Flowing Fix: Show Hidden Files on your Computer

Some times you really need to access special data files which operating systems typical hide.  Here is how you go about unhiding those files.  Warning: this files are hidden for a reason, so please take care with manipulating the files.

Mac OSX
Option 1: via Terminal command line
To enable hidden files/folders in finder windows:
1) Open Finder
2) Open the Utilities folder
3) Open a terminal window
4) Copy and paste the following line in:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
5) Press return
6) Now hold ‘alt-option’ on the keyboard and right click on the Finder icon
7) Click on Relaunch
After Finder relaunches you should be able to see the any hidden files or
folders (which will appear as lighter icons compared to normal file icons).
8) After completing the you task with the hidden files, it is best to re-hide the files.  Follow the same steps (1-7) above but this time replace step 4 terminal command with the following:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles NO

Option 2: via free software
If you do not like the terminal method, you can use this free software: hideswitch, from http://www.creativecag.com/software



MS Windows 7
1) Control Panel
2) In search window type, Folder Options and select it
3) Click the View tab
4) Under advanced settings, click the Option button to "Show hidden files, folders, or drives"
5) [optional], it is recommended to UNCHECK the option to "Hide extensions for known file types"