Topic: User access on drives in XP

[Moreno]

Hi Guys,


I have windows XP (hated Vista) and wanted to know if I could block certain drives from other users of this pc. I have another two users set up and wanted to give each person their own access to a drive without the others gaining access.

Anyway to do it?

cheers in advance

[Simon]

I think this is actually easier with Vista, believe it or not, but it looks like it can be done on XP.  I can't actually do this myself, as I am the only user, but if you sign in as the user you want to have use of the drive, then go to the drive (in My Computer), right click it, select Sharing and Security, hopefully you'll see 'Local sharing and security' in the next window.  If you tick the box to 'Make this folder private', then only that user should be able to access it.  Does that make sense?  Hopefully, if you are signed in as Administrator, you should have access to all of the drives.

Come back to us if that's a load of rubbish - as I said, I can't actually perform the task myself to test it. 

[Moreno]

Thanks Simon, I am at work now, but will give it a try and report back. Yeh vista was really easy when it comes down to this stuff, but a real pain in the a*** with other stuff. I just had enough, and used a hard drive failure to restart and go back to XP on a new larger driver. All working well again.....

I will report back when I have tried

cheers

[Moreno]

Ok, have found the make folder private but it is greyed out? Any reason why?

[Rik]

Are you logged in as an admin, are you using NTFS?

[Simon]

Hmm... I'm wondering if it won't work on a whole drive.  It works on individual folders on mine, so maybe you'll have to do the 'make folder private' thing for each folder in the drive?  One easier way, if this is the case, might be to move all of the drive's folders into one new folder, name it with the intended user's name, and set that to 'make folder private'.  Sorry, I'm floundering a bit here, so if anyone has any better ideas, please shout. 

Ahh, here comes the cavalry. 

[Moreno]

I am logged in as admin, but so are the other two users as I do not want them to not be able to install programs as being limited really limits them too much.

Even trying to make folders private it is greyed out.

[Simon]

The only other thing I can suggest, is to password protect the folders in each user's designated drive, although I'm sure there must be an easier way than this. 

If you zip all the folders in one of the drives into a zipped folder, click the .zip file to open it, then in the top menu select File then click "Add a Password".  Type a password into the Password box. Then again in the "Confirm Password" box, click OK, and that zipped folder will then be password protected.

[Sandra]

Theres a good program called Lock Folder that will do what you want.
That will make any folder or drive invisible to anyone but yourself.
When you install it you assign a key or combination of keys, say F12 and letter D at the same time to open up the programs log in box.
Enter your own details and you can access the protected folders and drives.
No one will know that you have restricted any folders or drives as they dont even show in safe mode.
Some one may notice that theres some space not accounted for on a drive, if they add up the space of visible folders but thats the only way they would know anythings hidden.
The program doesnt even show up in the ADD/Remove part of the control panel   

[gmax]

You could just buy two more PC's,  , i have five in my house never did like sharing PC's.

[Moreno]

Haha good call gmax....we already have 4 in the house, can't stretch anymore. Its just this one is the main one in the study, and I have all my work stuff which is sensitive to normal peoples eyes  .

Thanks Sandra, I will have a look at it.

[Reno]

There is a way to do it in the window's settings. It requires the disabling of simple file sharing within the folder options. Go to tools/ folder options/ view/ scroll all the way down to the bottom and disable the check box.

Then go to the folder or drive you want to assign to a specific account and right click properties/ security/ and proceed to assign to your specific account.

[Simon]

There is a way to do it in the window's settings. It requires the disabling of simple file sharing within the folder options. Go to tools/ folder options/ view/ scroll all the way down to the bottom and disable the check box.

Hmm... seems that option isn't available in XP Home Edition.   

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874

[Reno]

Ah, well in that case do what sandra suggested.