Enabling folder encryption in Windows XP home edition

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Guest

My folder encryption check box in the advanced properties dialog box for
folders is grayed out. Does anyone know how to enable this check box to be
checked in windows XP home edition? Thank you, Edward.
 
Edward_j_51 said:
My folder encryption check box in the advanced properties dialog
box for folders is grayed out. Does anyone know how to enable this
check box to be checked in windows XP home edition?
Click to expand...
Hi,

You will need to upgrade to WinXP Pro, EFS is not supported in WinXP
Home.

Anyway, I would not have used Microsoft's builtin EFS, EFS is usually
a disaster just waiting to happen (especially if you are not careful
about exporting the EFS private key to a place outside your computer).
Some calls EFS the "delayed Recycle Bin" ;-)
 
Edward_j_51 said:
My folder encryption check box in the advanced properties dialog box for
folders is grayed out. Does anyone know how to enable this check box to be
checked in windows XP home edition? Thank you, Edward.
Click to expand...

If you are still considering using EFS by upgrading to XP Pro, as others
have indicated it's not in XP Home, make sure you read the following
articles to know what you are getting into. On the whole it's more
trouble than it's worth:

Best practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

How to back up the recovery agent Encrypting File System (EFS) private
key in Windows Server 2003, in Windows 2000, and in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;241201

How to add an EFS recovery agent in Windows XP Professional
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;887414

EFS, Credentials, and Private Keys from Certificates Are Unavailable
After a Password Is Reset
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290260
 
My folder encryption check box in the advanced properties dialog box for
folders is grayed out. Does anyone know how to enable this check box to be
checked in windows XP home edition? Thank you, Edward.
Click to expand...

1. EFS is not available in XP Home, only Pro. That's why the box is
grayed out.

2. What National State Secrets are you trying to protect? There are
easier ways to hide the porn on your computer!
 
It doesn't matter whether they have NTFS or FAT32, since EFS isn't
available in XP Home.
 
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