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Password protecting a folder

Pineman100
Resolved

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Posted May 4, 2011 at 5:24PM

I run Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit). I want to password-protect a folder on my computer, preferably without the complications of data compression or hiding the folder. I just want my wife to have access to it under a password. If I have to download new software, I'd prefer this to be free if possible

I've tried the forum's search function and found a number of quite old suggestions, but they all turn out to involve trialware rather than freeware.

Can anyone suggest how I can achieve the above, please?

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rawprawn

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Posted May 4, 2011 at 5:32PM

Not free, but I have used it for years to protect financial folders Hide Folders

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Fruit Bat /\0/\

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Posted May 4, 2011 at 5:39PM

Windows 7 will do it but it involves encrypting the folder see here

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Pineman100

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Posted May 4, 2011 at 6:02PM

Many thanks to you both.

rawprawn - I'll make a note of that, in case I can't get anything satisfactory for free.

Fruit Bat /\0/\ - on the face of it that looks like a good solution. However, I notice that the article casts some doubt on the security that the technique offers - it suggests that you don't store bank details, for example. Do you know why this is, given that the data is encrypted and password protected?

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robinofloxley

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Posted May 5, 2011 at 12:05AM

Axcrypt is very similar in function to the Windows software.

Dead easy to use. You can still navigate the files and folders and move/rename/delete. So it doesn't lock them in that sense.

But you need the key to open. Right click for context menu to encrypt etc.

Lots of features. 128 bit strong encryption

(I found Truecrypt a bit overpowering for just a few files.)

link text

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robinofloxley

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Posted May 5, 2011 at 12:08AM

Do NOT lose keys/passwords at this level.

Windows/BIOS/Word/WinZip etc may have passwords that can be cracked. With recent freely available encryptions you will be locked out permanently.

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Pineman100

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Posted May 5, 2011 at 9:23AM

Thanks robinofloxley. Axcrypt looks as though it's exactly what I need - I'll download and try it.

And thanks for your warning password loss!

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Pineman100

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Posted May 6, 2011 at 4:50PM

robinofloxley - just to let you know that Axcrypt does exactly what I wanted. And it's free!

Thank you very much for that tipoff.

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robinofloxley

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Posted May 6, 2011 at 5:04PM

Jolly good, thanks for the update

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