Can you password protect a single directory?

On a PC.

There's the signon password but is there a way to password protect directories once signed on?

OS is XP Pro.

I believe there is add on software that will allow this. One old one I used to use was Magic Files. It password protected so that other users would not be aware that they even existed. I used it at the directory level. It was a free download. I just googled it to see if it was still around and it sure is:
http://www.shareup.com/Magic_File-download-10442.html

Or, another option if your running NTFS file system is to set permissions so that only certain users can see the files or dir.

edit to add:
Here is a place you can REALLY download it. The other link is a farce.
http://www.download.com/Magic-File/3000-2092_4-10421960.html

I just now briefly tried Magic-File and I'm cautious. Per its documentation:

It requires $35 payment to use after 30 days. (Or else what?)

The contact info listed in the docs goes to a paid-referral search engine, rather than to the author who has apparently abandoned this domain.

The documentation isn't quite English.
"Auto upgrade, here, you can set if you like the software auto check new."

Re encryption: "... but low level the file will not very safety."

Most important, I'm trying to analyse a bogus 'New Folder' that is self-generating on my desktop and stands alongside any New Folder (duplicate name) that I create by rt-click/New/Folder. I think it's desktop.ini with the wrong icon. I can see it, Windows Explorer and Start/Search can see it, but Magic-File can't see it.

I'm going to uninstall Magic-File.


Back to Zoom's question - Have you considered using True Crypt to make an invisible partition?

We used to use a program called AxCrypt on our production systems at the office to protect our source code (we used to ship source code with every system). It has very nice integration with the OS (right click context menus, etc), and IT'S FREE!

Features

The following are features that really set it apart from all other file encryption tools, commercial as well as free:

• Double-click to edit/view with any application.
• Automatic re-encryption after modification.
• Absolutely no user configuration necessary or possible before use.
• Open source under GNU General Public License.
• 7 languages in one executable distribution.
• Extensive command-line interface for scripting and programming.

Other features include:

• Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2K/XP compatible.
• AES encryption with 128-bit keys.
• Edit an encrypted document directly with double-click.
• Optional pass phrase cache - type pass phrases once per logon and/or reboot.
• Automatic pass phrase validation before decryption or editing.
• Key-File generation and support.
• No options or user interface - easy to install and use.
• Relatively light-weight, less than 1Mb download
• Extensive command-line interface.
• Server mode options.
• Huge file support > 4GB (on Windows NT/2K/XP).
• Dynamic brute force counter measure - iterative key wrapping.
• Integrates well with web based file sharing services.
• Selective compression before encryption - faster downloads/uploads.
• Retains original file name and information of an encrypted file.
• Integrated shredder.
• Shredding of all temporary and encrypted plaintext files.
• Secure memory handling - no keys or data in the paging file.
• Industry standard algorithms.
• Data integrity verification - no undetected modification.
• Unique data encryption keys used for every file and (re-)encryption.
• Polyglot - currently speaks English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian and Swedish.
• Easy to add more languages - contact me (I'm especially looking for Nordic languages)!
• Open source - no backdoors.
• Private branding support for commercial or corporate versions.
• It's FREE!

Click to expand...

Sorry for the old pointer on Magic Files. It used to be free and worked as expected. I downloaded it but have not done the setup. I won't bother now.
Dave, that looks like a good-un you got there.
I'll give it a try.

Well Dave, how well does it work? I've been wanting to start that porn collection on my computer, but it's networked with all my kid's computers and I don't think it would be very prudent to begin a porn collection and have my 6 year old discover it while doing a root directory search and browsing file structures on the different computers on our network.

Dargo said:

I've been wanting to start that porn collection on my computer, but it's networked with all my kid's computers and I don't think it would be very prudent to begin a porn collection and have my 6 year old discover it while doing a root directory search and browsing file structures on the different computers on our network.

Click to expand...

That's a sig. file just waiting to happen

cant say I blame ya tho...

Dargo said:

Well Dave, how well does it work? I've been wanting to start that porn collection on my computer, but it's networked with all my kid's computers and I don't think it would be very prudent to begin a porn collection and have my 6 year old discover it while doing a root directory search and browsing file structures on the different computers on our network.

Click to expand...

Well Dargo, if you have to ask how to do it then you best not be attempting it. Your kids are probably one step ahead of you already!

In fact that odd large file on your 6 year old's computer just might be their porn collection!

Dave,

I downloaded, installed and tried the AxCrypt software.

I've read the regular 29 page manual but didn't find an answer so I don't know if it's possible.

I only want to protect the directory. It's encrypting every file inside the directory which won't work for what I want to do. What I'm looking for is a simple way to keep the kids from messing up directories or their contents. Their newer PC games and such don't want to run on their Win 95 machine so they're using Mrs. Zoom's PC. Without having to create multiple users and such, we just want to password protect a couple directories so they can't inadvertantly mess up or delete Mrs. Zoom's files.

Any ideas?

Brian,
Do you have them coming in as administrator? That is scary!

It is so simple to add another user and set permissions on the dir's you do not want them getting into. Let me know if you need help with setting up permissions or adding a new user.
I know the main gripe is probably Mrs BC doesn't want to have to deal with a password. That would be a neccessary evil from my point of view.

Doc said:

Brian,
Do you have them coming in as administrator? That is scary!

Click to expand...

You mean I'm not supposed to do that?

Yea, I can setup new users but thought I could just password protect a couple directories and avoid that.
See, being just past Christmas and such, there's a bunch of new software to load. They recognize when a CD is inserted if it's going to play or install. If the latter, they get me to install it. Well, after a little time, kid A gets off and kid B sits down and inserts another CD. Again, either it plays or I install. Then, Mrs. Zoom gets on to do a little internet searching or something. So, instead of creating multiple ID's that require each person to signoff/signon, I just wanted to protect a couple directories. If I put the kids on a user (non-admin) account, I would then have to do a bunch of signoff/signon to install their new software.

So far, they're very good about not clicking anything on the desktop. To my knowledge, they're not savvy enough to do much more than insert a CD and wait for an autorun. Once the autorun occurs, it's like powerpoint where all tool/task bars go away as it's in full-screen mode.

bczoom said:

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

Microsoft Private Folder 1.0

dirLock 1.2

Secrecy File & Folder Hider

Thanks Dave!!!

Do you have any experience with any of these?

I opened a window for the first one and at the bottom it showed another half-dozen similar products.

bczoom said:

Thanks Dave!!!

Do you have any experience with any of these?

I opened a window for the first one and at the bottom it showed another half-dozen similar products.

Click to expand...

Nope. No experience. The three I listed are all free. The are a bunch more at that site that are shareware (minimum cost $$).