Re: password protect a second drive

Joe wrote:
I am adding a second hard drive to my windows xp Pro computer. I will fomrat it as NTFS and use the whole drive as a complete partition. My plan is to use this as a backup drive for data. Is there is a simple way in Windows XP (without a third party program) to password protect this entire drive so only I can access it. Even if I can only protect certain folders on the second drive that would be helpful-without protecting the whole extra drive! I do not want to compress the files. I am the only person with administrative rights to this computer.
Thanks 




   Like Win2K, WinXP's file security paradigm doesn't rely on, or
allow, the cumbersome method of password protection for individual
applications, files, or folders.  Instead, it uses the superior method
of explicitly assigning file/folder permissions to individual users
and/or groups.

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

HOW TO Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q308418

HOW TO Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and
Folders
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q308419

 HOW TO Set the My Documents Folder as Private in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;298399

    Of course, if you have WinXP Pro, you can encrypt the desired
files/folders.

Best Practices for Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223316

As a crude work-around, if you actually prefer Win9x's way, you can place the file in a compressed folder, and set a password to uncompress the folder to view/access its contents. Also, some applications allow the user to password-protect their specific data files. Read the specific application's Help files for further information on this capability.


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Bruce Chambers

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