing hidden files on windows explorer...

Hope I clarified the situation
 
Replied to [X7or]s message :
-----------------------------------------------------------
EDIT

I can run the file going into run etc. What I want to do is fix the
problem with the folder options settings that doesn't save my option
for viewing hidden files on windows explorer...

Hope I clarified the situation
Click to expand...

Try this from Start-Run:
attrib -s -h "PathOfHiddenFolder"
 
Hi,

You could check the registry.
run Regedit and change

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Hidden to 1
and then press 'F5' to see if it goes back to 0. If it does it could well be
a virus.

Regard
Paul Mckenna

I know, I know this question has been posted a million times, but my
problem is not the usual kind.

The thing is, I want to view a hidden folder and I go to Control Panel,
Folder Options, Show Hidden etc. And when I go to the folder I wanted
to see, nothing changed, I can´t see it. Now, I repeat everything on
control panel again and it doesn't display.

Any help?
 
Well, checked the registry and this is what I found:

1.- I can edit the "Hidden" REG_SZ value and give it a 1, though I
still can´t see any hidden folders or files.

2.- When I open folder properties and then click on the view tab the
REG_SZ is automatically converted into a REG_DWORD which "values" 2 in
hexadecimal.

3.- When I change the option to view hidden files and then click on
accept the REG_DWORD value is automatically changed again to a REG_SZ
with a "value" of 0.

And the weirdest part of all is that my antivirus (avast) didn't
detected any virus on my system. Though, and this is probably the
cause, it detected a virus about two weeks ago or something, then
deleted the file. Maybe this is some kind of leftover of that virus...

Thanks in advance for all your help
 
It should be a REG_DWORD not REG_SZ

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Value Name: Hidden
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 1 or 2
1 = Show hidden files and folders
2 = Don't show hidden files and folders

Delete the Hidden REG_SZ entry.
Right click Hidden and select Delete.
Click Yes to: Are you sure you want to delete this value?

Then create a new correct entry.

Right click in the right hand pane, point to New and click on DWORD Value.
Name it Hidden.
If you slip and it gets named New Value #1, right click and select Rename
and rename it to hidden.
Double click Hidden and change the Value Data from 0 to 1.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Finally, problem "fixed". The things I did:

1.- Deleted the REG_SZ value and added a new REG_DWORD and gave it a 1.

2.- Restarted.

3.- Went to the folders I needed and finally could see them!.

And just for curiosity I went to folder options and checked the view
tab, neither of the two options to view/not to view were selected.
Weird, anyway I decided not to change anything and clicked cancel,
because we already know what happens when I click on an option.

Well, I think with all your help I could get a solution to my problem,
I can see hidden files again and if I decide to not, well, gonna change
the REG_DWORD value to 2.

Thanks again for all your help!
 
Glad you got it sorted out. Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
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