Protecting folders in XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eric
  • Start date Start date
E

Eric

Hello!

I need to protect some folders in Win XP in case anybody
sits in my place. It is possible to assign a password to
a folder? How can I be sure that only myself can get
access to a particular folder? I'm not talking about
network access, but local access. The folder properties
doesn't work for me.

Thanks in advance
 
With Windows XP, you create an account for yourself and password
protect your account. There is no provision to password protect
individual folders.

HOW TO: Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Hello!
|
| I need to protect some folders in Win XP in case anybody
| sits in my place. It is possible to assign a password to
| a folder? How can I be sure that only myself can get
| access to a particular folder? I'm not talking about
| network access, but local access. The folder properties
| doesn't work for me.
|
| Thanks in advance
 
It's possible to password-protect files and folders in the Pro version only.
However, in a properly configured setup, each user of a Windows XP computer
has their own account with their own password. Even if I'm using the same
computer as you, when I logon to my account, Windows prevents me from seeing
the documents in any other account.

Tom Swift
 
Hi Tom,

How can I do that? My situation is that I have my own
laptop, so any other user will not logon with their
account, but tehy will use my account.

Thank you.
 
-----Original Message-----
Hello!

I need to protect some folders in Win XP in case anybody
sits in my place. It is possible to assign a password to
a folder? How can I be sure that only myself can get
access to a particular folder? I'm not talking about
network access, but local access. The folder properties
doesn't work for me.

Thanks in advance
.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
Hi Tom,

How can I do that? My situation is that I have my own
laptop, so any other user will not logon with their
account, but tehy will use my account.

Thank you.

.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
It's possible to password-protect files and folders in the Pro version only.
However, in a properly configured setup, each user of a Windows XP computer
has their own account with their own password. Even if I'm using the same
computer as you, when I logon to my account, Windows prevents me from seeing
the documents in any other account.

Tom Swift




.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
Hi Tom,

How can I do that? My situation is that I have my own
laptop, so any other user will not logon with their
account, but tehy will use my account.

Thank you.

.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
With Windows XP, you create an account for yourself and password
protect your account. There is no provision to password protect
individual folders.

HOW TO: Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en- us;279783&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------


| Hello!
|
| I need to protect some folders in Win XP in case anybody
| sits in my place. It is possible to assign a password to
| a folder? How can I be sure that only myself can get
| access to a particular folder? I'm not talking about
| network access, but local access. The folder properties
| doesn't work for me.
|
| Thanks in advance
.
Click to expand...
 
Tom Swift said:
It's possible to password-protect files and folders in the Pro version
Click to expand...
only.

i've not seen the facility to do that in my version of XP-PRO - can you
point it out to me?
However, in a properly configured setup, each user of a Windows XP computer
has their own account with their own password. Even if I'm using the same
computer as you, when I logon to my account, Windows prevents me from seeing
the documents in any other account.
Click to expand...

this isn't true, try this...

C:\Documents and Settings

then select a user's folder



...b..
 
Your first question:

"HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308989&Product=winxp

Your second question:

An account with administrator privileges can see every other account. The
other users of your computer should not have administrator privileges. For
maximum security, your own account for everyday use should not have
administrator privileges either. You should use your administrator account
for system maintenance only. For information on user accounts:
"Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/gettingstarted/sharing/accounts.asp

Tom Swift
 
Tom Swift - typed:
You need to set up separate accounts for each user. Read about it
here:

"Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
Click to expand...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/gettingstarted/sharing/accounts.asp

Although you are correct with your advice, not everyone, perhaps more so
with home users, wants to log on, log off then someone else do the same.
OK, Fast User Switching can mean that unsaved work is retained but at
the expense of stability & has higher RAM usage.

Many people who want to share a computer just wish to use the thing
without messing with accounts. 3rd party applications will allow this by
password protecting folders. There are disadvantages in that protected
folders would have to either remain open or have the password re-applied
each time there are accessed. I've never used such s/w so can't comment
further except the option to leave protected folders open for a preset
time or be reset when either the screen saver or Standby mode kicks in
would increase security.

The current model by logon may suit most business users but is less
suited to those at home. Some links to password protecting folders:
http://www.soft411.com/software/password-protect-folder.html
http://www.password-protect-software.com/
http://www.folder-password-expert.com/password-protect-folders.html
http://www.mycomputersafe.com/

It would be great to see this built in to a future OS natively, so users
have the choice of security model.
 
Your first question:

"HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308989&Product=winxp
Click to expand...

ahhh ok - i knew about this - i wouldn't nesecerally class this as password
protecting. but i know what you mean, high level encryption is at least far
more effective for several reasons than simply password protecting.

Your second question:

An account with administrator privileges can see every other account. The
other users of your computer should not have administrator privileges. For
maximum security, your own account for everyday use should not have
administrator privileges either. You should use your administrator account
for system maintenance only. For information on user accounts:
"Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/gettingstarted/sharing/accounts.asp
Click to expand...

yeah i never considered that - i think i will set up another account for
maintenance and swap my privileges to standard level.

cheers!


...b..
 
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