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Questions & Answers (Q & A)

Hidden Files & Folders


Question:
"When I scan & defrag it always say so many files in "hidden folders". What are they and how do you get to them and what are they for?"


Answer:

There are a number of files in Windows that, if deleted, can seriously mess up your computer or how certain programs run.

For that reason, many files are <hidden>, so they can't be easily accessed. Window's system files are almost always hidden.

That's not to say that there aren't hidden files that can't be deleted or modified, just that you have to be careful what you play with.

If you're wiping floppies clean, being able to detect and remove hidden files on the disc can free up a bit more space, for instance.

If you want to see hidden files, single-click on the <Start> menu with the left mouse button, and hover the mouse pointer over <Settings>.

A side menu will open. In this menu single-click on <Folder Options>.

The <Folder Options> window opens.

Single-click on the <View> tab at the top of the window.

You'll see a large box called <Advanced Settings>.

There are three options in this box for hidden files: the default setting is <Do not show hidden files or system files>.

Single-click in the circle marked <Show all Files>, click on <Apply>, and then click on <OK>.

Hidden files can include almost all file extensions, so it's a good idea to check out the folder you're investigating first, so that you know what's in there before you make the hidden files visible.

Otherwise, you might not know what was hidden and what wasn't. And, of course, it's easy enough to re-hide files.

Just go back to the <Folder Settings> window and select <Do not show hidden or system files>.



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