Re: hidden files and directories

See my inserted comments imbeded in the last reply.

Try this exercise

Go to a command prompt.
Navigate to the Content.ie5

Start trial and error change directory with wild card.

CD A*
CD B*
CD C*
CD D*
CD E* etc.. and so on until you get a hit.

Tweak UI Open Command Prompt Here
can help with navigation.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/CmdHerePowertoySetup.exe
or http://tinyurl.com/783n

One of MANY references: http://sillydog.org/mshidden.php

Pop

Dave Bolt wrote:
OK, it works for me on literally hundreds of machines.
First you have to make sure that all the options for hidden files being shown are enabled. In other words you need to go to Tools|Folder Options and select the View tab.

I always run that way. Always and forever.

Display content of system folders should be ticked.
Show hidden files and folders should be selected. (As far as I am concerned, Hide extension for known file types should never be ticked).

We completely agree.

Hide protected
operating system files should be un-ticked.
You will still need to type in the Content.ie5
> part of the path to view the
folders in Windows Explorer, but after that all the sub-folders should be visible.

Nope. Don't overlook my comment that these hidden files are are never touched by cleanup tools.

And the Search feature of Windows uses Windows Explorer which I have already mentioned is set up to not show these folders so it also will not easily search them either.

I already know that.

Incidentally, if you log on as another user who also has administrative privileges, and your profile is not obscured from them, you can use Windows

I know about "Make this folder private"

Explorer quite easily to brows the Internet cache folders.
Regards
Dave


"pop" <poppy@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:uRAT6zfYHHA.2268@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That does not work for me. It does not find content.ie5 under my profile under the hidden "Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files" file.

There is a LOT of stuff hidden very well under that path. You can't see it ever from a command prompt... but if something has happened to expose the name of the randomly named folders, then you can, with some difficulty, delete them.

Adware/Spyware often hides in those folders. Some virus/ spyware scanning tools find them, but can't delete them because the process is active. That report exposes the names. Then I can handle them with great difficulty, but that's another story. Windows Defender seems to handle them.

Pop

Dave Bolt wrote:
You will find that for the active profile you have to add the content.ie5 bit to the address manually in the path c:\documents and settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
It has worked this way on all the XP systems I remember seeing.
This works because Windows Explorer supports Microsoft's strategy for hiding these directories. The tools you mentioned work with directory data at a lower level.
HTH
Dave
"cannon66" <cannon66@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:8C0DE962-35A9-429E-9673-6FBE6ED3E50A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Recently I have been unable to see any directories and files below "Temporary
Internet Files". These are those directories like"content.e510" . This
occured when I was cleaning out cookies, history, temp files, etc. Windows
Explorer can see those files directly under the Temporart Inernet Files
directory but not any of the sub-directories. Neither can Symentic Works.
Yet it will scan all directories and below. I have selected "display hidden
files" in Explorer options. My word processor can see those files if I
attemp to select one to open.
Previously I had been able to view all files with no problem and assume some
setting has been changed that I am unaware of.
This is Windows-XP Home Edition.
Cannon66

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Windows Explorer now does a search instead of opening the file.
    ... File Types dialog, to add a "Command Prompt here" or "Print Directory" ... If this problem is seen for folders: ... Windows XP Shell/User ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Path!
    ... The PATH variable lists all of the folders that Windows will search to ... > The "SET" command at the Command Prompt displays a list of all the ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)
  • Re: want windows explorer to display, not search
    ... on a folder in the right pane in tree view, the search window appears ... This problem occurs when you alter the Drive or File Folders entries via the File Types dialog, to add a "Command Prompt here" or "Print Directory" feature for folders - for example. ... MS MVP Windows - Shell/User ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Windows Explorer Freezes
    ... to add a "Command Prompt here" or "Print Directory" feature for folders. ... Ramesh, Windows XP MVP ... down selection in 'Windows Explorer'. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Unable to delete
    ... the Command Prompt to help with the typing. ... figured that out from a previous Windows Properties question I ... Since this is a system rebuild, I still need to get a full backup ... does not exist on the main drives. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
Loading