How To Completely Remove Search Hidden Files Search Companion Opti

[Jan]

I am using Windows XP Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 3.

On my computer I have two user accounts in XP - my main account
(administrator level) and a limited user account. On my main account, I've
hidden many files so that they can't be seen by someone signed into the other
user account.

I was able to completely remove the option for a user signed into that
account to Show hidden files and folders in the Folder Options. I did this by
simply going to the registry subkey at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL

and setting the security permissions to Deny for that limited user account.

Now the Folder Options on that user's account don't even show them the radio
button or text for "Show hidden files and folders". They only show "Do not
show hidden files and folders" which remains checked at all times, which is
how I want it on that account.

I've also managed to take away other functions for that account using a
similar strategy of simply putting Deny permissions on various keys and
subkeys.

However, while signed into the other account, if the person uses the Search
Companion, they can simply check "Search Hidden Files and Folders" under More
Advanced Options and they can see those files and folders, which I don't want
them to be able to do. I wanted to fix this in a similar way to how I fixed
the other issues.

But, the option to Search Hidden Files and Folders (as well as the other
More Advanced Options in the Search Companion) are controlled not by a key or
a subkey but by D_Word values stored under the subkey
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. There,
by changing the value to 0 or 1 on the D_Word values IncludeSubFolders,
SearchHidden and SearchSystemDirs, you can set the default to checked on or
off on any of those three options.

However, what I want to do is REMOVE the options entirely from the Search
Companion, not just set them to default off. But I don't see how to do it. I
can't put Deny permissions because there are no security permissions as these
are not keys or subkeys but values. No matter what value I set for any of
these D_Word's, they only at most will default the option to unchecked, but
nothing I do will seem to remove the option entirely. Even when I delete
those D_Word values entirely, it doesn't remove these More Advanced Options
from the Search Companion.

Any advice on how to tweak the registry or anything else so that other user
can't have access to Search Hidden Files and Folders?

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I am using Windows XP Professional, Version 2002, Service Pack 3.

On my computer I have two user accounts in XP - my main account
(administrator level) and a limited user account. On my main account, I've
hidden many files so that they can't be seen by someone signed into the
other
user account.

I was able to completely remove the option for a user signed into that
account to Show hidden files and folders in the Folder Options. I did this
by
simply going to the registry subkey at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL

and setting the security permissions to Deny for that limited user
account.

Now the Folder Options on that user's account don't even show them the
radio
button or text for "Show hidden files and folders". They only show "Do not
show hidden files and folders" which remains checked at all times, which
is
how I want it on that account.

I've also managed to take away other functions for that account using a
similar strategy of simply putting Deny permissions on various keys and
subkeys.

However, while signed into the other account, if the person uses the
Search
Companion, they can simply check "Search Hidden Files and Folders" under
More
Advanced Options and they can see those files and folders, which I don't
want
them to be able to do. I wanted to fix this in a similar way to how I
fixed
the other issues.

But, the option to Search Hidden Files and Folders (as well as the other
More Advanced Options in the Search Companion) are controlled not by a key
or
a subkey but by D_Word values stored under the subkey
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.
There,
by changing the value to 0 or 1 on the D_Word values IncludeSubFolders,
SearchHidden and SearchSystemDirs, you can set the default to checked on
or
off on any of those three options.

However, what I want to do is REMOVE the options entirely from the Search
Companion, not just set them to default off. But I don't see how to do it.
I
can't put Deny permissions because there are no security permissions as
these
are not keys or subkeys but values. No matter what value I set for any of
these D_Word's, they only at most will default the option to unchecked,
but
nothing I do will seem to remove the option entirely. Even when I delete
those D_Word values entirely, it doesn't remove these More Advanced
Options
from the Search Companion.

Any advice on how to tweak the registry or anything else so that other
user
can't have access to Search Hidden Files and Folders?

I think you're dealing with this issue in the wrong way. While it may be
possible for you to remove certain menu options and tabs, it is a trivial
matter for someone familiar with Windows to locate the hidden files by
different means, e.g. through a Command Prompt.

I note that you are familiar with the permission facilities available in the
registry. Much the same permissions are available for files and folders.
Using appropriate NTFS permissions allows you to hide/unhide folders and to
grant/refuse any type of permission. Unauthorised users will then have three
options to access your restricted files. Using the Command Prompt or some
script is NOT one of them.
a) By guessing/cracking a password, or
b) By booting the machine with a suitable boot CD, or
c) By installing the disk as a slave disk in some other PC.
Since this is the native access control method in Windows, it is fully
supported, it does not require any registry hacks and it is guaranteed to
survive any future automatic update or service pack.

 

[Jan]

Thanks for the response. I understand what you're saying. But I'd still like
to know how to do what I asked in the original question.

I'm not trying to hide this information from any master XP users. I just
want it to be a lot less likely for an average user on that other account to
find these hidden files or even have any clue they exist. Given their level
of expertise, I don't think any of the people I'm concerned with are going to
go searching with command prompts.

The NTFS permissions don't solve the issue. Many of the hidden folders in
question are already also denied to that other account in the permissions.
Howver, they still show up in the searches. The person can't necessarily open
the folder or file. But they can see it there in the search results and this
is what I want to prevent.

The disk is encrypted so they can't easily get to the files by using it as a
slave or through other methods.

So right now I have their search options defaulted to not searching hidden
files or folders. But it would be nice to remove the option entirely.

Is there a way to do it? Something in the registry or elsewhere?

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Thanks for the response. I understand what you're saying. But I'd still
like
to know how to do what I asked in the original question.

I'm not trying to hide this information from any master XP users. I just
want it to be a lot less likely for an average user on that other account
to
find these hidden files or even have any clue they exist. Given their
level
of expertise, I don't think any of the people I'm concerned with are going
to
go searching with command prompts.

The NTFS permissions don't solve the issue. Many of the hidden folders in
question are already also denied to that other account in the permissions.
Howver, they still show up in the searches. The person can't necessarily
open
the folder or file. But they can see it there in the search results and
this
is what I want to prevent.

The disk is encrypted so they can't easily get to the files by using it as
a
slave or through other methods.

So right now I have their search options defaulted to not searching hidden
files or folders. But it would be nice to remove the option entirely.

Is there a way to do it? Something in the registry or elsewhere?

To prevent your folders from getting picked up by the file search tool, put
them into a parent folder that has a suitable set of NTFS permissions, e.g.
like so:
d:\User Files\Data Folders\Finance
d:\User Files\Data Folders\HR

Users who are denied access to "Data Folders" will see the name "Data
Folders" itself but they won't see the folder names "Finance" or "HR",
regardless of the tool they use.

You may be able to achieve the same by hacking the registry in order to
modify the behaviour of the File Search tool. Since this is an undocumented
method, you need to perform the pioneering work yourself unless you can
attract the attention of another pioneer who has been there before. And as I
said before: Since your method is undocumented, it can easily disappear with
some automatic update or service pack, without you noticing anything unless
you check your handiwork regularly. If you want a robust and stable method
then you must use documented facilities.