is there a way to password protect...

[Guest]

My Documents? say i left my computer for the day forgetting to log out...and
my sister or someone goes on and decides "hey, i wanna see what he has in his
documents folder!" is there a way to set a password that you have to type
before entering My Documents or My Computer or any files of the like?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

No, not passwording, but if you are using the NTFS file system, you can make
the folder "private" and therefore inaccessible to any other user account.
Search on "make folder private" in Help and Support. Just don't forget to
log out, or set the screensaver tab in display properties and enable the
line for "on resume, display welcome".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[frodo]

My Documents? say i left my computer for the day forgetting to log out...and
my sister or someone goes on and decides "hey, i wanna see what he has in his
documents folder!" is there a way to set a password that you have to type
before entering My Documents or My Computer or any files of the like?

No, you can't. Your REAL question is how do I protect myself if I forget
to log out? You can get a LITTLE protection by checking the box in the
screen saver that says "On Resume, Password Protect". Set your screen
saver activation time to something short, say 5 or 10 minutes. Then, if
you walk away w/o logging out, anyone wanting to use the machine will only
be able to log you out, switch users (if FUS is enabled), or wait for you
to return. Or cycle the power!

Another tip is to use the Win-L key to "lock the workstation".

 

[Bruce Chambers]

My Documents? say i left my computer for the day forgetting to log out...and
my sister or someone goes on and decides "hey, i wanna see what he has in his
documents folder!" is there a way to set a password that you have to type
before entering My Documents or My Computer or any files of the like?

Like Win2K, 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, if you actually prefer Win9x's way, 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.

More to your situation, option 4 seems relevant to the scenario posited:

There at least 4 ways to lock a WinXP (Home or Pro) workstation:

1) Use the Windows Key + L hot key.

2) You can press CTRL+ALT+DEL and then <ENTER>, once you've turned
off the Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching. (This is the default
in a domain environment, as FUS is contrary to the domain security
paradigm.)

3) You can create a desktop shortcut with
"%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation" in the
target field. (It is case-sensitive, BTW.) You can then assign a
keyboard shortcut.

4) Set a password protected screensaver, and wait the allotted time
without touching the mouse or keyboard.


--

Bruce Chambers

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