Windows 7: File and Folder - Hide or Unhide

Randy,

I must admit that I'm not sure why it's not copying over to a nonremovable drive as still hidden.

I found the problem. I was copying with a Norton Commander type file management utility. Works fine with Windows Explorer.

Sorry for the hassle.

Randy

Randy,

Ah, ok. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted. Thank you for posting back with your findings and results.

Hi...I was searching google for a code how to rehide files I unhid...because I found a code somewhere that unhid ALL my files [to clear 'system check' malware], but now when I use the standard 'view files' options to [re]hide system files, theyy remain showing...

Basically all I want to do now [after having cleaned the virus] is a command prompt code to re-hide throughout my pc [windows xp] all normally hidden files, ie, all normally system files and the like...

Thank you so much,
Izzy

update... I'm not a pro or techie, so not sure which are supposed to be hidden and which not, but i see desktop.ini around in folders and on desktop, and dll files etc... basically I want all normally hidden files [system and such] to be hidden again [with ability to uhide them with folder optios/view capabilities, in case I need to one day unhide them etc.]

Hello Izzy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It would be an almost impossible job to determine which files should be hidden and not hidden at this point. You could do a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before the virus to hopefully fix all of this for you. desktop.ini files are hidden protected OS files by default though.

If system restore is not an option, then you could use the tutorial below to be able to hide/unhide files/folders using the context menu to make it easier.

File and Folder - Add "Hide" and "Unhide" to Context Menu

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn for swift reply...I have system restore off, so that won't help. Isn't there a way I could hide all those "protected operating system files" which are usually hidden in folder options/view?

Are there specific sorts of file extensions, or the like, that are supposed to be hidden...?

Also, that tutorial you mention, what is the purpose/advantage of using the context menu? Would that help in my specific problem? And for Windows XP?

Thanks again!
Izzy

I haven't tested the context menu in XP, but it should work the same. It's just an option to be able to make hiding them easier instead of having to go through the properties menu.

The problem is that some are just hidden system files, and others are hidden protected OS files. The protected OS files have the system attribute in addition to the hidden attribute. There's just to many files that would be hidden to try and go through each one of them.

If you are not experiencing any issues, then I wouldn't worry about it and only hide the ones you wish to. For example, desktop.ini files.

ok, a couple questions please: would that download using context menu be able to hide all protected system files together in one shot?

is there no code that could rehide all the protected ones, as it was a code [don't remember which but could attempt to find it if that would help here...] that unhid them in the first place?

so which ones should be hidden for safety, the ones with the system attribute in addition to the hidden attribute, or both/all?

also, if using properties menu [if its the same as using context menu download, inasmuch of having to do them one-by-one, and if so, I would need to know which types I should be doing...] should I also check that they should be 'read only'...what does that option mean..?

Thanks again,
Izzy

Izzy,

There's not a code that I know of that will hide all the default hidden files again. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it, and just hide the ones that are in your way like the Desktop.ini file.

ok, should the desktop.ini also be 'read only' or...?

my main prob is that its difficult searching through folders when all these system files are in the way [like those $filenames, ghosts etc.]...is there a way to solve that then?