Password protect folders

5NIPER_WOLF · 04-08-2009, 08:58 PM

I want a way to put a password on some private folders, does anyone know a simple way? I don't want to encrypt it with crazy algorithms and stuff like Swordfish and crap, just a password. Or maybe something that prompts you to enter a password when the system resumes from a screensaver, not going into the Log On screen(because that disconnects me from the internet).

And is there any way I can set up my system so it warns me when important files like System32 get accessed not by me?

Both for WinXP Home SP3 and Vista Home Premium 64 bit.

**Jason09** · 04-10-2009, 07:08 PM

I don't know if this will do for you, but you can make the folder private by going to the properites of it, then sharing, then check "make this folder private".

5NIPER_WOLF · 04-10-2009, 08:21 PM

That's just so other users can't access my files from their account and so it wont be shared.

**Cellus** · 04-10-2009, 11:09 PM

For both XP and Vista you can enable EFS (Encrypted File System). Simply right-click the file or folder (go into its Properties), go into the Advanced area under attributes, and select "encrypt contents...".

This encryption method is embedded into Windows, and uses your Windows user account to encrypt the file/folder. The only way to access it is to be logged in as the user who has it encrypted (or another account which has been designated as a Recovery Agent), and works transparently in the background.

An alternative would be to use a third-party encryption program such as Truecrypt.

johnwill · 04-11-2009, 03:51 PM

Note that EFS is only available for XP-Pro, Vista-Business, or Vista-Ultimate. Home versions do not have EFS.

**sobeit** · 04-11-2009, 04:13 PM

another way is to have a password protected account and to move the folder to your profile. make sure everyone else has their own non admin account.

5NIPER_WOLF · 04-11-2009, 06:45 PM

I'll say it again - I don't want to encrypt them or keep other users from other accounts out of my files, I want to password protect my files from my own account.

**sobeit** · 04-11-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5NIPER_WOLF

That's just so other users can't access my files from their account and so it wont be shared.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5NIPER_WOLF

I'll say it again - I don't want to encrypt them or keep other users from other accounts out of my files, I want to password protect my files from my own account.

you seemed to be contradicting yourself. Which is it????

**Jason09** · 04-11-2009, 07:37 PM

Do you want just a password on a folder?

5NIPER_WOLF · 04-11-2009, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason09

Do you want just a password on a folder?

YES that's exactly what I want!

**lorjack** · 04-12-2009, 08:54 PM

I think this is what you are looking for. There are other ones here to but FYI almost all of them use encryption as well as passwords.

http://download.cnet.com/Folder-Lock/3000-2092_4-10249356.html?tag=lst-0-5

5NIPER_WOLF · 04-12-2009, 09:33 PM

Okay when I clicked OK after the setup, I had checked 'Run when setup is complete', I received a Stop Error saying that WinFL32.sys had caused the problem. When I restarted I tried running it again and it just stopped responding before the program even started. I put it in my AVG's exception list but to no avail. SpyBot Search & Destroy is not blocking it either.

Same problem on both my systems (Vista Home Premium 64-bit and XP Home 32-bit)

**lorjack** · 04-13-2009, 09:09 AM

Try one of the other programs, it sounds like that one is corrupted.

04-08-2009, 08:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,034 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Password protect folders I want a way to put a password on some private folders, does anyone know a simple way? I don't want to encrypt it with crazy algorithms and stuff like Swordfish and crap, just a password. Or maybe something that prompts you to enter a password when the system resumes from a screensaver, not going into the Log On screen(because that disconnects me from the internet). And is there any way I can set up my system so it warns me when important files like System32 get accessed not by me? Both for WinXP Home SP3 and Vista Home Premium 64 bit. __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

04-10-2009, 07:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jason09 Moderator, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Near Washington, D.C. Posts: 2,231 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 My System	Re: Password protect folders I don't know if this will do for you, but you can make the folder private by going to the properites of it, then sharing, then check "make this folder private". __________________ Gaming troubleshooting steps. Real peace cannot be found in what happens in Washington, D.C. Only God can give true peace to people.

04-10-2009, 08:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,034 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Password protect folders That's just so other users can't access my files from their account and so it wont be shared. __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

04-10-2009, 11:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cellus Moderator Networking Team Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,664 OS: Windows Vista Business SP1, Windows XP Professional SP3 My System	Re: Password protect folders For both XP and Vista you can enable EFS (Encrypted File System). Simply right-click the file or folder (go into its Properties), go into the Advanced area under attributes, and select "encrypt contents...". This encryption method is embedded into Windows, and uses your Windows user account to encrypt the file/folder. The only way to access it is to be logged in as the user who has it encrypted (or another account which has been designated as a Recovery Agent), and works transparently in the background. An alternative would be to use a third-party encryption program such as Truecrypt. __________________ TSF Networking Team Virus/Trojan/Spyware Removal Help Donate!

04-11-2009, 03:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,042 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Password protect folders Note that EFS is only available for XP-Pro, Vista-Business, or Vista-Ultimate. Home versions do not have EFS. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

04-11-2009, 04:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: Password protect folders another way is to have a password protected account and to move the folder to your profile. make sure everyone else has their own non admin account. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age

04-11-2009, 06:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,034 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Password protect folders I'll say it again - I don't want to encrypt them or keep other users from other accounts out of my files, I want to password protect my files from my own account. __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

04-11-2009, 07:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jason09 Moderator, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Near Washington, D.C. Posts: 2,231 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 My System	Re: Password protect folders Do you want just a password on a folder? __________________ Gaming troubleshooting steps. Real peace cannot be found in what happens in Washington, D.C. Only God can give true peace to people.

04-12-2009, 08:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
lorjack TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 2,205 OS: Windows 2K, XP Pro sp3, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu	Re: Password protect folders I think this is what you are looking for. There are other ones here to but FYI almost all of them use encryption as well as passwords. http://download.cnet.com/Folder-Lock/3000-2092_4-10249356.html?tag=lst-0-5 Last edited by lorjack; 04-12-2009 at 08:56 PM.

04-12-2009, 09:33 PM	#12 (permalink)
5NIPER_WOLF Tech, Games Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 3,034 OS: Windows VISTA Home Premium 64-Bit/Fedora 11/Mandriva/WinXP SP3 My System Blog Entries: 3	Re: Password protect folders Okay when I clicked OK after the setup, I had checked 'Run when setup is complete', I received a Stop Error saying that WinFL32.sys had caused the problem. When I restarted I tried running it again and it just stopped responding before the program even started. I put it in my AVG's exception list but to no avail. SpyBot Search & Destroy is not blocking it either. Same problem on both my systems (Vista Home Premium 64-bit and XP Home 32-bit) __________________ Apps - CCleaner FireBug Network Mapper WinDirStat Process Explorer SpeedFan Info - Very Important NVIDIA Drivers ATI Drivers PSU Info I do not give support with MSN/E-mail or Private Messages.

04-13-2009, 09:09 AM	#13 (permalink)
lorjack TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 2,205 OS: Windows 2K, XP Pro sp3, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu	Re: Password protect folders Try one of the other programs, it sounds like that one is corrupted.