"Encrypt contents to secure data" is grayed out

Doug:

Thanks for saving me hours of trying to activate the EFS function.

I looked at all of the screen shots for your XP Security Console. I didn't
see how to encrypt files on any of the consoles. Did I misunderstand
something? Did you provide the link as a courtesy, just in case I could use
the functions the control panel affords even though it doesn't address my
underlying wish to encrypt folders?

Also, can anyone suggest an application that will encryt whole folders and
all of the contained files and work on any file format?

Doug wrote:

HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP
Quote: The EFS feature is not included in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

Oops! I zoomed right past the summary, whick contains the notice that you
quoted. Mea culpa.

I think, nonetheless, it's poor programming to show a command as inactive
when it is nonexistent in the application. I can't be the only person who
has spent time trying to figure out how to activate it. It raises that
age-old question, "What does Microsoft have against computer users"?

"Doug Knox MS-MVP" wrote in message
...
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308989
HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP

Quote: The EFS feature is not included in Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"William Pine" wrote in message
...
I'm running XP Home.

I navigated to My Document\My Pictures\target folder. I selected
properties\general tab\attributes\advanced. When I clicked advanced, the
command "Encrypt contents to secure data" was grayed out (inactive), so I
couldn't encrypt anything.

Can anyone instruct me how to activate the encryption command?

Here is some other possibly relevant info:

The folder to encrypt is a subfolder of a folder for which sharing is
denied.

When I changed sharing permission on a folder by moving it to C:\Documents
and Setting\All Users\Shared Documents, the encrypt command remained
inactive.

The encryption command is grayed out both for a subfolder of My Document
containing only .jpg files and for a folder, C:\Letters, containing only
Word documents.

Also, I read in a Microsoft How-to article that folders with system
attributes and folders in the root structure cannot be encrypted. How do
I
determine if a folder has system attributes, and if it does, determine if
system attributes are necessary for that folder, and if not, remove the
system attributes? What does it mean for a file to be "in the root
structure," and where can I put a folder that is not in the root
structure?

Hi William,

The link to the Security Console is just for those who might find it =
useful in restricting what users on their computer can do.

Unfortunately, I don't use any encryption, other than what's built into =
Windows XP, so I can't make an referrals. But, with that said, any time =
you encrypt files and folders, make sure there's a method for undoing =
it, just in case..................

--=20
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
=20
"William Pine" wrote in message =
...
Doug:
=20
Thanks for saving me hours of trying to activate the EFS function.
=20
I looked at all of the screen shots for your XP Security Console. I =
didn't
see how to encrypt files on any of the consoles. Did I misunderstand
something? Did you provide the link as a courtesy, just in case I =
could use
the functions the control panel affords even though it doesn't address =
my
underlying wish to encrypt folders?
=20
Also, can anyone suggest an application that will encryt whole folders =
and
all of the contained files and work on any file format?
=20
Doug wrote:
=20
HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP
Quote: The EFS feature is not included in Microsoft Windows XP Home =
Edition
=20
Oops! I zoomed right past the summary, whick contains the notice =
that you
quoted. Mea culpa.
=20
I think, nonetheless, it's poor programming to show a command as =
inactive
when it is nonexistent in the application. I can't be the only person =
who
has spent time trying to figure out how to activate it. It raises =
that
age-old question, "What does Microsoft have against computer users"?
=20
"Doug Knox MS-MVP" wrote in message
...
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=3D308989
HOW TO: Encrypt a Folder in Windows XP
=20
Quote: The EFS feature is not included in Microsoft Windows XP Home =
Edition.
--=20
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
=20
"William Pine" wrote in message
...
I'm running XP Home.

I navigated to My Document\My Pictures\target folder. I selected
properties\general tab\attributes\advanced. When I clicked advanced, =
the
command "Encrypt contents to secure data" was grayed out (inactive), =
so I
couldn't encrypt anything.

Can anyone instruct me how to activate the encryption command?

Here is some other possibly relevant info:

The folder to encrypt is a subfolder of a folder for which sharing is
denied.

When I changed sharing permission on a folder by moving it to =
C:\Documents
and Setting\All Users\Shared Documents, the encrypt command remained
inactive.

The encryption command is grayed out both for a subfolder of My =
Document
containing only .jpg files and for a folder, C:\Letters, containing =
only
Word documents.

Also, I read in a Microsoft How-to article that folders with system
attributes and folders in the root structure cannot be encrypted. =
How do
I
determine if a folder has system attributes, and if it does, =
determine if
system attributes are necessary for that folder, and if not, remove =
the
system attributes? What does it mean for a file to be "in the root
structure," and where can I put a folder that is not in the root
structure?




=20

William Pine wrote:

Doug:

Thanks for saving me hours of trying to activate the EFS function.

I looked at all of the screen shots for your XP Security Console. I didn't
see how to encrypt files on any of the consoles. Did I misunderstand
something? Did you provide the link as a courtesy, just in case I could use
the functions the control panel affords even though it doesn't address my
underlying wish to encrypt folders?

Also, can anyone suggest an application that will encryt whole folders and
all of the contained files and work on any file format?
Hi

Some 3rd party solutions that might do what you want
are listed he

http://securityadmin.info/faq.htm#encryption


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...r/default.mspx