I have some of my personal files inside a folder in my office computer (Win XP). Can anybody in the house tell me how to protect the folder with password and deny other possible users access to my files?

search for a program called Folder-Lock - locks a folder with and without a password

also, try TrueCrypt - allows you create passworded volumes, using on the fly encryption <- preferred option
my suggestion - use true crypt to protect your files and place on a reliable flash drive, using true crypt in traveller mode.

By the way I don't think so you are authorized this at office you mean at your job. Only System Administrator who set up all multiple user account for entire office department, not you.

NEVER PUT ANY PERSONAL STUFF on your office system---LEAVE THEM AT HOME COMPUTER.

If it is not at your work/job, then here is info below:

Use Windows XP user account, create your own username and password plus add username/password for your family, friends who use your computer system other than you on windows login system or enable "Guest User Account" for anyone accessing your computer.

Your friend will use non-password Windows login as Guest Account that is restricted not able to open your personal folder there.

Step by step instruction how to enable Guest User Account or to customize new user account on Windows XP at below (either way you want):

Windows XP: Activate Guest User Account enabled:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/tips/advanced/guestaccount.mspx

Windows XP: Customize to create new User Account with password enabled:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/accounts.mspx

Seriously, I dont see why someone should have protected files on the office computer. Any good hacker can bypass windows xp password system, but getting past the encryption of truecrypt or a dedicated encryption is more time consuming.

The guy may be a sales rep protecting his "trade secret", or he suspects that someone wants to compromise the company

You can do this, it doesnt require any program.
Just follow this :

Suppose you want to lock the folder games in D: which has the path D:\Games. Open notepad and create 2 files ( see the code below ) in the same folder / drive in which the folder to be locked is present . In the code below we are taking games folder to be locked . Replace the games ( in the code below ) by the name of folder you want to lock .
To create these files in notepad copy / paste the code in notepad and save it as .bat .



Loc.bat :

ren games games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
attrib games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} +R +S +H

Key.bat :

attrib games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} -R -S -H
ren games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} games



And you are done . Clicking on loc.bat will lock your folder and clicking on Key.bat will unlock it .

The locking technique does not use encryption but still it's quite useful to hide your folders . Enjoy

go to www.google.com and type what u need to know

timba_bng:

You can do this, it doesnt require any program.
Just follow this :

Suppose you want to lock the folder games in D: which has the path D:\Games. Open notepad and create 2 files ( see the code below ) in the same folder / drive in which the folder to be locked is present . In the code below we are taking games folder to be locked . Replace the games ( in the code below ) by the name of folder you want to lock .
To create these files in notepad copy / paste the code in notepad and save it as .bat .



Loc.bat :

ren games games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
attrib games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} +R +S +H

Key.bat :

attrib games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} -R -S -H
ren games.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} games



And you are done . Clicking on loc.bat will lock your folder and clicking on Key.bat will unlock it .

The locking technique does not use encryption but still it's quite useful to hide your folders . Enjoy

i like ur style, Good trick

HMM MY MAN,
IF YOU KNOW THAT THOSE FILE IS SO CONFIDENTIAL TO YOU JUST DO THIS THINGS BELOW.

1. OPEN ALL THE FILES ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
2. RESAVE EACH OF THEM BY DOING THE FOLLOWING.
3. SAVE AS. IN THE SAVE AS DIALOG BOX, CLICK TOOLS MENU,SELECT SECURITY OPTIONS IF YOU ARE USING WINDOWS XP, AND GENERAL OPTIONS IF WINDOW 2000.
4. TYPE THE PASSWORD TO OPEN AND PASSWORD TO MODIFY IN THE SPACE PROVIDED FOR YOU THERE.
5. CLICK OK, IT WILL ASK YOU TO RETYPE IT, RETYPE IT AGAIN, AND CLICK OK.
6. TYPE THE FINE NAME FOR YOUR SAVING AND CLICK SAVE.
7. DO THE SAME TO ALL THE FILES, I ADVICE THAT YOU USE ONE PASSWORD FOR ALL OF THEM SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FORGET ANY.

8. AFTER ALL YOU CAN CHANGE THE ATTRIBUTE OF THE FOLDER THAT CARRIES ALL THE FILES. TO THAT FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION BELOW.
10. RIGHT CLICK ON THE FOLDER
11. CLICK PROPERTIES
12 MARK THE BOX ATTRIBUTE HIDDEN, AND DISMARK READ ONLY IF YOU WISH.
13. CLICK APPLY AND WAIT TO APPLY
14. FINNALY CLICK OK.

NOW YOUR FOLDER WILL BE INVISIBLE TO ALL YOUR CO- WORKERS.
WHEN EVER YOU WANT TO OPEN YOUR FILE, DO THE FOLLOWING
13. OPEN WHERE THE FOLDER IS.
14. CLICK AT THE TOOLS MENU AND SELECT FOLDERS OPTIONS.
15. IN THE FOLDERS OPTIONS DIALOG BOX CLICK AT THE VIEW MENU
16. MARK THE BOX SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS AND CLICK OK
17. NOW YOUR FOLDER WILL APPEAR WHERE YOU CREATE IT. YOU CAN NOW OPEN THE FILE YOU WANT WITH THE PASSWORD YOU USED TO SAVE IT.

YOU NOW ENJOY YOUR FILES ONLY AND ALONE.
FOR MORE INFO HUK ME UP WITH scanteebest@yahoo.co.uk.



I HOPE IT WORKS FOR YOU.

Option A: Put all your files on the Desktop


Option B: If those files are in MS Word.

Tool Bar -----  Tools ---- Protect Documents

OR

Use: http://workspace.office.live.com --------------- LIVE SPACE


OR

Use: http://skydrive.live.com/ --------------- SKYDRIVE

OPTION C:

If it is in Adobe Reader

Use: http://www.acrobat.com

Register and attach your files.


NOTE: The reason why I provided this options were because you will not only be able to keep your files away from other user but you will also be able to have your files online whenever and wherever you go.


But if you feel you don't want it online.

Be rest assured that all the applications we use have a way of protecting your file just like that of MS Word.

But unfortunately no file is save where you have a Black Hat.

Anyone can lay there hands on any information both on and off the internet.

NOTE: [/b]Lets go back to saving your files on Desktop. Beware that your own user pwd security can be passed to get to your information anytime.


[b]NOTE: It only depends on how good the other users are.