In Windows XP:

Tools>Folder Options>View (tab)

Files and Folders,
--Hidden files and folders,
---'Show hidden files and folders' marked

Mines always been 'show'.

Now I can't say whether I was being stupid or something changed (my money's on the former) but now the process is the one with the 'v'. I swear it didn't have a v before, but I got a cell phone yesterday and I think it sucked out some smart thingies... IQ whatsits. It's got texting, and now I can also drive and talk on the phone like everybody else. Sorry. I just did a complete, and I mean COMPLETE virus scan, and I got bupkis. Which is good, but it means I'm stoopider than I thought.