Many readers have written me lately about hidden files: how to access them, how to delete them, what they do, etc.

However, hidden files are files that do not, by default, show up. You can set your computer to show your hidden files by clicking the Tools menu in Explorer, then Folder Options. When the Folder Options screen shows up, click the View tab and find the Hidden Files item. You'll see an option for showing all files there.

Once you do that, you should be able to see all your hidden files. Keep in mind that these files are hidden for a reason. Most of them can not be opened by the user and contain important information for your computer. Should you accidentally delete them, you may run into a world of digital hurt (stuff like programs not running, Windows not working, etc).

So, be careful with hidden files. Don't mess with them unless you know exactly what the file is for.