Windows 7 - Hidden files issue

[sheehy83]

Hi, just found this site, lots of great info! Hope someone here can help me with this because i'm stuck big time.

I was trying to display Hidden Folders/files to access an appdata folder under C:\Users\username\appdata. (it's to fix an issue with the game Dead Space 2)

Anyway, I opened My Computer, then C drive, then Users. In here, I right clicked on empty space and opened properties. I checked 'Hidden' and apply. Said it needed administrator rights, I accepted. Then most desktop items disappeared, most files from my documents disappeared and after reboot, The ATI catalyst control centre is popping up an error message saying 'failed to start'.

I realised I chose to hide all the files within that folder instead of showing hidden files/folders (so so so stupid out of me!)

I went to folder options and chose Show Hidden file and I can see them again but they have that see through look to them. ATI catalyst still won't start on reboot. I tried system restore to yesterday but still exact same.

When I go to User Properties on the C drive again, it shows the files as Read Only and Hidden is unchecked.

Can anyone help me get back to the way it was pleeeeeeeeeease???

 

[Maguscreed]

You can access appdata easily enough
Just open the start bar type %appdata% in the box and hit enter, you will go directly to the appdata folder for the current user account.

As for the read only issue.
see the below link
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/10874-read-only-files.html

I don't know how you would have made everything read only but that process works...

 

[NoN]

Ouch!! Bad manipulation of admin rights..

First There's a trick call Take Ownership:
here:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/112795-context-menu-take-ownership.html
and here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

Sharing & Permissions:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24232-sharing-permissions.html

In case you can't adjust rights:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html
This should check integrity of files.

 

[sheehy83]

Thanks guys!

I don't have the laptop with me but will try later.

When I am in Users Properties, Read Only box is checked, I will uncheck this.

Just strange how random folders, files and desktop items became hidden and some didn't. I can change the attribute bwhen I right click on an individual file or folder but all I really want to do is undo the stupid move I made in the 1st place. Really thought System Restore would do this.

 

[Maguscreed]

This is why you should create a large restore point when the computer is working well. Seem a lot of people don't really think about restore until they need it to work.

 

[sheehy83]

This is why you should create a large restore point when the computer is working well. Seem a lot of people don't really think about restore until they need it to work.

Exactly! Hope I can get it back to normal tomorrow. I'll be taking a lot more care then!!

 

[ahoward]

Did you ever figure out how to get this back to its original state?

I had the same problem. Was trying to get into IE 9 temporary files and because they were hidden, I went into appdata and tried to unhide the files. Now some files are available and some have disappeared. I went back in and did properties and unchecked the read only files box and that made some, but not all reappear. Please help!

System restore does not help I think because System Restore does not do anything to your files.

 

[Maguscreed]

If you think you've removed something important to windows you can try this.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

If you were just in there deleting temp files I doubt anything serious is wrong.

If the file checker doesn't fix it, you can actually uninstall and reinstall ie from the add remove windows feature pane within programs and features.

 

[ahoward]

I am not worried about deleting any systems files or anything like that. The problem is this has hidden basically all of my files in My Documents, Downloads, etc. I managed to figure out a way to change it manually for certain files I needed immediately, but is there a way to do this all at once?

 

[Maguscreed]

right clicking the root my docs folder and unticking the hidden option doesn't work?

 

[ahoward]

No. It seems like it does when I do it, but the files remain hidden