Libraries - Hidden and Empty Fix

How to Fix Libraries when Hidden and Empty in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

When you open your Libraries in Windows Explorer and it is empty or the libraries are hidden, then this will show you how to fix them if clicking on the Restore Default Libraries option did not help.

EXAMPLE: Libraries Hidden and Empty
NOTE: If you see faded library folders, then this also means that they are hidden.

OPTION ONE

Fix Hidden Empty Libraries with a BAT File

NOTE: This does the same thing as OPTION TWO below, but automatically.
1. Click on the Download button below to download the the file below.
Unhide_Libraries.bat


Download


2. Unblock the downloaded BAT file, then run it.
NOTE: You may notice a quick flash of the command prompt opening and closing at it runs.

3. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.

OPTION TWO

Fix Hidden Empty Libraries in a Command Prompt

NOTE: This does the same thing as OPTION ONE above, but manually.
1. Open a command prompt.

2. Copy and past the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter.
attrib -h "%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\*.library-ms"
3. Close the command prompt.

4. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Restore the Default Libraries in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• User Folders in Windows 7 Libraries
• How to Hide or Show a Library in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Create a New Library in Windows 7
• How to Include a Folder in a Library in Windows 7
• How to Include a Network Drive or Folder in a Library in Windows 7
• How to Remove a Included Folder from a Library in Windows 7
• How to Set the Default Save Folder for a Library in Windows 7
• How to Change a Library Icon in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows 7 Downloads Library with the Correct Icon
• How to Create a Windows 7 Games Library with the Correct Icon
• How to Create a Windows 7 Favorites Library with the Correct Icon
• How to Create a Windows 7 "Searches" Library with the Correct Icon
• How to Create a Windows 7 "Links" Library with the Correct Icon
• How to Add or Remove the Windows 7 Libraries Folder from the Navigation Pane
• How to Turn the Library Pane On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Unhide a File or Folder in Windows 7
• How to Show or Hide All Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows 7
• How to Fix the "Library-ms is no longer working" Error in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Fix Cannot Rename Library in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Add or Remove Libraries Desktop Icon in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[JaidynM]

Great tutorial, Shawn. Well done.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Jaidyn. I noticed this happening a bit more lately with folks here, and thought it best to have a separate tutorial on it.

 

[Shadowjk]

Great Tutorial Shawn - Does this affect the C:\Users\*User Name*\ ?

Where all the other Folders are (Like Vista)

 

[Brink]

Hello Josh,

Sorry, but no. It only affects the library folders for the current user. You could use the command in step 23 of Option Two in the tutorial below for the user folders instead though.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

 

[LaurieB]

thanks

Thanks for the help, that fixed my hidden (faded) folders. Any idea why the library folders suddenly become hidden? I didn't have this problem before installing McAfee, just wondering if that is causing the issue.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Laurie, and welcome to Seven Forums.

There's not an exact cause other than something had changed the libraries attribute settings to be hidden. I would recommend to scan your system for malware using the free program MSE and/or MalwareBytes just to be extra safe though.

 

[rwright42]

Thank you so much for posting this simple fix! I had tried restoring to earlier backups, and searched for solutions without success for some time before finding this forum. None of the other solutions I tried worked, but this simple fix worked immediately.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome rwright, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[TamaraG]

Wonderful Fix!

I am not using McAfee (Symantec Endpoint Protection) like others that I have seen with this problem, but this happened to me, too. It was either while I was trying to view hidden folders, or when I was changing the permissions to "full control" in the same folder properties window. Either way, all files disappeared and "restoring default libraries" did not help. System restore was also useless so it was "undone". I went into the Folder Options in the Control Panel and selected to view all hidden files. I can now see everything but they are all still in "hidden" mode. Thanks to your fix program, I can now see my libraries.

My C:\Users\*User Name*\ is still hidden and so are all my files in the libraries. Can this be fixed?

Could this be indicative of a different/bigger problem??? Thanks for your expertise and help.

 

[Brink]

Hello Tamara, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It appears that you may have set the user profile folder attributes to be hidden along with all subfolders and files.

It may be easier to create a new administrator account instead of trying to unhide every folder and file that's suppose to not be hidden and leave the ones that are suppose to be hidden. Afterwards, copy what you want from the old user account to the new one. Afterwards, you could delete the old account if you like while logged in the new one.

 

[TamaraG]

I take it that means you can't unhide a folder/user? I think I can track back the mistake to when I messed with the permissions on the security tab of the folder properties window (the one you get when you right click in a folder). When I clicked "full control" on my user account it gave me all kinds of errors (a list of all the folders I still did not have access to).

If I did create a new user account, would I have to start over from scratch re-installing all my programs, or just transfer over my Library files?

 

[seavixen32]

No, you would not have to re-install any of your applications.

All you need to do is set up your desktop and user profile as you want it. You can either import your settings from your old user profile or set up a new profile as you wish.

When you're done, just delete the old, unwanted user account.

 

[TamaraG]

Thanks for your help. Is there a guide out there for importing settings from another user profile?

 

[seavixen32]

Check this Microsoft article.

Fix a corrupted user profile

 

[TamaraG]

thank you for all your help!

 

[ronster11]

Awesome

Thank you very much for this tutorial. I had been dealing with this issue for a while now. Fixed now. Even tried Microsoft tech-no-support. I had this issue happen to me on all the profiles in computer. I use Mcafee do you think that is the issue ?

 

[Brink]

@Tamara
I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.
@Ronster
You're welcome, and welcome to Seven Forums. It would be hard to say if McAfee was or not since it could have been anything that may have hidden them by mistake.

 

[seavixen32]

Thank you both for the feedback, it's nice to know when a suggested solution fixes a problem.

 

[ronster11]

After running your fix my libraries were visible again so I thought it was fixed. However I noticed that they were dimm or a light gray. Also everytime I edit a file for example rotate a picture with windows photo viewer that picture would dissapear. I found out that mcafee is the culprit. There is a bug with mcafee that changes the attribute from the file thats being edited, and it changes the attribute to hidden. So if anyone else is having these issues you should contact their tech support so they can run a batch file they created to take care of the light gray library issue and the hidden attribute issue or you can visit their tech support forum their is a 45 page thread on this issue. Thought Id share this with you guys.