Why can't I access Folder Options (in Windows XP)?

This is on my laptop (I’m travelling right now). It’s got Win XP home edition (english) with SP2 iirc.

Anyway, I have this external USB drive which I know has some hidden files. But when I try to unhide them, it tells me to go to Tools/folder options (which you should also be able to find in the Control Panel normally). But I don’t have such an option. I managed to also hide another folder, and now I cannot find it again.

From what I remember, I could do all this on my home computer (which is thousands of miles away right now), and it also has the same OS. I assume it might have something to do with access rights, but I’m the only person using this laptop, and log in as “user”. I don’t even know if there is an administrator profile.

I tried reinstalling windows (due to a virus and not the folder options), but it’s the same thing.