Hidden Windows XP and Vista Folders "How to hide files and folders"

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[15].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[21].jpg$

Many locked, private or hidden folders in Windows XP can simply be browsed or 'unlocked' and 'unhidden' by the same switches in Windows Explorer you'd used to enable the same features.

But what if I make it "invisible' or "transparent" then even if found it looks just like the background!

Try this trick on most any OS. Note this is not foolproof but along with locked, hidden and passworded/encrypted folders is very helpful and very safe from command line browsing as the directory/folder names are not "typeable" with any US keyboards...

Vista works similarly but seems to leave behind a "ghost" image?...hum...?

Erck

On the note of security don't collaborate with people you don't know about, ok? I can remove this from the face of the internet but it won't do me much good. ~llama13

'Security sux that's the point. Dude collaborate...not deface...add some value and post some results or do some test. YOU JOINED the GROUP so you get to see what I contributed to the site ...noobs... what did you post? 'ERCK

Step 1: Overview - OS versions & Variations

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[3].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[5].jpg$

Variations I've found-

Windows XP - no Media or Language support - Use ASCII codes in the name field with "num lk" keypad then 'alt'+0160 in the Name field from the Properties tab "New Folder".

Windows Media Center - varies see above or below

Windows Language support - use "right click" and insert Unicode in the 'New Folder' clear text from name field under the Properties tab.

Vista - has similar variations between ASCII, UniCodes and language options that vary by install and country of origin.

see below...read on for examples, screen shots & limitations.

Step 2: Properties - edit name and icon

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[10].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[11].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[4].jpg$

Edit properties (New Folder) now has a name like
<blank>

from an ASCII code - <num lk>, <alt>+0160 *

must use numeric keypad & NOT the Number keys above qwerty!

from Unicode - Insert any non-printing character

Now let's hide the Icon!

Step 3: Appearance & Visualization

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[23].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[25].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[16].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[19].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[22].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[14].jpg$

Some ways they/you can list your newly Gone files...

...hum...perhaps some reverse psychology is required here?
have these 'invisible' folders be empty. Make a Default 'New Folder' as empty but put a sub-folder inside with your files...

You cannot look at every directory with "New folder" inside it.

These

Step 4: Tips & Tricks

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[3].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[7].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[4].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[9].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[9].jpg$

$C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[2].jpg$

Show All 8 Images

Tips & Tricks

TIP -Check for language support on toolbar...

TRICKS-always have an odd number of folders, add an extra as needed and keep that hidden one bottom right, right row.

TRICKS-Consider always having a folder called New Folder (inside it's EMPTY) add your hidden folders in this, alone, then lock and set read only bits on this New Folder.

TIPS-Remove the hidden folders from backups & archives and searches.

TIPS-Add language support on your tool bar...See embedded comments below...

ERCK

Step 5: Suggestions or Ideas...

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\Cropper Captures\CropperCapture[2].jpg$

Please...any comments welcome here!

You may have to add text service below for some Unicode languages to work...

Step 6: VISTA!

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\vista 4.jpg$

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\vista 5.jpg$

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\vosta 6.jpg$

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\desktop 4.jpg$

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\file folder VISTA hidden.jpg$

$C:\Users\Ed\Documents\SnagIt Catalog\views 3.jpg$

Show All 10 Images

Screen Shots HERE...!

Step 7: VMWare Image...

What if I distribute a public VMWare player image and you find the easter egg?

Prizes?

Ideas?

Strategies? Suggestions?

...see you later....maybe....I may not be visible!

E

EDITED by Hugo.B at 16:21 15/6/07GMT
Reason? To prove a point, see my comment below.
Sorry for any inconvenience, I'm not malicious.

H.B.

EDITED by Erck 6/17/07 CST
Is everyone a noob here? Guys post SOMETHING ON TOPIC!
I added this to the GROUP for "c-o-l-l-a-b-o-r-a-t-i-o-n".

colÂ·labÂ·oÂ·rate (kÉ™-lÄb'É™-rÄt') Pronunciation Key
intr.v. colÂ·labÂ·oÂ·ratÂ·ed, colÂ·labÂ·oÂ·ratÂ·ing, colÂ·labÂ·oÂ·rates

To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort.
To cooperate treasonably, as with an enemy occupation force in one's country.

Use the former and not the later....ERCK

knight21 says: Aug 1, 2010. 12:21 AM

i have vista home premium installed in my laptop bt i m tryin alt+0160 bt nthin is happenin!!!!!! pls help me out

erckgillis (author) in reply to knight21Aug 11, 2010. 12:54 PM

Check your language options

hacker-by-nite says: Jul 7, 2010. 9:03 PM

ok i did this just to try it and it worked but now i cant delete it please help

erckgillis (author) in reply to hacker-by-niteJul 13, 2010. 5:07 PM

right click and select delete on folder or file "ghost" image

erikals says: Jul 9, 2009. 8:31 PM

Really cool instructable, I like it

rich3102 says: Apr 6, 2009. 8:50 PM

Nice article, and ghost folder trick :) I Just use Folder Vault http://www.gearboxcomputers.com. Select a folder or file, it hides it completely. Then the program can completely hide it self via stealth mode. It will also clear history when it closes. Very quick and simply, no fuss with the old ghost folder trick.

erikals in reply to rich3102Jul 9, 2009. 8:29 PM

Is Folder Vault freeware?

THE_GEEK2007 says: May 12, 2007. 10:32 PM

THE_GEEK2007 in reply to THE_GEEK2007May 12, 2007. 10:33 PM

The text was being invisible

erckgillis (author) in reply to THE_GEEK2007May 20, 2007. 10:16 AM

<font color="white">Making the text color white</font>

Derin in reply to erckgillisApr 5, 2009. 12:43 AM

HTML does not work.But I wish it did.

Trogador says: Dec 15, 2007. 2:53 PM

Is there any way to do this without a number keypad? My stupid laptop doesn't have one; it just has the long bar of numbers at the top...

Derin in reply to TrogadorApr 5, 2009. 12:42 AM

I think some keys on laptop keyboards double as the numpad,as is the case with the HP Pavillion my mom has.Check for small numbers on the letters.

Derin says: Apr 5, 2009. 12:35 AM

Wth.....alt+0160 is a space...

vaiden says: Aug 21, 2007. 7:02 PM

This is nice. There is another way to hide data on NTFS partitions. You use Alternate data streams to fully hide the data, which can only be viewed with an ads aware application. To hide data such as text, or jpegs, or mp3's you use this command format. Run CMD at the run prompt. Then switch to the directory where the file you want to hide is located. Now type this without the quotes and substituting your filename. " type yourfile.bla > blahblah.txt:yourfile.bla" Only the txt file will show up and it can be ran or whatever but will not give away your ads file. If it is moved away from an NTFS partition the hidden file will be lost. This is for long term storage of your data, because it takes awhile to do. To get the file back just type this without the quotes and substituting your filename. " more < blahblah.txt:yourfile.bla > yourvisiblefile.bla " To hide exe files youll need a tool called cat.exe that is a Unix file, but is available as a win32 port somewhere, google it.

erckgillis (author) in reply to vaidenAug 22, 2007. 5:23 AM

Excellent! I like to hid data & files in these 'invisable' folders with enccrypted JPEG's. People are suckers for a pretty picture, flowers, puppies, bikini's etc... Data can be hidden inside JPEG uptp many megabytes of text, exe or others... See te free cryptobola.com Here is a pretty picture...it has my COMPLETE inventory and prices for my Amazon store, cost, sales, profits etc...safe from you guys, posted here freely, but safe and secure! E

$C:\Documents and Settings\gillisgi\My Documents\My Pictures\Adobe\Digital Camera Photos\2007-07-10-1314-01\SL030292edited.JPG$

cheboncruz in reply to erckgillisApr 2, 2009. 4:07 AM

why not use the cmd command like the copy /c is it? Which you copy a zip to the picture. Still if it passes 2mb then a person could suspect that something is wrong with that picture.

cheboncruz says: Apr 2, 2009. 4:00 AM

Not secure. If you sort it then you will be able to identify the invisible folder tried it already. Why not put your folder in somewhere sneakier places. Like.... Windows folder or System32 folders or Local settings, inside application folders in program files or encrypt using truecrypt.

shiwam says: Oct 1, 2008. 9:21 PM

i will try..................

105

trebuchet03 says: May 1, 2007. 3:55 PM

Just remember never to depend on user ignorance as a form of security ;) Doing so is kinda like hiding your house key under your door mat -- the people you're not concerned with won't care to look.... but those "other" people...

erckgillis (author) in reply to trebuchet03May 7, 2007. 6:17 AM

Every form of security relies on some level of ignorance, just not how you see it usually. If I'm "smarter" than you any level of security is in jeapordy. Go ahead, encrypt you network...I can aircrack WEP. Password or delete files, we know those are recoverable. Personal Security. Sure lock your doors and car, you can make keys...if you know how. Any security on your Bank account? I can't get your account #, PIN or social security myself....but others have and it does and will happen....no matter how secure.. Sometimes the easiest is the least likey suspected never obvious and if you can't even suspect the technique no level of sophisicated tools or utilities will help you. This is just a fun hack...

5h4rp13 in reply to erckgillisJun 9, 2008. 9:51 PM

Dang it, stop it with the internet tough guy. No one cares that you can "hax into their computers"

mitxela in reply to erckgillisMay 8, 2007. 5:49 PM

Generally, depending on ignorance is viewed as poor security. The best systems have open source algorythms, so everyone can see how they work, and yet without the key / hash / seed they're only crackable to brute force (or reversing the algorythm, which most of the time will take longer than brute force).

Cameronk says: Aug 7, 2007. 5:25 PM

this is awesome lol i'm using to hide my stuff from my brother =)

erckgillis (author) in reply to CameronkAug 7, 2007. 11:50 PM

Dude, hide Gxy Pxxn stuff in HIS folders....hehe

zpersichetti in reply to erckgillisJun 8, 2008. 9:09 AM

rofl i did that with my bro it turns out he found it told my parents and they thought I was gxy....i am strate like a pencil though

HardCoreHacker says: May 25, 2008. 3:50 PM

CRAP!!!!! IT wont DELETE help please

Feletoch says: Mar 18, 2008. 9:23 PM

lol there's much easier way to hide, instead of making the icon invisible, change it into a dll icon, rename it Whatever Dll name you like.dll, click hidden, then change your folder option to show hidden folder. and finally put it in system32. if you think that is not enough. just add more Dll and invisible folder in it.

Trogador says: Dec 15, 2007. 2:59 PM

Never mind; I found that great picture where you can "customize" and make it blank! Then I just shoved it to the bottom, and voila! Thank you so much!

killer wj says: Nov 8, 2007. 10:11 PM

I made my file name ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and arranged the folders by name so nobody could find my folder.

A.C.E. says: Aug 19, 2007. 12:45 PM

so, what exactly do you need to type in the box that is for the name that says new folder?

i have a laptop.
i dont get the"

<
Windows XP - no Media or Language support - Use ASCII codes in the name field with "num lk" keypad then 'alt'+0160 in the Name field from the Properties tab "New Folder".
>
" if you could tell me what exactly this means, i dont have unicode.

erckgillis (author) in reply to A.C.E.Aug 20, 2007. 10:42 AM

OK type alt+0160 into the "Name" field. but on a laptop or desktop keyboard you MUST use the numeric keypad. On a laptop you MUST click (NumLk) then use the left alt key, old down and press the KEYPAD "+" and then the 0160 on the KEYPAD ONLY. Press KEYPAD Enter... Save, OK and test...! E

ll.13 says: Jun 15, 2007. 10:52 AM

Uh, oh, collaborators aren't invisible.

erckgillis (author) in reply to ll.13Jun 15, 2007. 12:41 PM

(removed by author or community request)

ll.13 in reply to erckgillisJun 15, 2007. 3:11 PM

I'm not too savvy with the collaboration things.

Hugo.B says: Jun 15, 2007. 9:43 AM

(removed by author or community request)

erckgillis (author) in reply to Hugo.BJun 15, 2007. 12:43 PM

Noob... You "Joined" the group...so you get to see and type something useful. Or take up space... E

dasarp says: May 9, 2007. 12:30 AM

Try this instructable on getting Windows Passwords:
http://www.instructables.com/id/SAEPSY3F1B3RBOT/

erckgillis (author) in reply to dasarpMay 9, 2007. 7:11 AM

ooops....a typo? or can't cut and paste?

perhaps an instructable on <ctrl>-c and <ctrl>-v

If I have your password I still cannot 'find' your hidden files. ANY COMPUTER you can get to the 'console' can be easily hacked, boot in single-user mode on UNIX or use D: recovery partitions on a PC/Laptop...

Protect you physical machine even better than your web, network or virtual ID's.

E

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mitxela says: Apr 30, 2007. 3:59 PM

Hmm... an interesting idea, I must say. Would probably fool most novice computer users. It makes itself pretty obvious if you change view, say to 'details' and/or disable thumbnail caching. But on the whole a pretty nice idea, you could have an invisible icon on the corner of your desktop.