Secret File Extensions in Windows

[@ThioJoe]

I also wrote a PowerShell script that lists the super hidden file extensions, though you probably won't see anything new unless a third party program added any: gist.github.com/ThioJoe/461f713370e9e3f5a1d2206cf1a290f3

[@diymaster101]

❤❤❤

[@edwardburton3443]

PIF = Program Information File

[@CyberKnight1]

Yeah, they were like the precursor to .lnk files. Somewhere in the back of my brain is a memory of using them to run certain DOS games, as they'd store little bits of configuration information for how to run them.

[@toraxmalu]

@@CyberKnight1 Jepp - and there was a PIF-Editor in Win3.1, 3.11 and Win9x…

[@SethMunroe]

If I remember right, the main reason you'd need this is to set the resolution & graphics mode for your game

[@toraxmalu]

@@SethMunroe and other things…

[@entertainmentfunandmuchmor9978]

@@CyberKnight1you can still run dos games and pif files using dosbox

[@MonochromeWench]

The Channels scf file will be for the Channels feature in Internet Explorer 4.0.This feature was removed in ie5, so why is this file in an XP installation. The file will probably work properly in Windows 98. PIF files should be editable in 32 bit Windows by getting properties on them. They let you choose the startup options for the dos program you are trying to run. They were first introduced in Windows 3.0 but they were kept in later versions of Windows that could launch dos programs. PIF files in Windows 95 could even instruct windows to restart the computer to MSDOS to run the program instead of running it in Windows. PIF files in NT have basic hardware configuration options for NTVDM. 64 bit windows doesn't have NTVDM so pif file support is mostly removed from the OS. The create shortcut command would create a pif file not a lnk if you tried to create a shortcut to a msdos program. I believe that if a pif file has the same name as a dos program, Windows will automatically use the PIF when launching the DOS program allowing you to configure the behaviour of individual dos programs without needing to manually launch the pif file. Windows also used to have a default pif file to use when a program had no pif file allowing you to set the default dos session parameters for all dos programs.

[@MN-Hillbilly]

PIF was the one I was familiar with.

[@jackkraken3888]

Yeah the channels thing was if I remember correctly was the way Microsoft wanted people to used websites like channels on a TV didn't really work out . Probably for the best.

[@I.____.....__...__]

That's something else. The .scf files relevant to this video are System Command Files (called "Explorer Command Files" in the Type column in File Explorer). The button on the taskbar that you can click to show the desktop is an .scf file and contains this by default in Windows XP: [Shell] Command=2 IconFile=explorer.exe,3 [Taskbar] Command=ToggleDesktop

[@TonyP9279]

A PIF stands for "Program Information File" and it was used to run DOS programs under Windows 3.0/3.1/3.11. The PIF is used to configure options such as full-screen mode or window mode, the size of the window in window mode, an icon to associate with it and some rudimentary memory and color graphics settings. When Windows 95 came along, it introduced the "Shortcut to.." feature which had much of the same functionality embedded in them.

[@SKCro.]

16:12: Those are most likely fonts - *Terminal* and *Lucida Console* are both fonts used in the command prompt in some cases, with Terminal being a raster font and Lucida Console being a newer TrueType font.

[@whaletech07]

It's always good to have a new ThioJoe video out while files are transferring on my PC.

[@realg701]

downloading FBI confidential files*

[@xanderplayz3446]

@@realg701*downloading CIA confidential files

[@adfjasjhf]

8:38, Funny enough, that format is being used in a company I work for. The app deploys something like a pop up notification system that notifies users if any system is currently down. The app is being deployed onto every Windows client that we use.

[@ToniMorton]

i would speak to your security team. and request they set a application execution policy in gpedit for whitelisting that specific app and thats it.

[@ToniMorton]

this is a vector for malware as well. there was a talk about it talk title: ClickOnce and You're in - When Appref-ms Abuse is Operating as Intended

[@6sicSIX]

Yeah this is still in use, even by Microsoft I believe. I think I've seen it when running Microsoft SaRA.

[@steve_1507]

These Appref-ms kind of files are created by AVM internet routers, which are very common in germany. They allow you to have a USB device plugged into the router and then have them passed through to computers ("remote plug-in"). The software for that is distributed as an .application file

[@chuckthetekkie]

The URL one I've know about that for years as MacOS doesn't hide it, same as the LNK one. The extensions you mentioned at the end takes me way back to my childhood.

[@MZZenyl]

"Lucida Console" is a font, which is still installed by default on modern versions of Windows. I believe it is the default for the Windows Console, and maybe also Windows Terminal (unless it defaults to Cascadia Code nowadays).

[@ClaudioRCFaria]

It's what I used when I needed a monospaced font. Now I prefer Consolas, which looks quite similar but with a few characters better designed.

[@superluig164]

Fira Code is my favourite mono font.

[@MicraHakkinen]

Wow PIF files are a blast from the past! I remember those from back in the Windows 3.11 days :)

[@leivvvvvvvvv]

Can you make a video about using the SendTo folder to make useful tools/scripts that you would want to use often? I remember one of your old videos having something about it, but i cant remember the video it was mentioned in.

[@kelvinclements]

I worked for a company that made audit software and we used the click-once stuff, we would supplied the software to the company and they would put it on there server, then when there users start up the software it would download the new version to them. Useful when you when you have 50 plus users and you want them all using the current version.

[@詢]

rare occasion of me being here 2 minutes ago after upload

[@DCTV-YT]

3 minutes for me

[@jackkraken3888]

.pif stands for program information file. It allows you to run a DOS based program or game with specific settings like font size it's super useful especially for old dogs programs.

[@MarcioHuser]

If I recall well, PIF was the predecessor of LNK, for creating shortcuts for DOS programas inside Windows 3.x

[@georgeh6856]

.pif files were used more often in pre-Windows 95 days. I think they allowed the user to set up parameters they normally used for different DOS programs. Channels came out in IE 4 in 1997. They would allow a user to sync some websites locally for offline viewing. Channels were supposedly also used to provide a more user-friendly way for people to find popular websites since the web was new to most people. Channels were discontinued by IE7. There was also a Channels Bar which would show big graphical buttons for these website channels.

[@ElElxexu98]

It feels like you know more than Microsoft’s engineers! 😮

[@BrokeInfinity3309]

Didn't Microsoft's engineer make this stuff though?

[@usernqme124]

THE GOAT HAS UPLOADED

[@DavidGreen_au]

.pif is a something that I had forgotten about, although hardly surprising given how long ago that version of Windows was my "go to" OS. Program Information File, as I recall. In the properties for the file, I recall you could specify the windows runtime parameters for the application, which may have included window size, memory allocation, and other stuff. I do remember having to tweak them to get things running…

[@GDebnar_1]

Now these are the kind of Windows-related videos I want to watch. Super interesting, I actually now most if it.

[@mjouwbuis]

PIF = Program Information File, used to store some properties on 16 bits DOS mode executables I think.

[@GreigShelob]

Directory Opus is great. Been using it since 4 on the A1200. It's one of the first things I install after Windows.

[@simonlathwell]

I remember .pif files in Windows 3.x as it also had a PIF editor built into Windows. I didn't even know that windows even still used .pif files anymore and that it was abandoned after Windows 95 was released.

[@isfrank]

The show desktop link was there because keyboards didnt have a windows button, so win+d wasnt a thing ;)

[@eriklundstedt9469]

Windows:file extensions are super important, so we hide all of them by default, and even when you tell us to show them we hide some of them until you manually edit the registry *nix/BSD: File extensions are a nice hint to the user to let them know that to expect, we use things like XDG MIME to figure out what to do with the file itself, and sometimes we look at the first line in the file to learn more (like: how to run it) Also: Everything is a file, even hardware devices like the LEDs on your keyboard

[@AllOSes1234]

Very informative, interesting, and entertaining video.

[@XDubio]

I think View Channels was part of Win98 Active Desktop feature, and I think it have opened the channels tool window? PIF files were the precursor of LNK files, and was used in Windows 3, and might have been used even in Windows 1. Some might have already pointed out this, I didn't read through the comments section.

[@Galaxy.Windows]

library-ms is the extension for Libraries seen in Windows 8.

[@Heathmcdonald]

Clickonce is used for the built in office program I'm pretty sure

[@Noah_1901main]

in some windows insider builds you can see these file types it is changeable in the settings of the file explorer

[@TKontent]

Man, I’m such a nerd that I’m getting hyped over secret file extensions.

[@bugorgans]

REALL ALSO W POKEMON PFP

[@bard_x86]

I wish there was a channel which provided Linux content similar to this.

[@prman9984]

pif means Program Information Format and runs MS-DOS programs from Windows. I used to create them all the time in Windows 3.

[@rager1969]

It sounds like you never used/created .PIF files. It was a way to run DOS programs in Windows 3.x, maybe into Windows 9x (I forget). Applications tended to release Windows versions, since they greatly benefitted from the GUI and driver support that Windows API afforded, but hard-core games tended to stay DOS-based for a bit longer to get better performance. I think DirectX helped to get games to be Windows native, as well as well as Win 9x being 32 bit.

[@jaygee1103]

I don't know, should I believe you ThioJoe? After all you were telling us to insert a usb drive into our tvs to get 4k years ago

[@teamredstudio7012]

I remember posting a PowerShell script that scanned for all hidden file extensions in the comments of this video a while ago.

[@CelicaAutocrosser]

PIF files were for windows 3.x. As someone mentioned Program Information File. You just put in there what the program needs to work specifically.

[@darrennew8211]

You don't need Outlook installed. You need something installed that supports the MAPI protocol. Thunderbird works, too, for example. But you need something other than mail-accessed-thru-web-browser, which is why nobody knows about it any more. I'd be surprised if any of these things *didn't* work on the newest OSes.

[@ItsCOMMANDer_]

I once "reverse engeneerd" (i hate spelling) how windows confugurrs file extensions using the regestry, i'll aparently still have some work to do, but my guess is that for example, the ".deskLink" is just a normal file extension with that forced hidden extension and uses a program that makes a shortcut from "%1" (first program / commandline parameter) to %userprofile%\Desktop"

[@Sollace]

16:15 Terminal and Lucida Console are font names! :)

[@shaurryabaheti]

would love to know how to make and send bat files to the send to directory... so that i can perform custom quick actions on a file

[@SmilerRyanYT]

Basically in the shell:sendto folder you just make a shortcut to a bat file, and move the shortcut into there. as long as the bat file does something with any arguments passed to (or dropped onto) it the batch file will run and do whatever action you like with the file.

[@DalTron001]

At my work we use the click once application for out main program.

[@mvstermlnd]

Hi Joe, did you know that you can set a svg as profile pictur also a mp4 file? yeah shits nuts :D

[@HD-fx8pc]

8:36 I think that Offscrub, an Office Microsoft tool still use this. It does come with an exe but once you executed the app the download/installation box popup like in the video.

[@DarrenDenev]

Also your channel is great

[@elbiggus]

PIFs (Program Information File) are from the early days of PC multitasking - in addition to a shortcut they contain a bunch of information about how a DOS program should be treated (can it run in a window, what should be shown in the title bar, etc.), so they're obviously only any use on systems that can actually run DOS executables. Weird that they're treated as super hidden extensions in Win 11 given that they're entirely useless! (Also, TIL Directory Opus is still a thing - I'm assuming it's a descendant of the Amiga original?)

[@Vla3d]

One day I was organising My Music folders by adding Folder.jpg files to them so that they then appear as thumbnails to correspond to what music album it is when in thumbnail view. In one of the folders Windows told me that Folder.jpg already exists and I have no other choice other than to f*ck off or call it Folder2.jpg which wouldn't be recognised as a thumbnail - and I was like okay - ticked the box for Show hidden files - still the file wasn't there and I thought "Motherf*cker, how do I get to you, and when I find you I'll kill you..." then it hit me - I typed that file path, the whole thing into the Windows Explorer address bar, hit Enter and Windows Picture and Fax Viewer jumped on the screen with the little bastard sitting right there.....Hit on the red X to delete...Done. Pasted the thumbnail file I wanted and job done...But...WTF was it - why would Windows f*cking do this to me....

[@chromebox]

Hi can you link the script from the "Technical Explanation" 00:53

[@CrystalFier]

@@chromebox you can just pause the video and screenshot it.

[@chromebox]

@@CrystalFier The screenshot says he will put the script in the description

[@nutherefurlong]

Is this a step closer to reverting the "always use this when opening this extension" thing? Or has someone figured this out already and I missed it :)

[@EMiller500]

These extensions (well, at least ".url" and ".lnk") do appear in OneDrive online folders.

[@repofitech]

When you make an application on Visual Studio IDE (Not VS Code), and you "publish" the application, inside a folder, there is a ClickOnce

[@madbanana22]

using an AI to determine if something is a scam is a terrible idea

[@Z3rgatul]

9:12 this is just normal .NET dll/exe assembly reference ClickOnce was (is?) part of Visual Studio. There was an option "Deploy with ClickOnce". My guess it was better suited for some internal installations via LAN, not for public.

[@idzan-private]

Seems like it was, on my full comment I mentioned that this was bread and butter of my old work for one major application and if some random update crash it or even app randomly freezes we had to get to super old version which had less functions plus thankfully it happened in my shift once we all as our and few more departments had to switch to VOIP phone application which was annoying as we couldn't see if call was transferred or it was directly for our department by customer who needed our support. Pain ended with moving to another company where we have our own company provided phones which we use for internal calls and when it is needed calls to customers/clients.

[@saddoo_9559]

In case you didn't know, if you rename a .exe in a .pif file it will still work in x16, x32 and x64

[@Cheezit3916]

i love these type of videos

[@itsjustbusiness1989]

> "I'll link a script in the description" > doesn't link the script in the description

[@ThioJoe]

What did I not link in the description 🤔

[@itsjustbusiness1989]

@@ThioJoe a script that would reveal all hidden shortcut names (lnk, etc.)

[@ThioJoe]

There isn't a script, I was just saying I was using a third party program that has that feature. Also I didn't say I would link any script in the description so not sure what you're quoting from.

[@itsjustbusiness1989]

@@ThioJoe0:55 ?

[@ThioJoe]

@@itsjustbusiness1989 Oh crap you're right, I forgot about that. I've added it to the description now. Though keep in mind the script just lists out the extensions that are set to be hidden, it doesn't actually change any setting or make them visible, you'd still have to manually do that yourself.

[@DygDyg1000]

8:34 I would like to try to do this installation method for my program, I need to look in more detail at how everything works.

[@madcow3417]

Thanks for the proper subtitles! And the computer info as well, of course.

[@DavidJacksonphunman1]

Thx Joe!

[@WarkWarbly]

7:01 So does this mean you could edit the xml in windows 10/11 to have the settings app include all the actually useful stuff like control panel did?

[@Wildcard65]

@@WarkWarbly By the looks of it, no, it likely is just used by the settings application to reference implemented settings, may look deeper later.

[@3d1e00]

So can you use these drop targets with move commands in terminal?

[@vinching926]

I think the scf files were Quick Launch items in the taskbar back in XP and before

[@HamaadhInsaf]

How did you get Windows XP running? I tried to run it but could not do it.

[@EinChris75]

Lucida Console is the font to be used for the DOS window.

[@LEO_OfficerRaphaツ]

0:53 I cannot find the script in the description

[@mda5003]

How do you recreate a hidden Microsoft file? Yes, I can manually create it as *.lnk file but I'm curious about the bracketed files. Yes, I inadvertently deleted the My Videos file in my personal Documents folder (My Music and My Pictures are still there).

[@ideabad320]

Those are symlinks, not LNK files. You have to use the mklink command to recreate them.

[@mda5003]

@@ideabad320 Thanks, I've not heard of symlinks so I'll research that and give the mklink command a go.

[@DryPaperHammerBro]

Actually, the .website shortcuts affect what the colour of the back/forward buttons will be in the link

[@andljoy]

.website files can still be set to open in IE, not IE compatibility but the IE app itself. at least in 22H2 win10.

[@LordMoony25]

I felt very dumb when he said that shortcut extensions are not called .ink but .LNK

[@AsdQwertySlashio]

wait they were called that??😭

[@parknich081]

Same!!!

[@varshatripathi7998]

It's very interesting! 💭

[@OrdinarySonicfanMmKay]

Great, now i might switch to double commander

[@CFboy]

What about symlinks?

[@SmilerRyanYT]

Those don't have an extension, there is a few videos on that on his channel if you're interested.

[@videomediamtl997]

IIRC symlinks are an NTFS filesystem feature. In DOS you could also assign a drive letter to a path

[@FriedMonkey362]

Is this a reupload? I have seen this video before

[@ThioJoe]

no you haven't 🤔

[@adre2194]

​@@ThioJoe"What do you mean you've seen it, it's brand new."

[@throwaway6478]

You probably have. This is well-documented stuff, and has been for decades.

[@Villager_Nerd]

for some reason I have the real Internet Explorer on my computer but I can only open it using the Open With button on files edit: or using search on the taskbar it keeps opening Edge when I try going to certain websites and puts a banner on top that is kind of cropped

[@Yellowsam4145]

SUBTITLES! :D

[@lonergothonline]

dude you are like a windows archeologist. you aren't quite certain what these things you keep finding are and give your best guess, but to you personally its like they are all of religious significance because it doesn't really affect anything anymore. and yeah, windows 11 has soo many things still apart of it that need these explanatory videos in my honest opinion that it may be worthwhile to just do a deep dive and do a history documentary.

[@invisigoth777]

I have one question.. why ThioJoe doesn't age? he reminds me of actor Bradley James, in Merlin

[@srgwcov]

i dont even use windows but these vids are interesting

[@MissingProYT69]

I know libraries ms. I actually HAVE SEEN AND MODIFIED THEM BEFORE.

[@brawlrob0]

Can't see the script for finding NeverShowExt in the description :(

[@ThioJoe]

I've added it now

[@brawlrob0]

@@ThioJoe thanks!

[@someone-named-anins1der]

me watching this video without any windows machine: *i feel infooormed!*

[@b4ttlemast0r]

What is the difference between send to and open with?

[@SirusStarTV]

The difference is in usage. You use "send to" to make quick actions on a file while "open with" is just opening a new document with some program. For example making desktop shortcuts shouldn't be located in "open with" submenu, because it's one time action.

[@lovekeshmishra4761]

I can't contribute in money so I watch his sponsor in video

[@Effigy_the_furb]

I’m only commenting because I randomly clicked on this video notification for absolutely no reason 💀

[@GoggleMan1]

Same 😭😔

[@y8x7z6]

hm

[@gru_is_in_brazil]

helllloooo 59 minutes after released

[@kjyu4539]

thank u good info

[@z9cubing574]

Someone has to make a script with these.

[@tails1154]

10:25 I hit save search. It broke my monitor

[@player1_fanatic]

I remember PIF files, They are metadata for Windows on how to handle DOS files. Obviously useful for 3.x and 95 era windows that had full DOS compatibility. DOS natively does not use them at all.

[@radusansebes3517]

Or use Total Commander and mark show hidden :)

[@AstralSkiesss]

where is thingjing

[@akashmihir84]

I bought Quake just last month 😅😅😅

[@_SJ]

👋🏻 Late viewer here again.

[@Bebo991_G]

"wait it's all shrotcuts" 🔫 "Always has been"

[@Twinsen764]

Another useless video where seeing extensions does nothing for you... 99.999% of people with PC will ever use this crap.

[@ahmad01371]

Wow I'm 2nd viewer😄

[@ahmad01371]

Wow thanks Man.❤️

[@c0t0d0s7]

I want a file extension that automatically plays the latest KZbin video from the Chemical Safety Board.

[@GoggleMan1]

Bruh

[@scottdimond7919]

in addition to nevershowext there is also alwaysshowext