Locking Folders with passwords?

I was wondering if this is possible, without having to download a program to do so. I run Windows 2000 currently on this computer, and I was wondering how to lock a folder with a password. Also, how to do so on other OS such as Windows XP Pro, or Win95.

Thank you

 

As long as your HDD is formatted as NTFS, you can password protect your folders. I believe you just right-click the folder, choose 'sharing and security' and somewhere in there you can set a password.

If you're running Win95/98/ME, or if your Win2k/XP is formatted as FAT32, it's a little more challenging.

In ME and XP, you can simply use password protected compressed folders. A tip if you do that...people can still see the names of your files in the folder even though they can't get at them, so it's best to use a password protected compressed folder within another protected compressed folder...that way they can only see whatever you've named the compressed sub-folder, and they can't see your files.

For Win95/98 or Win2k formatted as FAT23, you'll need a third party program to password protect the folders...there are about a million of them out there.

A little more detail can be found here:

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,110663,00.asp

 

Actually, in 2000 at least, you have to do it this way:

To encrypt a file or folder

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the file or folder that you want to encrypt, and then click Properties.

2. On the General tab, click Advanced.

3. Select the Encrypt contents to secure data check box.