Application data folder missing

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan horse in
one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't find any application
data folders in any user accounts on his machine. Anybody know what gives?
We've run AVG several times and it says that the trojan horse is gone, but a
warning continues to appear.

RipperT

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

Application Data are Hidden folders.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Application Data
C:\Documents and Settings\YourNameHere\Application Data

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302347

To display hidden files and folders
http://tinyurl.com/4lxxn

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In news:6F1EF2AB-52A4-4BE6-B079-DD2CC78102B2@microsoft.com,
RipperT <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan
> horse in one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't
> find any application data folders in any user accounts on his
> machine. Anybody know what gives? We've run AVG several times and it
> says that the trojan horse is gone, but a warning continues to appear.
>
> RipperT

 

[george]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

You might want to change your Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View, Files
and Folders, Hidden Files and Folders option to read:
Show hidden files and folders.
Application Data is a hidden folder.
)

george

"RipperT" <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6F1EF2AB-52A4-4BE6-B079-DD2CC78102B2@microsoft.com...
>A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan horse in
> one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't find any
> application
> data folders in any user accounts on his machine. Anybody know what gives?
> We've run AVG several times and it says that the trojan horse is gone, but
> a
> warning continues to appear.
>
> RipperT

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

Yes, but in XP, they are dimmed if they are hidden. I can see them on my
machine even tho they are hidden. On his machine they are not there at all.

Rip

"george" wrote:

> You might want to change your Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View, Files
> and Folders, Hidden Files and Folders option to read:
> Show hidden files and folders.
> Application Data is a hidden folder.
> )
>
> george
>
> "RipperT" <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6F1EF2AB-52A4-4BE6-B079-DD2CC78102B2@microsoft.com...
> >A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan horse in
> > one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't find any
> > application
> > data folders in any user accounts on his machine. Anybody know what gives?
> > We've run AVG several times and it says that the trojan horse is gone, but
> > a
> > warning continues to appear.
> >
> > RipperT
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

You have to be set to view Hidden files and folders.

To display Hidden files and folders

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
? Display the contents of system folders
? Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
? Hide protected operating system files
Apply | OK

[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In news:5492C182-C1BD-49F4-8D60-39C737021D5E@microsoft.com,
RipperT <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> Yes, but in XP, they are dimmed if they are hidden. I can see them on
> my machine even tho they are hidden. On his machine they are not
> there at all.
>
> Rip
>
> "george" wrote:
>
>> You might want to change your Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View,
>> Files and Folders, Hidden Files and Folders option to read:
>> Show hidden files and folders.
>> Application Data is a hidden folder.
>> )
>>
>> george
>>
>> "RipperT" <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:6F1EF2AB-52A4-4BE6-B079-DD2CC78102B2@microsoft.com...
>>> A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan
>>> horse in one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't
>>> find any application
>>> data folders in any user accounts on his machine. Anybody know what
>>> gives? We've run AVG several times and it says that the trojan
>>> horse is gone, but a
>>> warning continues to appear.
>>>
>>> RipperT

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage (More info?)

Will try, Thanx,

Rip

"Wesley Vogel" wrote:

> You have to be set to view Hidden files and folders.
>
> To display Hidden files and folders
>
> Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
> Check:
> Â? Display the contents of system folders
> Â? Show hidden files and folders
> UNCheck:
> Â? Hide protected operating system files
> Apply | OK
>
> [[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
> typical items.]]
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
> Wes
>
> In news:5492C182-C1BD-49F4-8D60-39C737021D5E@microsoft.com,
> RipperT <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> > Yes, but in XP, they are dimmed if they are hidden. I can see them on
> > my machine even tho they are hidden. On his machine they are not
> > there at all.
> >
> > Rip
> >
> > "george" wrote:
> >
> >> You might want to change your Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View,
> >> Files and Folders, Hidden Files and Folders option to read:
> >> Show hidden files and folders.
> >> Application Data is a hidden folder.
> >> )
> >>
> >> george
> >>
> >> "RipperT" <RipperT@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:6F1EF2AB-52A4-4BE6-B079-DD2CC78102B2@microsoft.com...
> >>> A friend has AVG antivirus that keeps telling him theres a trojan
> >>> horse in one of the users application data folders (XP). We can't
> >>> find any application
> >>> data folders in any user accounts on his machine. Anybody know what
> >>> gives? We've run AVG several times and it says that the trojan
> >>> horse is gone, but a
> >>> warning continues to appear.
> >>>
> >>> RipperT
>
>

 

[Beagle17]

This problem is real, and the obvious solution (folder settings) actually doesn't fix it. For some reason, and maybe just on some machines running XP, each of the Application Data folders remains hidden despite the usual folder settings.

However, the folders can easily be viewed in a command line box, but that doesn't help much, does it?

There is an easy solution. I found a Microsoft help page explaining how to configure the Windows Search function to search all hidden files and folders.

To search for hidden or system files in Windows XP:

1. Click Start, click Search, click All files and folders, and then click More advanced options.
2. Click to select the Search system folders and Search hidden files and folders check boxes.

Then just search for Application Data and they appear graphically as ghosted out folder icons in your search results. Right click the ones you wish and choose Properties, then uncheck the Hidden setting for the folder (and probably choose to apply this change to all subfolders too).

It does the trick. I'd still like to know why the folder is "extra hidden" this way. Maybe it is an SP2 or a Security Update fix to prevent some sort of attack that leter got fixed in a better way. It doesn't seem to be an especially common problem judging from my Google searches on the matter.