Restore "Show Hidden Files and Folders" Option in Vista
I’ve received a number of emails from readers telling me that their computer has no option for “Show Hidden Files and Folders” in the Folder Options dialog. The question even showed up on the forum, where Scott promptly found a registry tweak which I’m sharing with everybody.
Note that if you don’t have this option there’s a very good chance of spyware infection somewhere, so you should scan your computer thoroughly. The scanner applications won’t restore this setting, however.
To understand what I’m talking about, 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!
Manual Registry Tweak
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.
You should be able to immediately re-open the folder properties, and the option should have returned, as you can see here:
Many thanks to Scott for finding this… I hope it can help somebody.
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You can also show hidden files and folders by searing for “folder” in the control panel.
Thank a lot guys that really helped me.
Do you know of a way to add “Show hidden files and folders” to the context menu? Maybe with the program “filemenu tools”?
Hi, I have the same problem, but in regedit, I can’t find the “Hidden” folder in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
\Advanced\Folder\Hidden
only
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
\Advanced\Folder\
can you help me?
found a program from moon software that allows you to add “show hidden files” to the context menu. This is normally accessed by going in to tools>folder options>View>advanced settings>show hidden files and folders. So this shell extension is nice.
@Pedro: I exported a registry file of the hidden key. Just download it from http://www.techoddity.com/down.....hidden.reg and add it to the registry to restore the whole hidden registry key.
hi guys
it didnt work for me
my folder option menu still doesnt have “show hidden files and folders” radio button
Thank’s exported a registry file It’s work
many thanks to Scott
it really helped me showing my hidden folders and file
best regards
I must tell that in my case i realized that the CheckdValue for the SHOWALL was deleted, so I created a DWORD VALUE (right click and create one) name it CheckValue and modified the binary data to read:0×00000001 (1) and voila, the ’show hidden files ‘ option is back.
anyway thanks for helping me where to search. Jihad
Thanks…It works….Great ..
Thanks jd2066…problem solved.
hello,
i m not able to see the folder options folder in control panel at all, and when i tried to use ur uploaded regedit – forbidden to edit by administrator – message is coming – pls. advice me immediately.
i m using vista ultimate x64 in lap top and xp professional in home
Sometimes adding this value is not sufficient to view hidden files. Also add the following key if it is does not exist,
in the HIDDEN SHOWALL key add the following string value
CheckedValue REG_DWORD
value = 0×00000001 (1)
Murat,
My “show hidden folders” button had disappeared, and when I added the CheckedValue as you said, it showed up and functioned as normal. So I supposed it used to be there, but then got deleted. My concern is, what caused this, maybe the problem is bigger than just a button disappearing, and I’d like to know so there are no more surprises. Thanks for your help,
@Pedro thanks man this worked like a charm!
Thank you very much!
Many greetings from Italy
Alright, I need some help with this. Well I do have the option, and it does stick, it just doesn’t work. I choose the option and apply it, but the hidden folders and files don’t show up. I go back in to check if it’s still selected and it is. Will the above help with this problem?
Thanks a lot JD2066 – downloaded your fix and hidden folders were shown immediately. Great job, Many thanks !
jd2066 thanks.
it doesnt work with me still not find the hidden option.!!
Thank You very much, jd2066, it solved my problem of not viewing Show or hide file option on folder options.
Thanks jd2066 …
Thank you very much jd2066….
Friends just rename the name of file jd2066 uploaded to *.reg and install it .
It does worked good in my PC
Thank you for the fix, I didn.t trust downloading it at first but then I just took the risk and I promise it works you guys!!!!
thanx dude…….. i shall tell u wad happend wid me…..i my case i couldnt resolve the prob. by changing it to “group”…. i had to create a new string ” CheckValue” and then changed both the values of type to “radio”………….. only then i could restore the show hidden files option
Thanks jd2066
THANKS
my “show hidden files and folders” option appeared again but it’s not like a radio button! it’s like a black checkbox that i cant check it! and ”dont show hidden files and folders” is still a checked radio button!
some times even set the show all files in hidden files and folder in folder option under tools menu the hidden files will not show. this may due to some malicious .cmd file and it will create following 2 files in every driver you have
1.kdxdweli.cmd
2. jk.exe
and execution done through autorun.inf file which have in every driver
those 3 files are hidden and can’t view under normal condition
kdxdweli.cmd file do some changes to register and as a result HIDDEN SHOWALL value
CheckedValue REG_DWORD
value = 000000001 (1)
could not change to (1) it alway set to (0)
this is the reason for hide the files even we prompt to show them
in my case those files did’t catch by the avg or nod antivirus programs
solution
to see whether those 3 files in your driver
1. goto command prompt and type dir/ah to display hidden files
2.download killBox.exe from http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
3. delete all 3 files kdxdweli.cmd autorun.inf and jk.exe files
4. do this for all driver you have in your pc
5.finally you can view hidden files
(note i do this in xp professional vision only )
whew!! thank you so much… was strugglin with this issue since ages…
Hi All –
In my system, I have the “Hidden Files and Folders” Tab, but below it I only have the option “Don’t show hidden files and folders” There is no option to “Show hidden files and folders. Any ideas on why this might be? The post topic is slightly different from the issue I’m having. Thanks.
@KyddFlynn: The registry fix I posted earlier in the comments should restore that option.
Many tx jd2066
THANKSSSSSSSSSSSSS jd2066
do it guys…it works i swear
Thanks so much. It seems to be working now. All the best…
It works !
Thanks so much to all and jd2066 for the registry export
Indeed several values had dispeared !
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]
“Text”=”@shell32.dll,-30499″
“Type”=”group”
“Bitmap”=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,53,00,\
48,00,45,00,4c,00,4c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,34,00,00,\
00
“HelpID”=”shell.hlp#51131″
You can simply cut the text below between lines (excluding dash marks) and save it to a file, say fix.reg, by a text editor like Notepad and then double click on the saved file to restore the missed part of the registry.
—————————
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden]
“Text”=”@shell32.dll,-30499″
“Type”=”group”
“Bitmap”=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,53,00,\
48,00,45,00,4c,00,4c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,34,00,00,\
00
“HelpID”=”shell.hlp#51131″
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\NOHIDDEN]
“RegPath”=”Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced”
“Text”=”@shell32.dll,-30501″
“Type”=”radio”
“CheckedValue”=dword:00000002
“ValueName”=”Hidden”
“DefaultValue”=dword:00000002
“HKeyRoot”=dword:80000001
“HelpID”=”shell.hlp#51104″
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL]
“RegPath”=”Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Advanced”
“Text”=”@shell32.dll,-30500″
“Type”=”radio”
“CheckedValue”=dword:00000001
“ValueName”=”Hidden”
“DefaultValue”=dword:00000002
“HKeyRoot”=dword:80000001
“HelpID”=”shell.hlp#51105″
—————————
Worked for me. Thank you all!
Thanks you guys.
your posts really helped me out a great deal.
Thx guys, it worked like a charm.
thanks for the info came very good, very little info on the web about a
“Show Hidden Files and Folders” “no radio” box problem came in very handy
for a post at cnet.com
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
change “type = group” to “type = radio” or “type = checkbox”
he had a group instead of a radio box can be very confusing even for me
thankyou heaps.
i’ve tried all the options suggested above, however, they are not working. what do you suggest?
Pls HELP………
Modified the value for the key “CheckedValue” to 1 and “DefaultValue” to 2.
But it is not getting changed to the value for the key “CheckedValue” to 1. Instead it remains to be the same 0.
How can i change the “CheckedValue” to 1 ?……..
thnx bro ..thx alot … it workd..