I am using Windows 98 in My College for accessing the Net.

I am not able to change the Folder properties. The Folder Properties Option is not visible in the Tools Menu in explorer and not in Control Panel.

Please kindly provide me solution to access the Folder Properties.

If this is due to a Virus please tell what Virus is it and How to Remove it. I am not allowed to install Antivirus in this System. So please whre I can get the corresponding Virus Removal Tool.

The majority of college and school systems use adapted operating systems and user profiles which prevent you from accessing certain features, or installing programs. It can also provide extra features such as logon screens, internal message systems etc. Unfortunately one of the things generally banned is changing file and folder properties, as this would allow you to hide files, and to view hidden files. Try asking the IT department if they know of any settings or bans on the properties option and ask if it can be changed. Somehow I doubt a virus would have removed just that feature, so unless you have noticed any other symptoms then it is unlikely to be a virus.

rvalkass, actually my lab admin has not made any restrictions. Even he dosent know whats the reason for this problem. As I am friendly with my lab Admin, He usually dosent set any restrictions for me. So I wanted to help him to correct this problem. So please help me to solve this problem.

Click START > RUN > then type: control folders > then: OK

does this work? works in winXP, might work for win98 (just upgraded so won't be able to check this out myself). it brings up the FOLDER OPTIONS, though how to restore the link in the TOOLS menu in windows explorer is another matter altogether. keep us posted.

I tried this in Win 98 but noting happened . I am in dread of removing the hidden files. Many students have hidden their files and now we want to remove the unwanted files and clean the harddisk. So please help me.

I did some googling and found a way to hide the folder options through registry settings. You in turn it the other way round to show the folder options as well.


Source:
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/619/

Please be reminded that modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Use this at your own risk.

This post has been edited by Inspiron: Feb 22 2006, 05:08 PM

I've tried all the above solutions but none has solved the problem. I wonder that this maybe due to some virus because even Internet Options is missing from IE and the home page is set to about:error.

Please someone help me out of this problem.

If editing your registry also doesn't help, most probably your computer has already gone bonkers provided you didn't edit the wrong part in your registry. If that's the case, do a full system virus scan to your computer. Include anti-spyware scan as well. If all that does help, there's nothing else you can really do.

Last resort is to reformat your computer.

Since that computer is a school computer with limited functions, there could be some possibility that the folder settings doesn't appear.
1) The Administrator has disabled it
2) Virus
3) Spyware
4) Other unknown factors

If the administrators has disabled it, there's nothing you can do as well. Just follow the rules set by the administrators. If you think its a virus, you can try doing an online scan to that particular.

The following are some online scanning websites that you can use..
http://www.trendmicro.com/hc_intro/default.asp
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

Do the same for a spyware scan with the following..
http://www.spywareguide.com/onlinescan.php
http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/
http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php

If there are other unknown factors that you still cannot resolve, tell the Administrators. They know their systems best..

Yea.. So you shuld ask the Admin in your school, he can probably fix any problems that you may chance upon.