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Author Topic: Joe Louis Was Wrong: I Can Hide But I Can't Run  (Read 2504 times)

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rjbinney

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Joe Louis Was Wrong: I Can Hide But I Can't Run
« on: September 11, 2018, 07:13:28 PM »
I ripped a CD onto my HD using Windows Media Player. (For those who insist on continuity, this thread actually comes in reading order before this one.)

When I downloaded some album art and tried to save it as "folder.jpg", it wouldn't let me - said there was already a file. So WMP automatically drops an album cover in the folder? Coolcoolcool.

I didn't see anything in the folder, so I turned on "Show Hidden Items" in File Explorer. Sure enough, the file was there - along with an "AlbumArt_{B5020207-474E-4720-CCEE-6D2E71CAE800}_Large.jpg" and "AlbumArt_{B5020207-474E-4720-CCEE-6D2E71CAE800}_Small.jpg".

I clicked on the fun "Hide Selected Items" button to DEselect "folder.jpg", and nothing happened. I right-clicked on the file, and selected properties - the "Hidden" box is checked but grayed out.

I launched explorer.exe as Administrator, and had the same issues.

In "Security", I have full permissions for everything on the file except for "Special Permissions". That seems to be unchangeable, even as Administrator.

So what gives, Internet? How do I unhide this file?

Thanks,

Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.

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Re: Joe Louis Was Wrong: I Can Hide But I Can't Run
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2018, 07:29:52 PM »
It's because the file has the System attribute set. That attribute is not accessible within Windows Explorer (and never has been). If the System Attribute is set then the Hidden Attribute is "locked" and cannot be changed.

You can change it using the command prompt and attrib.

attrib -s -h "C:\full\path\to\file.jpg" at the command prompt will remove it.
I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

rjbinney

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Re: Joe Louis Was Wrong: I Can Hide But I Can't Run
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2018, 07:57:21 PM »
Thanks. Outside of files in c:\windows, is there a reason for that attribute to be set on any file?

(In other words, can I go to a higher directory and change it for all files in descendant directories?)
Dan: You're gonna need to get someone to fix my computer.                     Kim: What's wrong with it?                     Dan: It's in several pieces on my floor.