Revealing The Super Hidden Files

Microsoft has added many features to Windows XP to protect the critical files of the operating system. The system file checker, for example, continually monitors the system files versions to ensure that no application will replace your system files with a version that Windows XP was not designed to work with. The new super hidden files feature allows Windows to protect itself even further by hiding some of its most critical files from the user. If they can't get to it, they can't hurt it, right?

Revealing the super hidden system files is not very difficult at all. You can uncheck the box on the list on the View tab of Folder Options, but where is the fun in that? Use the Registry Editor to turn this feature off:

1. Click the Start button and select Run.

2. Type regedit in the box and click OK to start up the Editor.

3. Once regedit appears, navigate through HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.

4. Right-click ShowSuperHidden and select Modify.

5. Change the value to 1 and click OK to save your changes.

Now you will be able to see all of the files on your computer, including the super hidden system files.