File Attributes

Remember the acronym RASH: read-only, archive, system, hidden. These are the four file attributes that you can change with the CLI command attrib or by right-clicking Properties in a Windows GUI. Read-only is just that: The file can be read but not modified, and read-only is useful for ad hoc templates and documents that you don’t want to accidentally change. Archive is flagged to be backed up. System is a file that needs administrator privilege to modify (although depending on the OS, this is negotiable), and hidden is hidden from normal view. Going to Folder Options > View will provide options to be viewed, including Show Hidden Files. Hiding files isn’t a security feature. It is so that end users don’t explore or modify sensitive files. It is the same reason car manufacturers make it difficult to look inside of a car’s transmission. Doing so might be really neat, but they don’t want end users messing with it.