Semi Hidden Files

[Old and In the Way]

OK XP gurus, I need help.

I was tinkering around with the folder options a while back when I accidently hid the contents of every folder on my computer. Not cool. I was able to unhide them using the Folder Options/View/ "show hidden files and folders"

But now, every file is semi transparent. I can click on the properties of all 100,000 files or so and manually unhide them to the normal state....but is there a way to do this globally?

[footinmouth]

1. Not an XP Guru ...

but I think I've dealt with this one before. Pick one of your main folders, one with lots of stuff in it, right click on it. Click on properties. At the very bottom of the window you should see 2 check boxes for "attributes". The choices are "read only" or "hidden". I just checked mine and they say "read only", which doesn't seem quite right, but everything works. Be sure the "hidden" option isn't checked. That should take care of all the sub-folders.

I hope this doesn't cause you any harm, I'm really not a guru.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Thanks for responding.

I did try that. When I check a folder properties, it does show "read only". The individual files in the folder, however, are all semi-transparent, and the property of each file is "hidden". I can unclick the "hidden" checkmark for each file and it fixes that file so that it reverts the file icon backto its normal state.

Somewhere, there has to be a higher level command that does a global "unhide" on all files so that I don't have to go through each file individually.

[ConsAreLiars]

3. I'm new to XP, but ..;.

Go to the highest level ("My Computer") and select Tools/Folder Options/View and you will see a number of checkmark options including "show hidden files and folders" and then check "apply to all folders."

The global checkmark to "reset all folders" may be a better choice, if you prefer to have system files hidden, as in the default setup.

[Old and In the Way]

6. That did it!

Thanks!

[miss_kitty]

4. not a guru but here's a website that I have found helpful for XP problems

annoyances.org. perfect name!

http://www.annoyances.org/

[Caution]

5. if you want to remove the hidden flag from all files do this

Start Menu > Run
type CMD and hit OK
type: CD \
hit enter

the type:
attrib -h /s /d *.*

hit enter

this will take a while. When you can type again, type:
exit

hit enter

Done.