Revealing Hidden Files

To show hidden files in Windows XP, click "Start" then click "My Computer." Double click on the icon representing the hard drive. At the top of the window, click "Tools," then click "Folder Options." Finally, click on the "View" tab. Click "Show hidden files and folders," and click "OK." In Windows Vista and 7, click "Start," then click "My Computer." Click "Organize," then click "Folder and Search Options." Click the "View" tab, click "Show hidden files and folders," and click "OK." This procedure will allow you to see any files or folders that were hidden using the standard Hide feature in Windows. The icons for these files will have a translucent appearance.

Getting Around User Restrictions

If any files are hidden due to restrictions tied to a Windows user ID that you do not have the password for, use Linux to view the contents of the hard drive. A Linux distribution called Knoppix is popular for this purpose. The CD image is available from the site listed in the Resources below. Burn Knoppix to a CD, and restart your computer with the disk inserted. Knoppix will boot automatically. The interface is very similar to the Windows desktop, and you will be able to navigate the entire contents of the hard drive.

Recovering Deleted Files

When a file is deleted, it is not actually removed from the hard drive. Rather, the reference to the file is removed, notifying the hard drive that the location can be treated as empty space and written over. If a file is hidden from your view because it has been deleted, you may be able to recover it using an undelete utility, which scans the hard drive for remnants of deleted files and recovers them. NTFS Undelete is one such utility. The download link is listed under the Resources section. NTFS Undelete is free for personal use.

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Display Hidden Files and Folders