How to Restore “Show Hidden Files and Folders” Option in Vista?
You might have seen this familiar problem. Your computer has no option for “Show Hidden Files and Folders” in the Folder Options dialog. Good chance this happened due to some spyware infection, so please run your spyware scanner. The scanner will clean the infection but won’t restore the setting, however.t
If you didn’t get me, let me make it simple to understand. Open Folder and Search Options from the Organize menu, and then choose the View tab, and you’ll see that the entire “Hidden Files and Folders” radio button is completely gone! This only occurs due to some infection. If its there then no problem.
This sample registry tweak will restore the option.
Open regedit.exe through the start menu search or run box, and then navigate down to the following key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
\Advanced\Folder\Hidden
Look for a key named Type on the right-hand side and change the value to group as shown above. If the key does not exist, create a new String value and change the name to group.
Immediately open the Open Folder and Search Options and the option should have returned, as you can see here:
I knew Vista was buggy, but I never knew it was so vulnerable to spywares. Thanks for the heads up. Bookmarked this post for future reference!
Actually this is the basic problem with and windows.. its very easy to program spywares….for windows. I’m saving for a Mac Book Pro. Good news is that Apple will launch 11 Apple stores after diwali.
Pranjal: Seems like India is going all Mac! I’m planing on an iMac as well!
I too faced a similar problem in XP… but then re-installed it..
I still have problem. I use XP. Is there any solutions? Thank you
Actually the walkthrough is the same… as the Vista one.. Can you test it out and see for yourself… IF you have any problem just let me know.
Didnt work. The option “Show hidden files and folders” appeared but is not selectable. It appears a black square instead.
in my case i.e. in xp there is no option as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
\Advanced\Folder\Hidden but HideFileExt is there. what should i do? kindly inform.
wow- it worked. thanks so much!
@JC
Your welcomed!
hi..can I ask? I’ve been looking for stuff which will help me restore those files I’ve hidden, for vista. And there were many which tells that I have to go to panel, then appearances and personalization link, then to folder option; the thing is mine has no folder option..so after that I can’t go on, where’s my hidden files now??! help pls
pls help……. I’ve been looking for stuff which will help me restore those files I’ve hidden, for vista. And there were many which tells that I have to go to panel, then appearances and personalization link, then to folder option; the thing is mine has no folder option..so after that I can’t go on, where’s my hidden files now??! help pls
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
\Advanced\Folder\Hidden
this folder option is not available in my regestries..
the option “show hidden files and folders” is not available for me.
some one help me.
i have no spywares insatalled.
Best practice is looking the registry for another computer, you have to recreate teh whole ‘hidden’ ‘SHOWALL’ and ‘NOHIDDEN’ folders with all its subkeys. After that, you get the menu back.
Thanks for the help!
Hii..I can the option “Hidden file and folders” in the view tab but in that tab I can see only “Do not show hidden files and folder” the another option “Show hidden files and folders” is disapperared..please help me to resolve this issue…thank you
Please help -
i did what the above writings said, and the option of “show hidden files” did appear, but it is not being selected as it shows a black box. what do it do
I found a technique that works 4 me
(If you know the folder name or the file youre looking for this will help)Here is my ipod way.
__This will will work if you have another folder(not hidden) inside the hidden folder.__
First: Go to the place where the hidden folder is supposed to be.(ipod)
Second:Use the search feature on the top right and write the name of the folder(nothidden).(New Folder3)
Third:There it appears in the search results.
Then open the folder.
Four:Look for the bar to the left of the search bar
EXAMPLE(Computer>Ipod>New Folder>New Folder(3))
Five:Be guided by the EXAMPLE I gave you: There click the New Folder(Ipod>[[New Folder]]>New Folder(3) once.
Six:Look below and all of my files in the hidden folder showed.
Any questions related to what I TRIED to explain email me to latinoheat_pr@hotmail.com
Really thanks …
it helps me with my problem
thank you very much
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.