Vista - Viewing Hidden files and folders

Try this.
Open an administrator command prompt and navigate to the folder. Type
attrib -h *.* and press Enter.

Or open an administrator command prompt. Type [path] attrib -h *.* and press
Enter.


"Bob F." <bob@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8167D6E2-126E-44CE-87D2-D53DEF7BCDEB@xxxxxx

Hi Bob,

tried the below, a black screen flashes onto the screen but not long enough
to read any thing, but still no luck in viewing the folder and its contents.

I have retrieved the files using Search and copied them to another folder.

I have run every type of Anti virus, Malware, Spyware program, I have tried
all the system restores. the only other thing I can think of is running the
recovery program.

But any other ideas before I go for that.

Paul

"Bob" wrote:

Paul ... Just a couple more questions if you don't mind. Are all these
hidden files in the same folder? You said you moved them to another system
and you could read them. What happens if you don't move them so far, say to
another folder (out from under the one(s) you are having the problem with) ?
Can you read hidden files anyplace on your system? Can you take a test file
that you can read, go to it's properties and see if you have any (view)
control over it by turning the Hidden File, Folder View option on and off.
How does the test file view behave? I am not sure what we a looking for
here...but we'll know it when we see it.
Bob F.

"PAS" <PAS@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:F8CD9E0D-D2DD-44FD-BC37-18301A424AB8@xxxxxx

Hi Bob,

I have a number of hidden folders with different types of files on my
computer, as I know the file names I can search for them and find them, I can
then copy them to other folders and view them no problem,

If I take a file and make it hidden I can not view it. I can not view any
hidden files including system files.

The View Folders and Files, I can not change the state to enable the viewing
of hidden files and folders. it is as though this part has been locked so no
hidden files can be viewed.

I remember in the old days of Windows 98 there was a program that could be
installed and do exactly what is happening here. But I have not installed any
such program here, the only recent reinstalls was Microsoft OneCare due to a
back up problem, but the hidden file problem started before this, and as I
said I have tried all the system restores none of which cure this problem
with not being able to view hidden files.

Paul

"Bob F." wrote:

Hi, Paul.
You tried WHAT below?

At what point does:Step by step, HOW to you open the Administrator:Command Prompt. I do this
often and it never just "flashes". The window stays open until I dismiss
it. And any command I run in this window "runs elevated".

In an earlier post you said:Just to be clear: Start | All Programs | Accessories, right-click on
Command Prompt, then Run as Administrator. You'll need to furnish
Administrator credentials to get past here.

Even if you are already running as AN administrator, this is what you need
to do to open the Administrator:Command Prompt as THE Administrator. In
Vista, there really are two levels of administrator; only THIS one is GOD.

You shouldn't really need THE Administrator credentials to run the Attrib
command, but there may be some restrictions that you might not know about or
might have forgotten about. But the window should stay open as long as you
want, plenty of time to see whatever you need to see.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@xxxxxx
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"PAS" <PAS@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:F8CD9E0D-D2DD-44FD-BC37-18301A424AB8@xxxxxx

Hello R. C. White,

I have just rebooted my computer, I have the Administrator Command Prompt on
my screen, at this point before when I typed attrib -h*.* the screen just
flashed, I now have text within the black screen.

There are nine lines of text all starting, Not resetting system file....

Paul

"R. C. White" wrote:

Look in the registry under:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]

There should be a value named 'Hidden' with a value of 1 and a value named
'ShowSuperHidden' with a value of 1.

If these values do not exist or have different values, create/edit as
necessary.

Also check under:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

and (if it exists)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

if a value named 'DontShowSuperHidden' exists, delete it.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]



"PAS" <PAS@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:A94D89E4-A812-4AFB-BF59-471859869492@xxxxxx

Hello Keith,

Entered the Registry, found the HKEY you indicated, Made a copy of the
Registry, Hidden had the value (0), so highlited the text, Edit, Modify and
changed the value to (1), ShowSuperHidden has the value (1), there was no
DontShowSuperHidden but there was an entry SuperHidden it has the value (1)

I closed the registry, checked foe hidden files still nothing, went back
into Registry and the value has reset to (0).

Paul

"Keith Miller (MVP)" wrote:

Hi, Paul.

Now, what do you see with a simple Dir? How about Dir /a?

When I opened an Administrator:Command Prompt window and tried your
attrib -h *.* (I had to add a space after the -h, as Bob instructed.) in my
C:\Windows\System32 folder I got hundreds of lines of "Access denied..."
because I was (unintentionally) telling Vista to remove the Hidden attribute
from all those system files.

So I switched to C:\ and tried it again. This time, I got just two lines:
C:\>attrib -h *.*
Not resetting system file - C:\hiberfil.sys
Not resetting system file - C:\pagefile.sys

That's because Vista was refusing to reset the Hidden attribute for those
two system files. But now there are no hidden files on C:\ and I can see
all files and folders in C:\ by using the simple Dir command.

But if I use Dir /a, the /a shows me not just files and folders, but
Junctions, too - AND those two .sys files from which Attrib wouldn't clear
the Hidden attribute. Dir shows 1 File and 12 Directories; Dir /a shows 3
files and 16 Directories, including the Recycle Bin and System Volume
Information, which don't show with the simple Dir - even after the Hidden
attribute is removed from *.*.

So, in an Administrator:Command Prompt window, cd to the folder that holds
your hidden files. Enter Dir /a. What do you see?

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@xxxxxx
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"PAS" <PAS@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2B1AD98F-53BB-4F35-B2C6-59880DE27846@xxxxxx

Export the following two keys and post the exports

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]



"PAS" <PAS@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:06D60634-1BD2-4672-9CBE-C4716500A3E6@xxxxxx