Comments for Why can I not find a file that Windows search tells me is there?

Comment from Paul on 2009-07-03

2009-07-03T16:55:38Z

I have tried the usual stuff and no dice, icluding everything you mentioned in this answer here. I could see them a few days ago and can still see them by doing a global search. If I just search the main directory they are in, Ithe search will not see them. I have to do it at the Drive level for the search to work.

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Comment from Russ Lucas on 2008-02-02

2008-02-02T18:47:11Z

I am familiar with the "switches" shown above to show hidden files, but every time I set the "show hidden files" checkbox, it gets reset immediately, and so I am unable to view these files in order to eliminate a file buried in my "Local Settings" folder, which is causing a virus to attempt to change data in memory. Is there another way to set this parameter so I can fix my system? (Norton has been unable to eliminate the threat so far, even in Safe Mode.)

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A comment on: Why can I not find a file that Windows search tells me is there?

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Comment from Ken on 2007-08-13

2007-08-13T17:39:08Z

Another thing to mention is "hide extensions for known file types". Although it is unchecked in your screenshot, it is checked by default. Leaving this checked can cause confusion, as well as vulnerabilities to "social engineering" spam and viruses.

It can be confusing, for example, to see several files all with the same name. (They have different extensions, but the default is to hide the extension.) Or, to search for "something.doc", and only see "something" in the folder.

As for vulnerabilities, consider an e-mail attachment with "nakedladies.jpg" as the filename that is shown, when in reality the name is "nakedladies.jpg.exe" and contains a virus/trojan/whatever. (The inadvisibility of clicking on attachments from unknown senders in the first place is another thread.)

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A comment on: Why can I not find a file that Windows search tells me is there?

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