secure folders

[Joe B.]

I am new to both windows xp home edition and pc's in
general. I have what I thought was a simple problem that
I have not been able to figure out..I would like to have
the ability to password protect or secure folders. My
computer is shared by myself and two younger sons and
there is personal and business info. I would like to
organize into folders that only I can get into. Is this
possible? Thanks in advance for your help!!
JB

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

If you have a computer where XP Home Edition came pre-installed, then
you likely are using the NT file system, which is required for the
security features you seek. If you upgraded from Windows 98 or ME to XP
Home Edition, then you likely will have to convert from "FAT32" to
"NTFS". You can run the Computer Management tool, found in the
Administrative Tools menu in the Start menu. Click on Disk Management
and verify that your file system is listed as NTFS.

If you have not put a password on your accounts, you should do so from
the User Accounts control panel. The program will ask if you want to
make your files private and you should select "yes". If you already have
a password, but no file privacy, then open Windows Explorer (My Computer
on the desktop) and right-click your My Documents folder at the top
under the desktop and check the box marked for making your folders
private.

Everything under your My Documents folder will now be inaccessible to
other accounts. However, if your programs are putting your data
elsewhere, the data files may be visible. You should verify the location
of these data files and logon as your sons and see if you can access
those folders. If so, you need to try to find an option in your
application that will move your data files or open data files in another
location. Post back for more help and support. You might also consider
making your sons' accounts "limited" accounts in the User Accounts
control panel, although that often breaks their use of game software.
However, if you leave their accounts as Administrator accounts and they
are clever and knowledgeable, they will be able to bypass the privacy
controls and gain access to any data on the computer.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows



"Joe B." > wrote in
message ...

> I am new to both windows xp home edition and pc's in
> general. I have what I thought was a simple problem that
> I have not been able to figure out..I would like to have
> the ability to password protect or secure folders. My
> computer is shared by myself and two younger sons and
> there is personal and business info. I would like to
> organize into folders that only I can get into. Is this
> possible? Thanks in advance for your help!!
> JB

[Chuck Little]

Step up to PRO
"Joe B." > wrote in message
...
> I am new to both windows xp home edition and pc's in
> general. I have what I thought was a simple problem that
> I have not been able to figure out..I would like to have
> the ability to password protect or secure folders. My
> computer is shared by myself and two younger sons and
> there is personal and business info. I would like to
> organize into folders that only I can get into. Is this
> possible? Thanks in advance for your help!!
> JB