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How to protect a folder with a password?

post #1 of 27
4/28/10 at 7:17am
Thread Starter 
How to protect a folder with a password?

Thank you very much in advance.
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post #2 of 27
4/28/10 at 8:31am
I think you may need to be more specific.

A folder where?
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post #3 of 27
4/28/10 at 9:00am
One way is to use TrueCrypt. TrueCrypt is free and open source.

TrueCrypt isn't for encrypting an existing folder. TrueCrypt is for encrypting an entire partition or for creating a virtual encrypted disk. With a virtual encrypted disk you have a big file on your disk and that file is encrypted. When you mount that file in TrueCrypt it gets decrypted and mounted as a new drive letter. You then create and save files in that drive as normal.

If you have a professional or business or ultimate version of Vista/Win7 you can use EFS. But you really really need to know what you are doing if you use it. Key backup and recover is messy on a standalone system (a system that is not on a domain). Messy. Very very easy to do wrong and end up with encrypted files that you can't decrypt because you did something like change your logon password or changed user accounts. TrueCrypt is better.
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post #4 of 27
4/28/10 at 9:08am
I've asked this question a long long time ago. And I found out it's just easier to store my adult movies in an external drive and hide it under the bed.
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post #5 of 27
4/28/10 at 9:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlosfandango View Post
I think you may need to be more specific.

A folder where?
I just want to create a folder on my PC that nobody else can access except me.
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post #6 of 27
4/28/10 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ham Sandwich View Post
One way is to use TrueCrypt. TrueCrypt is free and open source.
Yes, thanks, I already have this TrueCrypt thing but I wondered whether there is no simpler way... I don't really need a super-duper encryption, a password allowing / not allowing the opening of a folder would be closer to what I'm looking for...
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post #7 of 27
4/28/10 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by greenhorn View Post
I don't really need a super-duper encryption, a password allowing / not allowing the opening of a folder would be closer to what I'm looking for...
You can't really do that on a standard home computer. You need to do some sort of encryption otherwise anyone who can get administrator privileges on the computer will still be able to see the files/folders.

NTFS has folder and file permissions. It is possible to restrict other users from being able to read the files in a certain folder. But any user that can get administrator privileges can override that. Any user that shares the same account you use will be able to see the files just as you do. Booting the computer with a Live Linux CD will also allow people to still see the files. The only way around those problems is to encrypt.

There are various shareware and freeware and commercial programs that can encrypt a folder more conveniently than TrueCrypt. I don't know of any offhand to suggest. TrueCrypt is the gold standard for this sort of thing. It is free, it is well understood, it works. Yes it is not the most convenient, but encryption rarely is something that can be done properly and still be convenient.
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post #8 of 27
4/28/10 at 11:28am
'Hide Folder'
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post #9 of 27
4/28/10 at 11:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dzjudz View Post
'Hide Folder'
I think you mean copy /b



Or even just encrypt a whole partition

edit: Hah, hamsandwich already brought up truecrypt. I'm impressed
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post #10 of 27
4/28/10 at 1:59pm
12 gauge shotgun, nice recliner, guard.
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post #11 of 27
4/28/10 at 2:03pm
Too funny Pepsi! I guess I don't have anything to hide on my computer.
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post #12 of 27
4/28/10 at 2:16pm
I use Folder Lock 6. You can encrypt, lock folders. Once locked the folder itself will be invisible which I like.
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post #13 of 27
4/28/10 at 3:55pm
Encrypt4all is quite good, and it's freeware. It should accomplish what you're looking to do in a few easy steps. It's no TrueCrypt, but it's simpler to set up and lighter on its feet.

Encrypt4all Software - encrypt files ,lock folders,data protection (Don't use Trial Pay button! Use free download link to the right.)

When I was researching TrueCrypt I remember reading that law enforcement has said it can crack Folder Lock pretty easily. Encrypt4all might not be any better, but at least it's free.
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post #14 of 27
4/28/10 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dj_mocok View Post
I've asked this question a long long time ago. And I found out it's just easier to store my adult movies in an external drive and hide it under the bed.
Now we know where to look.
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post #15 of 27
4/28/10 at 5:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepsi View Post
12 gauge shotgun, nice recliner, guard.
LOL!!!
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