T
Tom Gundlach KS5X
How do I password protect individual folders in XP?
D
Doug Knox MS-MVP
You assign permissions.
You cannot password protect individual folders in XP. You restrict access by assigning permissions to drives, folders and files.
To do this, you must be running NTFS as your file system on the drive in question. If your hard disk/partition is not NTFS you will need to convert it. To do this, open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command:
CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS
Where X: is the drive letter you wish to convert. You may also want to see http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm to ensure that you're getting the optimal conversion.
After this step is completed and you've rebooted the computer, if necessary:
XP PRO: In Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing. Now, when you right click on a drive, folder or file (on an NTFS partition) and select Properties, you'll see a Security tab. Here you can assign or deny permissions based on user name or user group membership.
XP Home: By default, you can only make files and folders under My Documents "private". This is done by right clicking a folder or file and selecting Properties, Sharing. To change the permissions on other folders, you need to boot the computer to Safe Mode and log in on the built in Administrator account. In this mode, you'll see the Security tab in Properties, and you can assign permissions based on user name or group membership.
HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418
HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308419
HOW TO: Disable Simplified Sharing and Password-Protect a Shared Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307874
You cannot password protect individual folders in XP. You restrict access by assigning permissions to drives, folders and files.
To do this, you must be running NTFS as your file system on the drive in question. If your hard disk/partition is not NTFS you will need to convert it. To do this, open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command:
CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS
Where X: is the drive letter you wish to convert. You may also want to see http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm to ensure that you're getting the optimal conversion.
After this step is completed and you've rebooted the computer, if necessary:
XP PRO: In Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing. Now, when you right click on a drive, folder or file (on an NTFS partition) and select Properties, you'll see a Security tab. Here you can assign or deny permissions based on user name or user group membership.
XP Home: By default, you can only make files and folders under My Documents "private". This is done by right clicking a folder or file and selecting Properties, Sharing. To change the permissions on other folders, you need to boot the computer to Safe Mode and log in on the built in Administrator account. In this mode, you'll see the Security tab in Properties, and you can assign permissions based on user name or group membership.
HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418
HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308419
HOW TO: Disable Simplified Sharing and Password-Protect a Shared Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307874
S
Stan Brown
Sun, 14 May 2006 12:09:49 -0400 from Doug Knox MS-MVP
Convenient, isn't it?
Seriously, this request comes up *so* often that it should have been
obvious even to Microsoft. Anyone know why MS didn't create this
much-wanted capability? Surely if they could create the much more
elaborate permission scheme, they *could* have passworded folders.
To the OP: you could compress the folder and assign a password at
that time, but then you'd have to uncompress it to use it.
Convenient, isn't it?
Seriously, this request comes up *so* often that it should have been
obvious even to Microsoft. Anyone know why MS didn't create this
much-wanted capability? Surely if they could create the much more
elaborate permission scheme, they *could* have passworded folders.
To the OP: you could compress the folder and assign a password at
that time, but then you'd have to uncompress it to use it.
D
David Candy
Because there is no need for it. People who ask are stupid.
G
Guest
I know an excellent program that allows you to require a password everytime
you access folders on your Windows PC.
It's called 'Win Guard Pro' and can be downloaded here:-
http://www.vimix.net/?id=downloads
===========================================
How do I password protect individual folders in XP?
===========================================
you access folders on your Windows PC.
It's called 'Win Guard Pro' and can be downloaded here:-
http://www.vimix.net/?id=downloads
===========================================
How do I password protect individual folders in XP?
===========================================
H
Homer J. Simpson
I know an excellent program that allows you to require a password everytime
Since this is a third-party program and thus, I can only assume, it has to
be constantly running (or there's gotta be a service running) for it to
monitor password-protected folders...what happens if you password-protect a
folder and then uninstall the program?
Since this is a third-party program and thus, I can only assume, it has to
be constantly running (or there's gotta be a service running) for it to
monitor password-protected folders...what happens if you password-protect a
folder and then uninstall the program?
G
Guest
The program only works while it's installed and running. If you do happen to
password protect anything using this program and uninstall it, then the
program would be wiped off the computer and thusly, you won't be asked for a
password ever again, because the program wouldn't exist.
password protect anything using this program and uninstall it, then the
program would be wiped off the computer and thusly, you won't be asked for a
password ever again, because the program wouldn't exist.
E
Erasmus
That would make this program not very secure. If he were looking to
share a file with a user (say a guest account or equivalent), but
password protect it so that while the guest account is logged in, the
file is protected, but he can still access it if it is needed (such as
a situation where Patient Health Information is needed by a Doctor, but
a different patient is logged into that machine and cannot be logged
out at the moment - this information must, by law, be protected from
that patient's view, but of the Doctor needs it...), all the devious
patient would have to do is to uninstall the program, and voila! the
file is available. Even if you set that user's access rights to not be
able to uninstall the program, the Doctor could uninstall the program
from frustration and that would make the data fully available and the
system vulnerable - An administration nightmare.
What is needed is something that would be the equivalent of a rootkit
with no uninstall option that allows password protection of folders,
and stores the passwords encrypted somewhere inaccessable (I know... an
ugly concept, but a good option if you really want folders protected)
or some program that creates the same effect that Windows' integrated
compression performs - something that when you doubleclick a zipped
folder to access it, asks for the password, passes it to the zip file
for decryption, extracts the files to a temporary directory, accesses
them in the temp directory, deletes them when the folder is closed or
navigated away from in the explorer window that opened the temp
directory, yet appears to the user simply as if they had entered a
password to access a folder. This would keep the data fully safe even
if the application was uninstalled - the files would simply remain as
password protected zips, but while the program is installed, would act
as folders.
Just some thoughts. I have not seen anything like either of these
options (rootkit or .zip file overlay) but either would be an
improvement over the current lack of options. I hope someone comes up
with something here. I have been looking myself, and am stumped on
where to find a secure yet user-friendly integrated option.
Just my 2¢.
share a file with a user (say a guest account or equivalent), but
password protect it so that while the guest account is logged in, the
file is protected, but he can still access it if it is needed (such as
a situation where Patient Health Information is needed by a Doctor, but
a different patient is logged into that machine and cannot be logged
out at the moment - this information must, by law, be protected from
that patient's view, but of the Doctor needs it...), all the devious
patient would have to do is to uninstall the program, and voila! the
file is available. Even if you set that user's access rights to not be
able to uninstall the program, the Doctor could uninstall the program
from frustration and that would make the data fully available and the
system vulnerable - An administration nightmare.
What is needed is something that would be the equivalent of a rootkit
with no uninstall option that allows password protection of folders,
and stores the passwords encrypted somewhere inaccessable (I know... an
ugly concept, but a good option if you really want folders protected)
or some program that creates the same effect that Windows' integrated
compression performs - something that when you doubleclick a zipped
folder to access it, asks for the password, passes it to the zip file
for decryption, extracts the files to a temporary directory, accesses
them in the temp directory, deletes them when the folder is closed or
navigated away from in the explorer window that opened the temp
directory, yet appears to the user simply as if they had entered a
password to access a folder. This would keep the data fully safe even
if the application was uninstalled - the files would simply remain as
password protected zips, but while the program is installed, would act
as folders.
Just some thoughts. I have not seen anything like either of these
options (rootkit or .zip file overlay) but either would be an
improvement over the current lack of options. I hope someone comes up
with something here. I have been looking myself, and am stumped on
where to find a secure yet user-friendly integrated option.
Just my 2¢.
H
Homer J. Simpson
The program only works while it's installed and running. If you do happen
Great protection, that. Remove the program, you're in...
to
password protect anything using this program and uninstall it, then the
program would be wiped off the computer and thusly, you won't be asked for
a
password ever again, because the program wouldn't exist.
Great protection, that. Remove the program, you're in...