How to password protect just one folder

[Katy]

Is there anyway to password protect just one folder or file in XP? I've
searched a little here and quite a bit in XP help and couldn't find how to
do this without password protecting a whole screensaver. Does XP have a way
to do this without encompassing the whole computer?

TIA for any help,
katy

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Katy,

Passwording a folder is not a feature of WinXP. You can set permissions to
prevent other users from accessing it (though any user with admin
priviledges can take ownership of it and change the permissions), but if
your account is logged on as the user then the folder will be accessible.

There are many third party programs like Magic Folders (www.pc-magic.com)
that can give you that capability.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Windows
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Guest]

Correct me if I am wrong Rick, but if he or she has XP PRO can they not encode or encrypt the individual file of their choice which in effect gives better protection than a simple password protection? I don't have pro but I have read somewhere that this is one of the big differences between XP PRO and HE. Encryption is available in PRO. {:~)

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

They can encrypt, but if they are just looking to password a folder, then
encrypting will not do what Katy wants. Under her own profile, the encrypted
file would still be accessible. Under any other it would not. The same
effect can be obtained with permissions. Encryption would merely prevent
someone from copying or taking ownership of the file and accessing it. It
could also mean irrevocable loss of data if Katy does not fully understand
how encryption works and how to take precautions. What Katy wants is a means
of passwording a folder to protect it from prying eyes. This is best done
with a third-party utility.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Windows
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[robin]

Is there anyway to password protect just one folder or file in XP? I've
searched a little here and quite a bit in XP help and couldn't find how to
do this without password protecting a whole screensaver. Does XP have a way
to do this without encompassing the whole computer?

TIA for any help,
katy

Just a suggestion but why not zip the folder with WinZip? It has a
passwording feature.

Robin

 

[Katy]

Thank you all for your feedback. I have tried Winzipping the file and it's
fine for the initial zip. I can add to the zip also without actually
unzipping it. But if I wanted to make sure what I added actually got into
the zip file, I would like to open it to view and make sure. Unzipping
creates another folder in the Unzipped file on the C: drive which I would
need to delete and then delete the recycle bin. It was more work than I
cared to go through for each time I added something to that zipped and
password protected folder. I know to do this but another user wants to also
password protect a folder and is not into all the steps it takes with
WinZip.

I am the only user on my PC so I don't use a windows password tho I am
administrator. I have heard enough about trojans and viruses to be fearful
of access to some things on my computer. I don't let others on my machine
but what if I gave remote control to a PC tech, that is another reason why I
want to password protect this folder.

It just seems that it should be so easy to do that, just right click any
folder and create password. Magic folders would cost money so I will leave
that for a last resort; thank you for showing me that site Rick. Just
thought XP (yes I have Pro) would have an easy right click option if I
enabled it somewhere else. I don't know about encryption and my friend is
VERY new to computers.

Thanks again for all your help ...... ideally we'd like a right click option
to a folder of our choice to password protect it but maybe it's just not
possible.

katy