220-1102 Question 377
Single answerFile and folder attributesA Windows 10 user says a shared spreadsheet in C:\Finance is 'gone.' You browse to the folder and confirm the file is not visible in File Explorer. However, when you open Command Prompt and run dir /a in C:\Finance, the file appears in the listing. The user still needs access to the file, but management wants to keep it from appearing during normal browsing for most users. Which action should you take FIRST to let the user work with the file without changing management's requirement?
- A
Enable Hidden items in File Explorer so the file becomes visible, then open it
- B
Clear the Hidden attribute from the file so it appears normally in the folder
- C
Change the file's NTFS permissions to Read so the file is visible but protected
- D
Set the file as Read-only so it can be opened but not modified
- E
Compress the file so File Explorer displays it differently
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
In Windows, the Hidden attribute prevents a file from appearing in File Explorer during normal browsing unless the system is configured to show hidden items. Because the file is visible with dir /a, the technician has evidence that the file still exists and is likely hidden rather than deleted. The best first step is to temporarily enable Hidden items in File Explorer so the authorized user can access the file while preserving the existing Hidden attribute. This aligns with Microsoft guidance on File Explorer view settings and file attributes: visibility settings determine whether hidden files are shown, while attributes such as Hidden and Read-only affect file behavior, and NTFS permissions separately control security and access. The key troubleshooting skill is distinguishing between attributes that affect visibility and permissions that affect access.
- A. Correct.
Correct. The dir /a output indicates the file likely has the Hidden attribute set. Enabling Hidden items in File Explorer allows the technician or authorized user to view and open the file without removing the Hidden attribute. This preserves management's requirement that the file not appear during normal browsing when Hidden items are not shown.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Removing the Hidden attribute would make the file visible during normal browsing, which conflicts with management's requirement. A technician might choose this because it restores normal visibility, but it changes the intended file attribute rather than working within it.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. NTFS permissions control access, not whether a file is displayed in normal File Explorer views. A file can have appropriate permissions and still remain hidden due to its Hidden attribute. This option confuses file visibility attributes with security permissions.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Read-only affects whether applications can modify the file easily; it does not make a hidden file visible in File Explorer. This is a common misconception because both are file attributes, but they serve different purposes.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Compression changes storage behavior and may alter the file's display color depending on system settings, but it does not address hidden-file visibility. This option is unrelated to the user's immediate access issue.