How To Enable ‘Show Hidden Files And Folders Option’ When Disabled By a Virus

By Asad on Oct 11 2008 36 Comments

A few days back my “Show hidden files and folders” option was not working at all even if I selected the option Show hidden files and folders from the folder option window, the changes would just disappear upon closing the dialog. It was probably some virus attack after which the Windows registry was not being updated properly. So here is what I did to restore it back.


Method 1: Registry Editing

Click Start  > Run… (or press Windows key + R)

run

Type regedit and click Ok.

regedit

 

Find the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL

showall

Look at the CheckedValue key. This should be a DWORD key. If it isn’t, delete the key. Create a new key called “CheckedValue” as a DWORD (hexadecimal) with a value of 1.

showall

Now open My Computer, on the toolbar go to Tools > Folder Option and click on the View tab.

The Show hidden files & folders check box should now work normally.

show

 

Method 2: Application

If you don’t want to apply the above method, download Smart Virus Remover from here. Using this Virus Remover you can restore your Windows settings, your “Show hidden files and folders” will be set to default.

 sa 

Do let us know in the comments if these methods helped you or not ?

  • http://www.pliggs.com Geoserv

    STUMBLED!

    This blog is turning ito an everything blog, great post.

  • http://www.bytetips.com Jim

    This is a real time saver tutorial. I was looking a way to fix this problem for my friend. Now i got it! thanks!

  • http://www.xemion.com/out.php?id=24062&119919395 web design company

    This has happened to me many times. This is quite a useful website to show you how to easily enable hidden files and folders due to a virus.

  • ISE32 Virus

    I was thinkin of ways to circumvent the virus effects when i stumbled upon this…thanks!

  • dan

    Guys seriously , you guys r life savers …i was just about to reinstall my windows all over again when i found this site . U guys r amazing .Thanks loads .

  • http://www.addicitivetips.com Nakodari

    Thanks for all your comments. And yea we made this site to save everyone’s life :P

    You can check more similar tips and tricks on this site. If you are having any problem and can’t find the solution to the problem on this site, feel free to Contact me and we will do our best to solve it for you. :)

  • me

    Hi, I really feel happy to find this tips on this website :) No need to worry anymore with that stupid worm. Thanks a million.

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  • Shahid Ali Siddique

    Dear Sir,
    Thank you for this POST. It really helped me out.

    Thank you again,

    Pakistan, Karachi

  • http://www.notwebsite.com mike

    Whew! It’s been 2 weeks since I’d had this problem about my Folder Options and it took me a while to search online. And finally, I stumbled upon this webpage, and wham!… problem solved. Thank you sooo much for posting this tip!

    Mike. Philippines

  • Chapcuzz

    hey…

    great post, but…

    still not working for me..

    the checkedvalue going back to 0 when i closed registry editor..

    for info my pc was attacked by sality.y.aa but when i scan with kaspersky it found nothing..

    can you solve my problem?..

    thx..

  • jay

    thanks dude it really helps man

  • http://www.hypesol.com Ejaz Ahmad

    hi

    my hidden files option is not applying …

    i have scanned my system also

  • debu

    ..didn’t know it was this easy to solve this problem,though of reinstalling the windows,thanx a lot

  • jason

    ….thnk u very much..i though it was a virus..XD
    that is useful tips for me…thanx a lot..Godspeed….

  • Mostafa

    Thank you so much, It works!!!!

  • KrZyT

    You are the MEN…KUDOS

  • caterpillar

    Works perfectly….Thx

    • Moh

      Neither of these Options is work in my PC what should I do PLEASE help me .These files are very Important to me and I can’t even remmember there names

  • pui

    i dont know what to say beside thank you very very much………

  • http://google.com jetmir

    hey man this tutorial not work the Checkedvalue not be deleted

  • Laith

    Method 1 worked perfectly with me mates, cheers :)

  • Ashish

    really man it worked…!!! thanks a lot

  • sovy

    A lot of thank you,for publish this useful way to enable hidden files and folders,when from windows directly can’t,most common type of viruses can do that is a Trojan type,his do that to cannot open system volume information[spread location] with some programs from DOS or not DOS app. or some location hidden,where can easely autoclone and spread from a partition to another like C,D… etc.Here is a registry key needed!

    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″

  • mycel02

    Hi Guys,

    Thanks. the first registry option worked for me. Keep up the good work.

  • UD

    After a long journey to solve this problem… finally i got it…
    Thank a lot buddy… u r the best.

  • Navdeep

    Thanku so much…….. :-)

  • VIJAY

    Great solution Keep it up
    Tons of thanks

  • ali

    hi.i do it but after refreshing the value of checkedvalue changes to 0 again.not working for me.help plz

  • Kutti

    OOps ..
    the problem persisting ..
    Is it means any virus abstructing ?

  • Kutti

    OOps ..
    the problem persisting ..
    Is it means any virus abstructing ?

  • Kutti

    OOps ..
    the problem persisting ..
    Is it means any virus abstructing ?

  • shagy2you

    thx for pretty program

  • pracas upreti

    hurray!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it works , i googled a lot from many days , finally i was able to make it , thanks a lot ,

  • Amir

    Hi
    Thanks

    But when I change the Checkedvalue Dword to “1″ after a sec back to “0″
    And I don’t know how so solve this Problem

    Please Help ME

  • rcda

    Thanks! Finally solved the problem :)

  • erwin

    sir, i have done all your instructions and yet when my pc reboots, the problem still persists. any programs installed or any changes made were not saved at all when i restart my pc.

    Any help would be very much appreciated… thanks a lot.

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