Users folder is gone from C

alright im feeling either amazing or real dumb, i went through bit torrent inot one of my download files, then properties, and then unchecked hidden, im a dumb!, thanks for your help though!

I had the same problem as the OP. The reason at least in my case was that like the OP I intended to show hidden files inside "user" but in fact I made user and its subdirectories and files hidden files.

This had catastrophic consequences, particularly
1) hiding many programs from the start menu including internet explorer, and
2) preventing explorer and firefox from starting (the latter with the "Firefox is already running, but is not responding...." error message.)

I was fortunately able to open explorer by clicking on a directory on my desktop. I could then navigate to internet explorer in program files. From there I was able to Google this thread.

Using the method described in this thread I first got C: to show hidden folders (in my Japanese system it is Tools > Properties > View, check "show hidden files"), and then inside the hidden "user" folder I unchecked its "hidden" attribution. Everthing is back and functional!

Windows does give a warning saying you need to be administrator to do this, but I was so used to showing hidden files, that I did not stop to think that I was making the folder hidden (and also I don't read Japanese as quickly as I read English).

Since there are hidden folders inside user, and people may want to see them, I wonder how many other people are breaking their system by making their user folder hidden, when they intend to show hidden files.