Protecting folders in XP

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

"Eric" <anonymous.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> 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

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-----
>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
>
>"Eric" <anonymous.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>> 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
>
>
>.
>

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

"Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/gettingstarted/sha...g/accou

Tom Swift

<anonymous.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:090901c3d614$26d180a0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> 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-----
> >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
> >
> >"Eric" <anonymous.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message
> >news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> >> 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
> >
> >
> >.
> >

>-----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
>.
>

>-----Original Message-----
>You need to set up separate accounts for each user. Read
about it here:
>
>"Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/getti
ngstarted/sharing/accounts.asp
>
>Tom Swift
>
><anonymous DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>news:090901c3d614$26d180a0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>> 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-----
>> >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
>> >
>> >"Eric" <anonymous DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> >news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>> >> 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
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >
>
>
>.
>

>-----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.
>
>>-----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
>>
>>"Eric" <anonymous DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>message
>>news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>>> 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
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

>-----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
>
>"Eric" <anonymous.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>> 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
>
>
>.
>

>-----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.
>
>>-----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
>>
>>"Eric" <anonymous RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>message
>>news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>>> 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
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

>-----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/
>
>---------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
>
>"Eric" <anonymous.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message:
> news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
>
>| 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
>.
>

"Tom Swift" <tom.swift DeleteThis @swiftenterprises.com> wrote in message
news:OP6RvJh1DHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>
> "Eric" <anonymous DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> > 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.

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.

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/sha...g/accou

Tom Swift

"badstyle" <spam DeleteThis @spam.com> wrote in message
news:btpclg$eiq$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> "Tom Swift" <tom.swift DeleteThis @swiftenterprises.com> wrote in message
> news:OP6RvJh1DHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >
> > "Eric" <anonymous DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> > > 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.
>
> 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.
>
> this isn't true, try this...
>
> C:\Documents and Settings
>
> then select a user's folder
>
>
>
> ..b..
>
>
>
>

Tom Swift - typed:
> You need to set up separate accounts for each user. Read about it
> here:
>
> "Sharing a Computer - Create User Accounts"
>
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/howto/gettingstarted/sha...g/accou

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.
--
Paul

"Tom Swift" <tom.swift.RemoveThis@swiftenterprises.com> wrote in message
news:%23g97QK61DHA.1752@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>
> "badstyle" <spam.RemoveThis@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:btpclg$eiq$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> > "Tom Swift" <tom.swift.RemoveThis@swiftenterprises.com> wrote in message
> > news:OP6RvJh1DHA.2160@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > >
> > > "Eric" <anonymous.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:077101c3d602$9a5b28d0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> > > > 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.
> >
> > 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.
> >
> > 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
>

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/sha...g/accou
>

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

cheers!


...b..