# Making hidden files unhidden



## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

I have used a lot of time copying my cd collection to mp3 format, but some time ago I got a virus that made my mp3 collection into system files. I got the virus removed, but still my files is hidden files, and I can't change it the normal way.

What should I do to make them show like normal files again?


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Try this...

Go into the folder that has the hidden files
Up top go to 'View'
Then 'Folder Options'
Then click on the tab 'View'
Under Hidden Files...click on 'Show all files'


I had a virus that did that once, once I got it removed and changed that option in the folder, I was able to get all my mp3's back


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

Thanks, but that is how far I have reached too. So they are still systemfiles and showing in my folder as hidden files does.
But I were thinking that if a virus could make those changes, there were ways to change them back.

Hopefully one could give us both a solution.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Have you tried right clicking on the file?

Hit Properties...

Is any box checked? (like "Read Only" or "Hidden"?)

Try unchecking Hidden and see if that helps

Mine are checked as "Archive"


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

Well that is the strange thing. The "hidden file checkbox" is checked, but is faded out just like a "visible" hidden file, so I can't uncheck it.
That is exactly how a system file acts. So I need something that can make a file registered as a systemfile into to a normal file.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

See if this link is of any help...

http://www.xtra.co.nz/help/0,,4155-1916458,00.html


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

that is done already and the files show faded, but I would still like them to be not as systemfiles, but like a normal file.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Have you tried renaming them back to the original file name in Windows or in DOS?

Cause with this particular virus, files with .mp2 and .mp3 extensions are not infected; only the file name has been changed.


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

They have always been something.mp3 So I guess we are not talking about the same virus.
What happened was that in the directory where I have my mp3's a VBscript file was made for every mp3 file, and was named after them (something.mp3.vbs) I deleted them but next time I turned on my computer they were there again. After some days doing that my mp3's were suddently gone. But found them again working out that my files were hidden.


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## Cheeseball81 (Mar 3, 2004)

Actually yeah, it does sound a lot like the virus I had. It made all my mp3s .vbs too. And it deleted all of my jpegs. I got it a long time ago. My McAfee picked it up and I had to delete all the infected ones in MS-DOS. The Jpegs could never be recovered but the mp3s made a copy of themselves. It was called the Loveletter Virus.

Here is a summary of it from Nortons:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/vbs.loveletter.a.html

For each drive, including network drives, the virus attempts to infect files that have .vbs and .vbe extensions. The worm also searches for files with the extensions .js, .jse, .css, .wsh, .sct, .hta, .jpg, .jpeg, .mp3, and .mp2. When files with these extensions are found, the worm does the following: 
Overwrites all files having the extensions .js, .jse, .css, .wsh, .sct, .hta, .jpg, and .jpeg with viral code. It then makes a copy of the file and adds the extension .vbs to the file name. For example, if the file is named House_pics.jpg, the overwritten file is named House_pics.jpg.vbs. The original file is then deleted. These files must be deleted and then restored from a backup. 
Creates copies of all files having the .mp3 and .mp2 extensions. It then overwrites the copy with viral code and adds the .vbs extension to the file name. Next it changes the attribute of the original .mp3 or .mp2 file to hidden. Because of this, the original copies of .mp3 and .mp2 files are still unaltered--though hidden--on the hard drive. The modified files should be deleted.

NOTE: Files with .mp2 and .mp3 extensions are not infected; only the file name has been changed by adding the .vbs extension (see the Technical Information section for details). You can recover these files by renaming them back to the original file name in Windows or in DOS. Files with the .jpg extension are destroyed, and must be restored from a backup.


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

Ok must be the same then, and it is possibly just as long ago, that I got the virus.
I only have the hidden mp3 files from that time. And like it says, it can only restore the original mp3 files if norton was installed at the time I got the virus.

Isn't there any filemanegement software that can change/force hidden attributes?


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## stb2 (Aug 24, 2004)

Just some strange information...

I got the new Media Player 10 Beta wich made it even worse. It works in a slightly different way, that results in if I wish to add the files, I have to play them one at a time.
I wrote to Media Player support about the problem, haven't got know answer yet, but suddently out of nowhere my files are not hidden no more. I can still see wich ones were hidden though, because I still can't change the hidden/unhidden attributes on those files.
But the problem isn't solved (it is worse), cause now Media Player tells me that those files are too small to add according to my "skip files smaller than" settings. I have of course set it lower than the lowest of my files, but still no luck.


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