TestGetFileAttributesW.py

# Code to test the reliability of windll.kernel32.GetFileAttributesW()
# by running it on every file (that has read access) on the file system.

import os, os.path, sys
from ctypes import windll

HIDDEN_FILE_ATTRIBUTE = 2
GET_ATTRIBUTES_FAILED = -1

def CheckDirectory(directory):

    try:
        dir_list = os.listdir(directory)

    # User has no read access in directory.
    except PermissionError:
        dir_list = []

    for filename in dir_list:

        path = os.path.join(directory, filename)

        file_attributes = windll.kernel32.GetFileAttributesW(path)

        if file_attributes == GET_ATTRIBUTES_FAILED:
            print("GetFileAttributesW() failed: {}".format(path))
            user_continue = input("Continue?")

        else:
            is_hidden = bool(file_attributes & HIDDEN_FILE_ATTRIBUTE)

            print("{} - {}".format(path, is_hidden))

            if os.path.isdir(path):
                CheckDirectory(path)

CheckDirectory("C:\\")