Hide Folders Immediately on WinXP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brash Flagsnatcher
  • Start date Start date
B

Brash Flagsnatcher

I see how to click Properties and make a given Folder
Hidden. I also see how to click View and either show
or hide such folders. Such folders always do always
become immediately visible when I unhide them, but
apparently I have to re-boot in order to have a given
folder be hidden again.

Is there a way to have a particular folder become
hidden immediately (without having to re-boot)?

And, further to that, how can I keep unwanted users
from unhiding my folders by using the same processes?

BF
 
You cannot password protect individual folders in XP. You restrict access by
assigning permissions to drives, folders and files.

To do this, you must be running NTFS as your file system on the drive in
question. If your hard disk/partition is not NTFS you will need to convert
it. To do this, open a Command Prompt window and enter the following
command:

CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS

Where X: is the drive letter you wish to convert. You may also want to see
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm to ensure that you're getting the optimal
conversion.

After this step is completed and you've rebooted the computer, if necessary:

XP PRO: In Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck
Use Simple File Sharing. Now, when you right click on a drive, folder or
file (on an NTFS partition) and select Properties, you'll see a Security
tab. Here you can assign or deny permissions based on user name or user
group membership.

XP Home: By default, you can only make files and folders under My Documents
"private". This is done by right clicking a folder or file and selecting
Properties, Sharing. To change the permissions on other folders, you need
to boot the computer to Safe Mode and log in on the built in Administrator
account. In this mode, you'll see the Security tab in Properties, and you
can assign permissions based on user name or group membership.

How Do I Get the Security Tab in Properties - XP Home (makes the Security
tab appear outside of Safe Mode)
http://www.dougknox.com, Win XP Tips section

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and
Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308419

HOW TO: Disable Simplified Sharing and Password-Protect a Shared Folder in
Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307874


--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
 
Brash said:
I see how to click Properties and make a given Folder
Hidden. I also see how to click View and either show
or hide such folders. Such folders always do always
become immediately visible when I unhide them, but
apparently I have to re-boot in order to have a given
folder be hidden again.

Is there a way to have a particular folder become
hidden immediately (without having to re-boot)?

And, further to that, how can I keep unwanted users
from unhiding my folders by using the same processes?

BF
Click to expand...

Maybe if you press F5 it will hide.
 
Doug said:
You cannot password protect individual folders in XP. You restrict access by
assigning permissions to drives, folders and files.

To do this, you must be running NTFS as your file system on the drive in
question. If your hard disk/partition is not NTFS you will need to convert
it. To do this, open a Command Prompt window and enter the following
command:

CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS

Where X: is the drive letter you wish to convert. You may also want to see
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm to ensure that you're getting the optimal
conversion.

After this step is completed and you've rebooted the computer, if necessary:

XP PRO: In Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck
Use Simple File Sharing. Now, when you right click on a drive, folder or
file (on an NTFS partition) and select Properties, you'll see a Security
tab. Here you can assign or deny permissions based on user name or user
group membership.

XP Home: By default, you can only make files and folders under My Documents
"private". This is done by right clicking a folder or file and selecting
Properties, Sharing. To change the permissions on other folders, you need
to boot the computer to Safe Mode and log in on the built in Administrator
account. In this mode, you'll see the Security tab in Properties, and you
can assign permissions based on user name or group membership.

How Do I Get the Security Tab in Properties - XP Home (makes the Security
tab appear outside of Safe Mode)
http://www.dougknox.com, Win XP Tips section

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and
Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308419

HOW TO: Disable Simplified Sharing and Password-Protect a Shared Folder in
Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307874
Click to expand...

Interesting stuff, thanks! Just as an idea, let me know if
this would work: Create a Guest account, with myself
as the Administrator, having created a password (which
I don't use now), then move all the files I want to 'hide' into
a C:\Documents and Settings\Myname\subfolder. That
way, no Guest could view what was in there?

BF
 
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