Show - Hide Hidden Files - Add to Context Menu

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    Show - Hide Hidden Files - Add to Context Menu

    Show - Hide Hidden Files - Add to Context Menu

    How to Add "Show/Hide Hidden Files" to Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Add "Show/Hide Hidden Files" to Context Menu in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

       Information
    This will show you how to add or remove Show/Hide Hidden Files to the desktop, library, and folder window context menu for all users to be able to toggle "Show" or "Don't show" hidden files, folders, drives, and protected operating system files in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

    While you must be logged in as an administrator to be able to add or remove the context menu, all users will be able to use the context menu.

       Note
    When you right click on the Desktop and click on Show/Hide Hidden Files, the hidden files (faded files) will instantly show or hide. You will need to refresh (F5) any other opened inactive window to see the hidden files show or hide in them.

    When you right click on a blank area in the main window of a library or folder and click on Show/Hide Hidden Files, the hidden files (faded files) will instantly show or hide in that window. You may need to refresh (F5) with any other opened inactive window to see the hidden files show or hide in them.


    EXAMPLE: "Show/Hide Hidden Files" and/or "Show/Hide All Hidden Files" Added to Context Menu
    Show - Hide Hidden Files - Add to Context Menu-desktop_context_menu.jpg




    OPTION ONE

    To Add "Show/Hide Hidden Files" to Context Menu


    1. Do either step 2 or 3, and/or step 4 or 5 for what you would like.


    2. To Toggle Show or Hide ALL Hidden Files with Notify Sound Played
    NOTE: When you click/tap on the Show/Hide Hidden Files context menu item using this option, you will hear the notify.wav file play only if Window Media Player is set as the default program for .wav files. If you do not have Window Media Player turned on in Windows Features, then you will get an error instead of the sound playing.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
    NOTE: This includes all "hidden files, folders, or drives" and "hidden protected operating system files".
    Add_Show_Hide_ALL_Hidden_Files_to_Context_Menu_with_SOUND.zip


    Download

    3. To Toggle Show or Hide ALL Hidden Files without any Sound
    NOTE: This option is if you did not want to have the Notify.wav play when you use the Show/Hide Hidden Files context menu item, or if you get an error from using step 2 since you have Windows Media Player turned off in Windows Features.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
    NOTE: This includes all "hidden files, folders, or drives" and "hidden protected operating system files".
    Add_Show_Hide_ALL_Hidden_Files_to_Context_Menu.zip


    Download

    AND/OR


    4. To Toggle Show or Hide Hidden Files with Notify Sound Played
    NOTE: When you click/tap on the Show/Hide Hidden Files context menu item using this option, you will hear the notify.wav file play only if Window Media Player is set as the default program for .wav files. If you do not have Window Media Player turned on in Windows Features, then you will get an error instead of the sound playing.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
    NOTE: This includes only all "hidden files, folders, or drives" and not "hidden protected operating system files".
    Add_Show_Hide_Hidden_Files_to_Context_Menu_with_SOUND.zip


    Download

    5. To Toggle Show or Hide Hidden Files without any Sound
    NOTE: This option is if you did not want to have the Notify.wav play when you use the Show/Hide Hidden Files context menu item, or if you get an error from using step 4 since you have Windows Media Player turned off in Windows Features.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 6 below.
    NOTE: This includes only all "hidden files, folders, or drives" and not "hidden protected operating system files".
    Add_Show_Hide_Hidden_Files_to_Context_Menu.zip


    Download

    6. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

    7. Open the downloaded ZIP file, and extract (drag and drop) both the .reg and .vbs files to your desktop.

    8. Unblock the extracted .vbs file, click/tap on Properties.

    9. Right click or press and hold on the extracted and unblocked .vbs file, and click/tap on Copy.

    10. In Windows Explorer, navigate to and open the C:\Windows folder. Right click or press and hold on an empty area in the C:\Window folder, click/tap on Paste, then click/tap on Continue and Yes (UAC) if prompted. Close the Windows Explorer window.

    11. Double click/tap on the extracted .reg file to merge it.

    12. If prompter, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    13. You can now delete the downloaded files left on your desktop if you like.



    OPTION TWO

    To Remove "Show/Hide Hidden Files" from Context Menu


    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    1. Do step 2 and/or 3 below for what you would like to do.

    2. To Remove "Show/Hide Hidden Files" from Context Menu
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
    Remove_Show_Hide_Hidden_Files_from_Context_Menu.reg


    Download

    3. To Remove "Show/Hide All Hidden Files" from Context Menu
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
    Remove_Show_Hide_All_Hidden_Files_from_Context_Menu.reg


    Download

    4. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

    5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC-Windows 7/8) or Continue (UAC-Vista), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7. In Windows Explorer, navigate to and open the C:\Windows folder, right click or press and hold on the file below, click/tap on Delete, and Yes (if prompted).
    Toggle_Show_Hidden_Files_On_Off.vbs

    OR

    Toggle_Show_Hidden_Files_On_Off_with_SOUND.vbs
    AND/OR

    Toggle_Show_All_Hidden_Files_On_Off.vbs

    OR

    Toggle_Show_All_Hidden_Files_On_Off_with_SOUND.vbs
    8. You can now delete the download reg file if you would like to.
    That's it,
    Shawn









  1. Posts : 8,398
    ultimate 64 sp1
       #1

    thanks shawn - this is a time saver!

    i thought it wasn't working at first on my main pc, until i rtfm'ed and realised it isn't on the file context menu - tried it on the desktop, et voilą it worked.

    ----------------------------

    strangely, it seems to work differently on my (32bit - if that makes any difference) netbook - it needed a reboot to kick in (expected), and works on the desktop without doing an f5 refresh, and without playing the notify sound either - i prefer it this way, so it's not really a problem.

    maybe it's something i tweaked long ago, and have forgotten about
    Last edited by mickey megabyte; 30 Apr 2011 at 18:31. Reason: needed editing
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Angelo,

    Are you still getting that error? That error refers to the line below in the VBS file. Double check to make sure that you have the C:\Windows\Media\Notify.wav file at that location. It should be by default in Windows 7.

    command2.Run "wmplayer.exe C:\Windows\Media\Notify.wav", 0, False

    Is WMP set as the default program?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8,398
    ultimate 64 sp1
       #3

    that error came from having 'uninstalled' wmp a while back - my fault, i forgot to delete the attachment after realising its cause and editing my post the first time - so i modified the script to not play the sound - please ignore the error, nothing to do with blocked-ness.

    the strange desktop f5 behaviour still persists though, i'm not complaining. i need to press f5 on my main computer, but not netbook.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Yeah, the script refreshes the last active window in 64-bit when you right click on the desktop instead of the desktop itself, and not in 32-bit for some odd reason. I can't find a way around just having to manually refresh the desktop in 64-bit.

    However, it refreshes just fine in a active Windows Explorer window in both 32-bit and 64-bit.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 8,398
    ultimate 64 sp1
       #5

    Brink said:
    Yeah, the script refreshes the last active window in 64-bit when you right click on the desktop instead of the desktop itself, and not in 32-bit for some odd reason. I can't find a way around just having to manually refresh the desktop in 64-bit.

    However, it refreshes just fine in a active Windows Explorer window in both 32-bit and 64-bit.
    yes - it was playing havoc with my post as i was testing - had to rewrite it a few times, as my browser was getting refreshed too
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71,959
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    LOL.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 8
    Windows 8 Pro 64bit
       #7

    I'M GETTING THIS PROBLEM, i followed all steps as written but it shows this dailogbox. this trick toggles the hidden files and folders but i'm getting this annoying dialog box, same is happening in the "show/hide file extensions"



    pls help
    Last edited by Brink; 28 Jul 2015 at 11:55. Reason: removed broken image
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 8,398
    ultimate 64 sp1
       #8

    i used to get that error too, but only because i had uninstalled windows media player.

    do you have it on your system?

    also, check to see that you have notify.wav in C:\Windows\Media

    oh, and welcome to sevenforums, pranavjindal999!
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 8
    Windows 8 Pro 64bit
       #9

    mickey megabyte said:
    i used to get that error too, but only because i had uninstalled windows media player.

    do you have it on your system?

    also, check to see that you have notify.wav in C:\Windows\Media

    oh, and welcome to sevenforums, pranavjindal999!

    thnx, i got it.

    i hv disabled windows media player thats why it occured. thnx

    but is there any way by which i can leave the media player disabled and get rid of this dialog box??
    Last edited by pranavjindal999; 17 May 2011 at 10:47. Reason: needed to ask one thing more
      My Computer


 
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