Vista - invisible files

squibs

I used msn messenger to save some zip files to a directory in c:\program files and then clicked on the open link which opened them with the 7-zip program. I extracted the contents of the zip to the same directory.

The files are invisible in windows explorer, even using search. They also can't be seen navigating through dos prompt, and a search doesnt reveal them either. Windows explorer is set to classic view, dont hide system files. I can still enter c: in the 7-zip address bar and navigate directly to the files. Any ideas what might be happening?

Sherifu

My guess is you unzipped them to somewhere else.

squibs

My guess is you unzipped them to somewhere else.

I didn't - like I said I can use 7-zip to navigate to the files by typing in c:\ and traversing the directories as I would with explorer. 7-zip sees them in the expected location. Explorer doesn't.

Update: I extracted the zips again to c:\temp and copied them from there to the program files folder. That works. Still dont understand why explorer wont see files that 7-zip can clearly see.

Further update: windows refused to let me delete the directory containing the disputed files if 7-zip was browsing that directory at the time, proving 7-zip was looking at the same directory as windows explorer

Sherifu

Try it again but run 7-zip as administrator. I'm guessing permissions. Program files is protected by UAC in vista.

kaimera

Is it something to do with the UAC not allowing you to unzip to program files?

Foiled!

squibs

Could be down to the UAC alright - would have expected an error message from 7-zip though. Instead, it completes and shows me the files that only it can see.

Sherifu

There is a holding area it puts them then. I've seen it before but don't remember the path. It's like a virtual/mapped program files folder for programs that don't have permission. Get the properties of the extracted files 7-zip shows you to see the path.

kaimera

C:/Users/ ?

Sherifu

C:/Users/Appdata or C:/Progdata

-something like that

mathias

Aha .... had exactly the same issue last night , I downloaded some template files for open office and when I unzipped them I could not find them using search or explorer , they were unzipped to the templates directory for open office.

Explorer would not show the files no matter what , it was like I was looking at an empty directory , yet when I went into office and navigated to the templates directory there they were !!

A bug or a twisted security feature maybe ?

Sherifu

Ok, found the link to what I was trying to explain above;

Your extracted files are most likely here-

c:\users\%username%\Appdata\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\....



Link