If you are sharing your computer with other users and want to protect some of the folders, that contain confidential information, you should password protect those folders to have added security. There are many ways in which you can do this irrespective of the operating system installed on your computer. However, this article will give you steps on how to password protect a folder in Windows XP.
Password protecting a folder in Windows XP without using any software
- The first and most important requirement of this technique is that your hard drive should be formatted using NTFS.
- Now select the folder that you wish to protect and right click on it. Click on “Properties” from the drop down menu.
- Under “Properties” click on the “Sharing” button and check the box labeled “Make this folder private”.
- Now click on the “Apply” button. If your account is not already protected you will get a pop-up window on your computer screen asking you to set a password to protect that folder.
- You are now done with protecting the folder. You will be asked for the password each time you try to access or open the folder.
Password protecting a folder in Windows XP using free software
- The only requirement of this method is that you must have Windows XP installed on your computer.
- This method is used when your hard drive is not formatted in NTFS.
- You can download free software from the internet, like Folder Lock, Supreme Folder Hider, Free Hide Folder, and many others.
- Once you have downloaded them, install them on your PC and follow their step-by-step instructions to password protect your folder in Windows XP.
Password protect a folder in Windows XP using a script
If you do not want to use freeware or buy software for securing your files, then there is another way to password protect your folders. It involves the use of a script to morph the folder into something that is so different from the original, that although it will still be visible you will not be able to access any information inside it. To get the data, you will have to run another script to morph it again. If another user clicks on the folder, he or she will be brought to the Control Panel and think that it is only a shortcut.
Follow these steps to password protect a folder in Windows XP:
- The first thing to do is to create a folder to store your classified data. You could create a folder named Fonts, for example, in the D drive of your PC. It is a good idea to name the folder as one of the programs present in the drive as the hidden folder will ultimately bring you to the Control Panel.
- Create a new file in NotePad, in the same location where your folder where you have created your folder, and copy the following in it:
ren Fonts Fonts.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} - In the above command, replace Fonts with your folder name and save the folder as loc.bat.
- you want to save the file in Notepad as a .bat file, then put it in quotes, like “loc.bat” and click on “Save” button.
- You will now have a .bat file in the same directory where you have the Fonts folder; it will not be inside the Fonts folder.
- Now, create one more NotePad file by typing the following:
ren Fonts.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} Fonts - Save this file as key.bat and you will have two files, loc.bat and key.bat, with your folder.
- Double-click on the loc.bat folder and it will automatically take you to the Control Panel and you will not be able to access anything inside the file. You will notice that the icon has also changed.
- If you want to view the data in your folder, you simply have to click on the key.bat folder.
- However, you must move the key.bat folder in some other location. The best thing to do would be to transfer it to a USB stick or a CD.