Password Protect Folders, is it possible without paying?

Me again!

I would like to know if there are any programs or any features in XP that will allow certain folders to be password protected. I found one good program but it wouldn't let me do folders over 50mb without me coughing up some cash. I can't afford cash!

I need this as I split my hard drive in two and all of my families personal stuff are in the second partition and we don't like each other snooping around.

Thanks in advance

 

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Well you could use PGP if your disk is 95/98/NT, but it's no good for the newer systems like XP because it would cost you money.

You could try for drives:
http://www.ce-infosys.com.sg/CeiNews_FreeCompuSec.asp

or for files:
http://axcrypt.sourceforge.net/

this one has a version for both, although it might or might not be a fully functioning program since it's a shareware program.
http://www.abylonsoft.com/frame.htm

Just note, Encrypting something that is encrypted with a good program and a hard algorythm means that you better make damn sure you remember your password, otherwise you might as well get use to re-installing your OS.

 

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Folders can be encrypted on XP Pro if you are using NTFS. You use the cipher command. For home I'd use a symmetric encryption scheme, 3DES or AES. An assymetric scheme is not practical for v. large amounts of data. If you do use a asym scheme, use GnuPG since PGP for windows is as buggy and as bloated as hel.l

 

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Stryder - Axcrypt was useless! It encrypted all my documents but wouldn't really let me view or open them. And when I uninstalled the program it didn't unencrypt (as hoped) thus rendering all my files useless. Had to delete everything. Lucky I had them all on CD. Should've really manually unencrypted them all while it was still installed.

Voodoo - I shall try it out tomorrow. I once used PGP when I had 2000. I hated it so much!

 

Also try out compression software. They often offer the option of putting a password on compressed files.

 

But it's not really encrypted. Currently PGP is the only way to go to get really good encryption.

(although if you are just trying to hide stuff from normal users then winzip passwords would meet the need as redrover suggested)

 

I'm not to sure, but from what I remember any modern encryption system (Okay, maybe not the winzip passwords, but something more substantial like DES) is as good or even better than PGP. Also, it's much faster to encypt and decrypt than PGP. The only advantage PGP has over other encryption systems is that it uses public and private keys, making it pretty usefull for encypting things over the internet.

 

"Also try out compression software. They often offer the option of putting a password on compressed files."

A good idea. WinRar uses AES, which is brick shithouse safe

 

Thor, get a pirated copy through dc++ or bittorrent or a crack for the shareware version @ astalavista.box.sk or cracks.am (beware of pop ups @ cracks.am) if you need it for home not work place

 

Btw, Sorry if one of the suggestions didn't work out for you Thor, although I guess it works out for others.

 

WinXP has Cipher,as it was pointed by others.You could Use Winzip 9.0 Beta,it has 256-BIT AES encryption,with password protection scheme.Incredible.Simply great and NO cost!!