Essentials hides folders

[agibsonsw]

Hello. Vista Home Basic SP2.

I received a number of security warnings from Microsoft Security Essentials for my USB pen. This usually relates to an autorun file or, occasionally,
an Excel workbook with macros and doesn't cause me concern. However, about 20 folders on my pen are now hidden and the option to unhide them
is greyed out.

How can I unhide these folders please? I have a shortcut menu to 'Take Ownership' and an 'Unlocker' app but neither is helping.

(I leant my pen to a couple of colleagues earlier in the day to allow them to copy a file each, but i doubt that they would have changed anything on my pen.)

Andy.

[StuartR]

Do you have any essential data on the USB pen, or is it simply copies of material that you have elsewhere?

The best way to sterilise one of these is to Format it, and then copy the stuff back on from the original sources.

[agibsonsw]

Hello Stuart.

Yes they are essentially (excuse the pun ) copies from My Documents.

I could compare contents to My Docs and Format the pen, re-copy everything. But MSE might presumably
do the same thing again. (They are actually designated as system folders rather than just hidden.)

Mmm might have to play around a bit more and see if can move, delete or re-designate the folders. If I get
no joy then I'll probably take your advice

[agibsonsw]

Hello.

My pen is essentially a copy of my Documents folder so I took the plunge and formatted it and am copying all the files and folders I need across to it.

I have a Sync tool but these aren't much use because Vista and other apps add a number of folders and files to 'Documents' that aren't necessary to save on a
pen drive. Perhaps this is why they changed the name from 'My Documents' .

I have shortcuts in Documents (on my Vista Home Premium SP2) that point to 'My Music' etc. but I'm unable to visit these as 'Access is denied'! I believe I used to
be able to visit these - I'm not sure how this Access issue arose?

Regards, Andy.

[DaveA]

On a Vista machine, yes, the "MY" was dropped but is back on Windows 7.
Yes, there is a "My Documents" folder, but it is a symbolic Link so the programs that are designed for the "My" can be used. The link will redirect thing to the correct Vista documents folder. You should never need to go into the "My" folder on a Vista machine.

This same issue applies to the "Documents and Settings" folder on Vista and Windows 7, they are there for MACHINE use, the users do NOT need to get into it also.

[Roderunner]

Andy,
If you disable MSE, you might be able to access them. If so, look at each's properties and unhide or untick readable.

RR.JPG

[agibsonsw]

@Roderunner
Are you referring to the folders/files on my USB pen? If so I've already formatted the pen and re-copied everything. I'm not sure that disabling MSE would have helped but I'll bear this option in mind should the issue recur, thank you.
The My Pictures, etc., shortcuts are located in 'Andrew/ Documents'. Perhaps they were always there but I've (strangely!) never tried to open them before because I already have folders 'Andrew/ Pictures', etc., that I use for my pictures.

The attached screenshot for the properties of one of these folders seems to indicate that they are (perhaps) intended to be shared folders(?).

I have no use for them anyway; I was just curious as to whether they had always been there and surprised that I had exhibited the distinct lack of interest in never attempting to open them previously

BTW A question of more interest to me at the moment is how to disassociate the file extension '.bin' with my VLC media player? I tried to disassociate this before but I obviously failed, as it's still there.

Regards, Andy.

[HansV]

Unfortunately, Windows Vista and 7 don't offer any method for managing file associations except by editing the registry...

[agibsonsw]

Unfortunately, Windows Vista and 7 don't offer any method for managing file associations except by editing the registry...

Thanks, I'll leave it then. I suppose I could un-install and re-install the VLC player (paying more attention to the file association options!) but it's not a biggie.

Andy.