Restrict access to external drive

[Bill G.]

Hello. I have just got an external USB hard disk, and I have moved my
default user folders (My Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos). I have also
other (limited) users on this computer. I want my personal folders to be
private (not accessible through the other accounts), but this is only done
under the "root:/Documents and Settings/<myuser>" directory. Since I have
moved my personal folders in another directory (the external HDD), I can't
seem to be able to set private attributes to these folders. Perhaps this
can't be done in WinXP Home SP2 (my OS) but I would like to know what
options I have.

To sum it up, what I'd like to do is to prevent access to my personal
folders (which are moved in a custom location, having therefore lost the
ability to be set private) from other users on the same machine. Or even (if
that can be achieved) hide the external disk from all other users, so that
its contents (and the drive itself) are visible and accessible in Windows
Explorer under my account. Please what options do I have?

 

[db]

i am very satisfied with

"free folder hide"

and microsofts'

"my private folder"

(microsoft no longer
provides theirs', but might
be found on a rogue website
that archives these valuable
freewares)

- db

Hello. I have just got an external USB hard disk, and I have moved my
default user folders (My Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos). I have also
other (limited) users on this computer. I want my personal folders to be
private (not accessible through the other accounts), but this is only done
under the "root:/Documents and Settings/<myuser>" directory. Since I have
moved my personal folders in another directory (the external HDD), I can't
seem to be able to set private attributes to these folders. Perhaps this
can't be done in WinXP Home SP2 (my OS) but I would like to know what
options I have.

To sum it up, what I'd like to do is to prevent access to my personal
folders (which are moved in a custom location, having therefore lost the
ability to be set private) from other users on the same machine. Or even (if
that can be achieved) hide the external disk from all other users, so that
its contents (and the drive itself) are visible and accessible in Windows
Explorer under my account. Please what options do I have?

 

[WTC]

Is the External Drive formatted as NTFS? You can check the external drive
file system by opening up My Computer and right-clicking on the external
drive to select properties. If the drive is formatted as NTFS then you can
set file permissions on the drive. With Windows XP Home you will need to
boot into Safe Mode to set NTFS file permissions but I am not sure if the
external drive will be available in Safe Mode or not. If the drive is
available then you can follow the directions in this KB article.

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

If you are using the external drive with other computers then you will have
to configure NTFS permissions once you connect the external drive the first
time to another computer so you can view you files.

 

[Bill G.]

Thanks William! it worked a treat!

Is the External Drive formatted as NTFS? You can check the external drive
file system by opening up My Computer and right-clicking on the external
drive to select properties. If the drive is formatted as NTFS then you can
set file permissions on the drive. With Windows XP Home you will need to
boot into Safe Mode to set NTFS file permissions but I am not sure if the
external drive will be available in Safe Mode or not. If the drive is
available then you can follow the directions in this KB article.

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

If you are using the external drive with other computers then you will
have to configure NTFS permissions once you connect the external drive the
first time to another computer so you can view you files.

 

[WTC]

You're welcome Bill.