Hidden Operating System Files are designed to be not seen directly by the users in order to protect the system from malicious programs and spywares or other viruses, but you can use a registry tweak for Windows that will force these hidden operating system files to be seen. Note that before you attempt this, you should firstly create a registry backup of your current registry settings.
Hidden Files and Folders are not the same as Hidden Operating System Files. Hidden Files and Folders uses the Value Name of “Hidden” where Hidden Operating System Files uses the Value Name of “ShowSuperHidden” in the registry. Be sure not to confuse the two.
Here are the instructions for how to show the hidden operating system files.
1. Click Start and go to Run. Enter regedit. Your registry editor will appear.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER. You can find this on the left side of your registry editor. Expand this folder by clicking on the cross to the left of the folder.
3. Look for Software. Expand this folder when you find it.
4. This will take you to Microsoft. Expand Microsoft.
5. Now look for the Windows folder. Expand the Windows folder.
6. You should be able to see CurrentVersion. Expand CurrentVersion.
7. Now go to Explorer. Expand this too.
8. You should now look for the Advanced folder.
9. Look at the right side of your registry editor. If you can find ShowSuperHidden, jump ahead to step ten. If you can’t find the ShowSuperHidden value, create it using the steps below.
o Right click on the right hand pane of the registry editor.
o Select New and then select DWORD.
o Rename the new DWORD value ShowSuperHidden. You can also right click on the new DWORD value and select Rename.
10. Double click on ShowSuperHidden. A new box will pop up.
11. You may choose to enter 0 if you want ShowSuperHidden disabled. If you want to enable ShowSuperHidden, you can enter 1 in the value data instead.
12. Exit the registry and reboot.
