Can I password-protect a folder?

[George]

I'm using WinXP-pro PC and have a few things would like to protect. Can any
of these be (easily) set up for password (or login/password) protection? (I
already use pw protection on certain 'files', for instance in MSWord and
MSExcel, but I'd like to protect an entire folder or drive...)

FOLDER
C:\Documents and Settings\George\My Documents\SpecialFiles\

2ND HARD DRIVE
E:\


Thanks,
George

 

[Wesley Vogel]

From XP HELP:

To make your folders private
1 Open My Computer.
2 Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C,
unless you have more than one drive on your computer).
If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show the
contents of this drive.

3 Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
4 Double-click your user folder.
5 Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties.
6 On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I
have access to it check box.

Notes
• To open My Computer, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
• This option is only available for folders included in your user profile.
Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders,
Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these
folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer.
• When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as well.
For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music and
My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its
subfolders unless you make them private.
• You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as
NTFS.

If Simple File Sharing is turned on, you get three tabs;
General, Sharing and Customize,you also get Make this folder private.

If Simple File Sharing is turned off, you get four tabs; General, Sharing,
Security and Customize, you also lose Make this folder private. Instead you
get
Do not share this folder or Share this folder under the Sharing tab.

[[By default, the Simple File Sharing UI is turned on in Windows XP
Professional-based computers that are joined to a workgroup. Windows XP
Professional-based computers that are joined to a domain use only the
classic file sharing and security interface. (Simple File Sharing gets
tuned off automatically if on a domain, I think.)

If you turn off Simple File Sharing, you have more control over the
permissions to individual users. However, you must have advanced knowledge
of NTFS and share permissions to help keep your folders and files more
secure. If you turn off Simple File Sharing, the Shared Documents feature is
not turned off. ]]

Here are some notes about Make this folder private.

#1 is that if the folder is not in your user profile, Documents and
Settings\Your Name, Make this folder private will not be available.

Make this folder private
[[Specifies that only you can access the folder. When you make a folder
private, you also make all the files and subfolders it contains private.
This option is only available for your folders in your user profile (My
Documents and its subfolders, Desktop, Start Menu, and Favorites). If you
want to make a file in a private folder available to other users, you can
move the file to the Shared Documents, Shared Pictures, or Shared Music
folders.]]

[[This option is only available for folders included in your user profile*.
Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders,
Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these
folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer. ]]

*user profile
[[A file that contains configuration information for a specific user, such
as desktop settings, persistent network connections, and application
settings. Each user's preferences are saved to a user profile that Windows
uses to configure the desktop each time a user logs on.]]

[[When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as well.
For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music and
My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its
subfolders unless you make them private. ]]

[[You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as
NTFS.]]

You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307286

How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308418

How to set, view, change, or remove special permissions for files and
folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308419

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm using WinXP-pro PC and have a few things would like to protect. Can any
of these be (easily) set up for password (or login/password) protection? (I
already use pw protection on certain 'files', for instance in MSWord and
MSExcel, but I'd like to protect an entire folder or drive...)

FOLDER
C:\Documents and Settings\George\My Documents\SpecialFiles\

2ND HARD DRIVE
E:\


Thanks,
George

Like WinNT and Win2K before it, WinXP's file security paradigm
doesn't rely on, or allow, the cumbersome method of password protection
for individual applications, files, or folders. Instead, it uses the
superior method of explicitly assigning file/folder permissions to
individual users and/or groups.

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

HOW TO Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q308418

HOW TO Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and
Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q308419

HOW TO Set the My Documents Folder as Private in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;298399

Of course, if you have WinXP Pro, you can encrypt the desired
files/folders.

Best Practices for Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

As a crude work-around, you can place the file in a compressed
folder, and set a password to uncompress the folder to view/access its
contents. Also, some applications allow the user to password-protect
their specific data files. Read the specific application's Help files
for further information on this capability.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

[George]

Thanks Wesley,

This seems to work great. Just a few questions if ok... When I click [x]
make folder private... It then mentions I don't have a password and asks if
I want to create one. (I had set up my user account with no password for
now).

-Is this password it's asking me to create the same as the password that it
will (now) ask me for when I get the logon screen upon powering up in the
morning?

-Just to make sure, is the idea that... if I was able to sign on to begin
with, then I'm allowed to SEE this folder and WON'T be asked for the
password again?

-I was wondering how this private&password approach differs from the "set
permissions" that Bruce Chambers mentioned in the other post (5/1/06,
10:40pm). Is the main difference... setting permissions is more advanced
and requires higher level skills, more work?

Thanks again,
George

From XP HELP:

To make your folders private
1 Open My Computer.
2 Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C,
unless you have more than one drive on your computer).
If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show
the
contents of this drive.

3 Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
4 Double-click your user folder.
5 Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties.
6 On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I
have access to it check box.

Notes
• To open My Computer, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
• This option is only available for folders included in your user profile.
Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders,
Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these
folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer.
• When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as
well.
For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music
and
My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its
subfolders unless you make them private.
• You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as
NTFS.

If Simple File Sharing is turned on, you get three tabs;
General, Sharing and Customize,you also get Make this folder private.

If Simple File Sharing is turned off, you get four tabs; General, Sharing,
Security and Customize, you also lose Make this folder private. Instead
you
get
Do not share this folder or Share this folder under the Sharing tab.

[[By default, the Simple File Sharing UI is turned on in Windows XP
Professional-based computers that are joined to a workgroup. Windows XP
Professional-based computers that are joined to a domain use only the
classic file sharing and security interface. (Simple File Sharing gets
tuned off automatically if on a domain, I think.)

If you turn off Simple File Sharing, you have more control over the
permissions to individual users. However, you must have advanced knowledge
of NTFS and share permissions to help keep your folders and files more
secure. If you turn off Simple File Sharing, the Shared Documents feature
is
not turned off. ]]

Here are some notes about Make this folder private.

#1 is that if the folder is not in your user profile, Documents and
Settings\Your Name, Make this folder private will not be available.

Make this folder private
[[Specifies that only you can access the folder. When you make a folder
private, you also make all the files and subfolders it contains private.
This option is only available for your folders in your user profile (My
Documents and its subfolders, Desktop, Start Menu, and Favorites). If you
want to make a file in a private folder available to other users, you can
move the file to the Shared Documents, Shared Pictures, or Shared Music
folders.]]

[[This option is only available for folders included in your user
profile*.
Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders,
Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these
folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer. ]]

*user profile
[[A file that contains configuration information for a specific user, such
as desktop settings, persistent network connections, and application
settings. Each user's preferences are saved to a user profile that Windows
uses to configure the desktop each time a user logs on.]]

[[When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as
well.
For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music
and
My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its
subfolders unless you make them private. ]]

[[You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as
NTFS.]]

You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307286

How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308418

How to set, view, change, or remove special permissions for files and
folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308419

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

I'm using WinXP-pro PC and have a few things would like to protect. Can
any of these be (easily) set up for password (or login/password)
protection? (I already use pw protection on certain 'files', for
instance in MSWord and MSExcel, but I'd like to protect an entire folder
or drive...)

FOLDER
C:\Documents and Settings\George\My Documents\SpecialFiles\

2ND HARD DRIVE
E:\


Thanks,
George