I've just found that on all three of my Win10 machines that the Program Files (x86) folder was hidden. Admin Command Prompt - attrib -h -s "%ProgramFiles(x86)%" fixes it but can anyone tell me how and or why it would become hidden on three computers? Weird!
See here back in 2011: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...older-go/392691ed-42ae-4da6-b295-bb921adda323 and here: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/233528/program-files-x86-folder-not-visible-anymore/
I have already unhidden it. I doubt three machines have any infections, or the same infection on three machines. Thanks.
I never said infection but to me lets wait till others have to say or ask over at the Microsoft Community.
I don't how that would have happened. I've never seen that happen in years of working with countless Windows computers, so it is a complete mystery to me.
Yes it sure is a mystery. On two machines the date modified is the 11th of January, which is the last day I received Windows Updates, so...
Here we go again. What seems to becoming an annual tradition on my machines I found Program Files (x86) folder was hidden on two machines again.
The only program directory hidden on Win 10 that I known of is the ProgramData directory. I would suspect one of the third party security solutions you are employing as a possible culprit. VoodooShield for example runs icacls.exe as part of its installation process and God knows what it resets permission wise. If you are using either NVT's SysHardener or OSArmor, I would start there as a possible source.
To achieve the hiding of the Program Files (x86) directory, this would absolutely require Administrative privileges in the first place. So I can only assume that some sort of security software that you had tested at some point in time may have done this. However since this has happened on several of your machines, this is an absolute mystery. Very strange, indeed. I personally have not seen, heard, or experienced this myself over the years so I cannot even begin to imagine how this occurred. But like the rest of us, I am curious. So let us all know if/when you figure out the source of this action.
I think I can rule them out as they weren't installed last year when I first seen this. I have those installed and configured the same on my third machine and it doesn't have this problem. I could be wrong but I wonder if the Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool or MB-Clean (Malwarebytes uninstaller) could be involved?
I'm going to guess that this occurred after a Major feature update if you are using Windows 10. The same thing happen to this person here. https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/62302-program-files-x86-hidden.html
No, not really. CCleaner daily (no registry cleaning), PrivaZer every now and then (no registry cleaning), but no repair utilities like tweaking.com windows repair. I think that's where I got the hint to run Admin Command Prompt last time. Last time was after a normal Win10 update and I installed KB4089848 the other day. Hmm...
I have seen multiple references to IObit's Advanced SystemCare hiding the Program Files (x86) directory: http://forums.iobit.com/forum/advan...he-program-files-x86-folder-in-windows-10-x64
"program files" (both) is not hidden, its marked as system folder and thus not shown with default explorer settings - since windows 8 (maybe also in windows 7, not tested). and ofc it needs admin rights to gain access, eg for installations (UAC) - or installations go users folder (%localappdata%) (since windows 7) no secrets...
Never encountered this on Windows 7,8 or 10. ProgrammData folder is hidden, but Windows and Program files folders are visible by default (even if they are marked as system).
I'm pretty sure what the cause of this is now. I uninstalled Norton and ran their Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool = Program Files (x86) folder becoming hidden again. Admin Command Prompt to resolve. Code: attrib -h -s "%ProgramFiles(x86)%"