Some folders are hidden on hard drive?

Barry1987

Barry1987

Barry1987

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11 Apr 2012
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This is not regarding default hidden system folders/files.

For some odd reason, some of my folders are not showing in explorer within a hard drive. However, when I search for folders/files WITHIN the original folder using windows search they show up?? This makes no sense to me. I DO NOT have them as hidden. I have also checked show hidden files and folders in folder options. What is up with that?

Moreover, I just checked now and now they are not coming up in search. :S

Strangely enough my capacity hasn't gone up (the folder I am trying to access has over 200GB of files in it). It has been at 39GB/465GB before and after it went missing.

I tried a reboot but still the same. Anyone know? :confused:
 
I'm running a virus scan with MS Essentials & Malwarebytes and I can see that the folder I am trying to recover is being scanned along with the files inside them.

Also I typed in the path of the folder in explorer and the content is showing. Just the folder seems 'invisible' even though it's not hidden and I have show hidden files and folders enabled.

Most bizzare thing I've ever encountered on Windows.
 
When they appear in search results, are you able to open them? I've seen similar problems before and it was a sign the disk was on its way out.
 
theheyes said:
When they appear in search results, are you able to open them? I've seen similar problems before and it was a sign the disk was on its way out.
Click to expand...

Well I'm copying them over to the other HDD now all at once (290GB) so I assume so.

I hope you're wrong about that but it could be the problem. I've had this HDD for a good 5 years now I believe. Well one is 4 and the other 5 so not sure which is which. Luckily I bought a new 2TB Seagate so I will just copy them over to there. I was planning on using the 2TB for installs only as it has 64MB cache etc. but I probably won't even hit 1TB with installs and storage put together..
 
Have you tried using attrib -h [folder] from the command line?

EDIT: Not sure but you might need -s as well - worth a try if the above doesn't work.
 
Barry1987 said:
Well I'm copying them over to the other HDD now all at once (290GB) so I assume so.

I hope you're wrong about that but it could be the problem. I've had this HDD for a good 5 years now I believe. Well one is 4 and the other 5 so not sure which is which. Luckily I bought a new 2TB Seagate so I will just copy them over to there. I was planning on using the 2TB for installs only as it has 64MB cache etc. but I probably won't even hit 1TB with installs and storage put together..
Click to expand...

Well funnily enough the disks I've had the most problems with over the last few years have been the 1TB+ disks. It's gotten to the point I don't trust them unless they're in a RAID configuration.

I'm not saying it definitely is the disk but what you described is a red flag for me.
 
You often get this with folders that are attached to Win7's library feature or if you conduct a search from within a library. Additionally, non indexed locations sometimes will fail to show unless you 'force' a search of your entire drive/volume.

Try nuking your Indexing settings and/or excluding some folders from it. Or disable the 'Windows Search' feature.
 
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