Hidden windows folder help ???

[blindviper]

My windows folder has some how become hidden. The only way I can see the folder is too uncheck the "hide protected operating system files [recommended]". I cannot uncheck the hidden box under its properties. I also tried creating another admin account this was uneffective. Do you guys/girls have any thoughts?

[three_sixteen]

Thats really, really funny.

Almost sounds like your computer might have got hacked or something.

I would say that you/a program/someone else somehow altered the local computer policy provided you're using Windows XP..

Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc

I would browse around in there for something you might have changed

Good luck!

[blindviper]

I checked the gp editor and i found nothing

[three_sixteen]

Hmm

What about the security settings on the folder, have you checked those? Make sure you have ownership of the folder, if not that might prevent you from changing the folder properties.

I'm afraid beyond that my advice is pretty limited -- again it sounds like your computer may have been hacked. Is this something that just came up out of nowhere or has it been happening for awhile now?

[Ice Czar]

generally the objective of a hacker is to avoid detection
but spyware and automated malware is more brazen, it assumes your an idiot :p

CACLS.exe (http://www.ss64.com/nt/cacls.html)
Display or modify Access Control Lists (ACLs) for files and folders.

Access Control Lists apply only to files stored on an NTFS formatted drive, each ACL determines which users (or groups of users) can read or edit the file. When a new file is created it normally inherits ACL's from the folder where it was created.

used for instance to gain access to the System Volume Information Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309531