Hidden files

[Dennis]

After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
used and now is showing about 75% used.

 

[Don Phillipson]

"Dennis" <den942@bright.net> wrote in message
news:%23GLEy4HMJHA.4600@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
> used and now is showing about 75% used.

Something seems suspicious here viz. 317 files averaging 10 Mb
each, likely only if you have lots of audio or picture files, but you
would not normally hide these.
1. Run a reliable antivirus checker.
2. Delete Temporary Internet Files
using / Control Panel / Internet Options
(just in case these have been both (a) set hidden
and (b) allowed to become too large.
3. You must then decide whether you want to
delete all these these hidden files en bloc or
identify at least some of them beforehand.

If drive space allows, and if you want to identify
them, you could make a special folder for them
and copy into it all hidden files, if you can figure
out a DOS command to do so (a) across all
folders, (b) for only those with ATTRIB set +H
= hidden. DOS DIR /AH allows us to list a
directory of hidden files (do DIR /? for the full
help file) but I do not remember if the DELete
command has the same powers (see DEL /?)

I would not bother, but then I allow no files to
be set +H. Microsoft default settings for Win98
was that system files were set +H in case you
might mess them up. (But MS default was also
that filenames were shown with file extensions
hidden, supposedly for our protection, and we
know by now this was a bad idea . . . )

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

 

[FromTheRafters]

The OP may want to consider swapping steps 1 and 2 so
that TIF files aren't scanned (especially if you're going to
delete them anyway why spend the resources scanning
them).

"Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message
news:uMi1C4IMJHA.2036@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Dennis" <den942@bright.net> wrote in message
> news:%23GLEy4HMJHA.4600@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
>> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
>> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
>> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
>> used and now is showing about 75% used.
>
> Something seems suspicious here viz. 317 files averaging 10 Mb
> each, likely only if you have lots of audio or picture files, but you
> would not normally hide these.
> 1. Run a reliable antivirus checker.
> 2. Delete Temporary Internet Files
> using / Control Panel / Internet Options
> (just in case these have been both (a) set hidden
> and (b) allowed to become too large.
> 3. You must then decide whether you want to
> delete all these these hidden files en bloc or
> identify at least some of them beforehand.
>
> If drive space allows, and if you want to identify
> them, you could make a special folder for them
> and copy into it all hidden files, if you can figure
> out a DOS command to do so (a) across all
> folders, (b) for only those with ATTRIB set +H
> = hidden. DOS DIR /AH allows us to list a
> directory of hidden files (do DIR /? for the full
> help file) but I do not remember if the DELete
> command has the same powers (see DEL /?)
>
> I would not bother, but then I allow no files to
> be set +H. Microsoft default settings for Win98
> was that system files were set +H in case you
> might mess them up. (But MS default was also
> that filenames were shown with file extensions
> hidden, supposedly for our protection, and we
> know by now this was a bad idea . . . )
>
> --
> Don Phillipson
> Carlsbad Springs
> (Ottawa, Canada)
>
>

 

[Jeff Richards]

Make sure that your system is set to show hidden files. In an Explorer
Window do View/ Folder Options / View and make sure that under Hidden files
the checked option is Show all files.

To find all large files, do a search (Start / Find / Files or Folders) ,
select the option to search for files by size (Advanced tab), and search for
files larger than, say, 50Mb (At least and 50000Kb). If this doesn't show
enough results, repeat the search for a smaller file size.

To find all hidden files, open a DOS windows (Start / Run / Command) change
to the root directory (CD \) and list all hidden files using the command
Dir /AH /S

You can copy this list to a text file which you can then open in notepad or
any word processor or text editor using the command
Dir /AH /S >Files.TXT
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"Dennis" <den942@bright.net> wrote in message
news:%23GLEy4HMJHA.4600@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
> used and now is showing about 75% used.

 

[Buffalo]

Dennis wrote:
> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
> used and now is showing about 75% used.

In Explorer, click the tools tab, folder options,view and then check (bolt)
show hidden files in the list and click on OK to finish.
If you need more help, I'm sure PCR or others will be along to help.

Then you need to search through Explorer to try to find them.

Buffalo

PS: Perhaps you should dl,install, update and run one or both of the
following free anti-malware programs:
SuperAntiSpyware
MalwareByte's AntiMalware
If you do, empty your Temp Internet Files and Recycled Bin first.

 

[Buffalo]

Buffalo wrote:
> In Explorer, click the tools tab, folder options,view and then check
> (bolt) show hidden files in the list and click on OK to finish.
> If you need more help, I'm sure PCR or others will be along to help.
>
> Then you need to search through Explorer to try to find them.
>
> Buffalo
>
> PS: Perhaps you should dl,install, update and run one or both of the
> following free anti-malware programs:
> SuperAntiSpyware
> MalwareByte's AntiMalware
> If you do, empty your Temp Internet Files and Recycled Bin first.

Also delete all the cookies you don't want before runnng the anti-spyware
and anti-malware programs.

 

[PCR]

Dennis wrote:
| After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
| containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
| what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
| used and now is showing about 75% used.

Like the others said, 317 seems excessive for hidden files, unless you
have some 3rd-party app that is producing them. If you know of no app,
then best update & run a virus checker as Phillipson & Buffalo have
suggested.

But where are you seeing this list? I don't believe ScanDisk or even
Defrag actually lists them. Defrag will show them as "unmoveable" red
squares. And Defrag will only do that for files that are both hidden &
system-- not just one of those attributes. Maybe show us a partial list
as Richards suggested.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[Buffalo]

PCR wrote:
> Dennis wrote:
>> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
>> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
>> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
>> used and now is showing about 75% used.
>
> Like the others said, 317 seems excessive for hidden files, unless you
> have some 3rd-party app that is producing them. If you know of no app,
> then best update & run a virus checker as Phillipson & Buffalo have
> suggested.
>
> But where are you seeing this list? I don't believe ScanDisk or even
> Defrag actually lists them. Defrag will show them as "unmoveable" red
> squares. And Defrag will only do that for files that are both hidden &
> system-- not just one of those attributes. Maybe show us a partial
> list as Richards suggested.

Wow, Richard's answer doesnt' show up to me at all.
BTW, good question about where the list appears.

 

[PCR]

Buffalo wrote:
| PCR wrote:
|> Dennis wrote:
|>> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
|>> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
|>> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
|>> used and now is showing about 75% used.
|>
|> Like the others said, 317 seems excessive for hidden files, unless
|> you have some 3rd-party app that is producing them. If you know of
|> no app, then best update & run a virus checker as Phillipson &
|> Buffalo have suggested.
|>
|> But where are you seeing this list? I don't believe ScanDisk or even
|> Defrag actually lists them. Defrag will show them as "unmoveable" red
|> squares. And Defrag will only do that for files that are both hidden
|> & system-- not just one of those attributes. Maybe show us a partial
|> list as Richards suggested.
|
| Wow, Richard's answer doesnt' show up to me at all.
| BTW, good question about where the list appears.

Thanks. Richards said to run a DOS DIR. Here is mine for just hidden
files...

C:\>dir c: /s /ah
....snip...
Total files listed:
102 file(s) 31,208,675 bytes
33 dir(s) 6,638.43 MB free

And here is mine for hidden and system...

C:\>dir c: /s /ahs
....snip....
Total files listed:
9 file(s) 509,151 bytes
4 dir(s) 6,638.43 MB free

He might be running some 3rd-party app for that, like maybe PCMag's
Crackup. Here is my latest output of that. What it reports as
"unmoveable" are files that are both Hidden & System (not just one).
Note CrackUp is giving a better count than the DOS command, because the
command won't count hidden files that are in a hidden folder (unless
that folder is the current folder)...

CRACKUP Report: Windows 95(b)
Generated Sunday, October 19, 2008 18:17:14

Drive C C R HARD (FAT32)
Last scan: Sunday, October 19, 2008 18:16:40
10680 Moveable files
792 Directories
17 Unmoveable files
49 Zero-length files

3 Unmovable fragmented files
14 Unmovable unfragmented files
215 Moveable fragmented files and directories
11257 Moveable unfragmented files and directories

1442 Moveable extra fragments (MEF)
18 Unmovable extra fragments (UEF)
442 Bounded free fragments (BFF)
2 Unbounded free fragments (UFF)

2042868 Total clusters (TC)
64985 Unmovable clusters (UC)
19311 Moveable fragmented allocated clusters
259132 Moveable unfragmented allocated clusters
82331 Bounded free clusters
1617108 Unbounded free clusters (UFC)

*** Fragmentation (moveable files only): 0.5%
*** Fragmentation (all files): 0.4%


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[Buffalo]

PCR wrote:
> Dennis wrote:
>> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
>> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
>> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
>> used and now is showing about 75% used.
>
> Like the others said, 317 seems excessive for hidden files, unless you
> have some 3rd-party app that is producing them. If you know of no app,
> then best update & run a virus checker as Phillipson & Buffalo have
> suggested.
>
> But where are you seeing this list? I don't believe ScanDisk or even
> Defrag actually lists them. Defrag will show them as "unmoveable" red
> squares. And Defrag will only do that for files that are both hidden &
> system-- not just one of those attributes. Maybe show us a partial
> list as Richards suggested.

I just rebooted into Win98SE and ran Scandisk and it does show the number of
files that are hidden.
I forgot about that.

 

[PCR]

Buffalo wrote:
| PCR wrote:
|> Dennis wrote:
|>> After running defrag or scandisk my pc listed 317 hidden files
|>> containing about 3.5 gig. How can I find these files so I know
|>> what they are? My hard drive has never been more than about 30%
|>> used and now is showing about 75% used.
|>
|> Like the others said, 317 seems excessive for hidden files, unless
|> you have some 3rd-party app that is producing them. If you know of
|> no app, then best update & run a virus checker as Phillipson &
|> Buffalo have suggested.
|>
|> But where are you seeing this list? I don't believe ScanDisk or even
|> Defrag actually lists them. Defrag will show them as "unmoveable" red
|> squares. And Defrag will only do that for files that are both hidden
|> & system-- not just one of those attributes. Maybe show us a partial
|> list as Richards suggested.
|
| I just rebooted into Win98SE and ran Scandisk and it does show the
| number of files that are hidden.
| I forgot about that.

I still don't see it in mine! Where are you looking? In C:\SCANDISK.LOG?
Post a piece of it.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net

 

[Buffalo]

PCR wrote:
>> Buffalo wrote:
>> I just rebooted into Win98SE and ran Scandisk and it does show the
>> number of files that are hidden.
>> I forgot about that.
>
> I still don't see it in mine! Where are you looking? In
> C:\SCANDISK.LOG? Post a piece of it.

No, just in the report that Scandisk shows when it is finished.

 

[PCR]

Buffalo wrote:
| PCR wrote:
|>> Buffalo wrote:
|>> I just rebooted into Win98SE and ran Scandisk and it does show the
|>> number of files that are hidden.
|>> I forgot about that.
|>
|> I still don't see it in mine! Where are you looking? In
|> C:\SCANDISK.LOG? Post a piece of it.
|
| No, just in the report that Scandisk shows when it is finished.

Yikes-- you & Dennis are right, after all! I just ran one on a small
partition & indeed there is a line saying: "4096 bytes in 1 hidden
file". Sheesh, sorry! But I'm still not willing to call it a full list!


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net