[newlight1]

Just wondering if anyone knew how I made a file private, so that no other users including Amin can go into it in my user.

I this I goto right click on the file, Properties, Security, then click on the group or the user name, then edit, then deny to all. But on my PC I am confused as there are 3 options under group or username, one is System, the other is Administrators and the other one is ofcourse mine but it has the name of the administrator in brackets next to my name? So I clicked Deny to the Adminstrators and now I can not see that cile in my own user account? It has vanished? How can I get it back and then deny it to all the other users on the PC?

[anniebrion]

Obce you find the file again you can use AxCrypt to encrypt the file

http://www.axantum.com/axcrypt/

[kempshott]

If you can't see the file at all, check the advanced permissions of the folder it's in, and tick the box "replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object".

You cannot use Windows permissions to hide a file from anyone else with Administrator rights - they can always take ownership.

As Anniebrion says, the only way to hide data is to encrypt it.

[newlight1]

Thanks everyone, after looking in every user and unable to find it, I restored the computer and got my files back. I dont want to risk trying to put a security on it again as they are too important a a documents to lose. Unless anyone knows a way to put the security on them without losing them again?

[RobinOfLoxley]

You should make two copies of important stuff and keep the original.

In short term keep one copy on a flash disk and lock it in a drawer or something if you are worried about casual security and backup.

Install Axcrypt (as mentioned above)

Make a new text document, say, as a test.
Right click it and you will see you have Axcrypt options.

Encrypt the file or a copy of the file. And set your password/key.

Check the encryption works.
Have a look at some of the Advanced functions if you want, but the simple stuff can be learnt in 5 mins.

DON'T forget your password/key (write it down away from computer). If you lose it, you are stuffed.

If you want to get much more advanced (and encrypt partitions or whole disks/flash drives) then Truecrypt is a better package (also free)

You might do well to consider your backup strategy too. What if your hard drive fails etc.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by kempshott

If you can't see the file at all, check the advanced permissions of the folder it's in, and tick the box "replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object".

You cannot use Windows permissions to hide a file from anyone else with Administrator rights - they can always take ownership.

As Anniebrion says, the only way to hide data is to encrypt it.

Encryption doesn't hide data, it keeps it in plain sight but in unrecognisable form. To hide data, you need to use something like steganography.

OP, perhaps keep your porn stash hidden elsewhere?

[kempshott]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

Encryption doesn't hide data, it keeps it in plain sight but in unrecognisable form.

HIDE
2. To prevent the disclosure or recognition of

[Maxatoria]

don't forget that alot of applications create temporary files while in use so while the document may be encrypted the temporary files won't be encrypted so if someone does a undelete on the folder where the app stores its temp files it may be possible to recover the doc

[newlight1]

OK I tried that programe but whenever I enter the password and press ok it says "An Error occured when security wrapping "name of the File" access is denied."

Why is this? how can I stop this?

[newlight1]

Ohh I got it to work, I had to alter the security detaills in properties.

Just worried that if I encrypt all my video files they will not be able to be added to my burner programe to burn. Once something is Encypted does that mean it can never be changed back?

[newlight1]

Ahh no I encrypted some of my video files and then tried to add them to my Video Burner programe and it said "Unsupported ile format, can not add to burner"

[newlight1]

Ohh I decrypted it and entered the password and then it went onto my burner programme and it burned fne. Is that right? Am I doing this right?

[newlight1]

OK Wel I burn the encypted file and it burned fine but then when I tried to play the DVD on my DVD player it said Disk error and no disk. So I tried to burn a video file which I hadnt encypted and then decypted and burn it and then played it back on my DVD player and it played fine!

So I guess when I encypt a video even if I Decryt it I it will burn but will not play on a DVD player? Is that right? If so, how can I put a password on my files??? So annoying I can do this with any word document easy and with this too but they will not then play when I then burn them? Is there anything else I can do?

[newlight1]

OK tried to encryopt another file and then decrypted it and burned it and it worked fine this time??? Confused now??

[max99]

In simple terms, encrypting a file turns that file into a meaningless, garbage file. Nothing can be done with that file until you decrypt it. Once it's decrypted, it turns back into the original file.

So, no, you can't burn an encrypted video file and expect to be able to watch it on a standard DVD player.

Simple solution: burn the video files as per normal and hide the DVDs under the bed. Like in the old days of porn.

[John259]

This doesn't apply to video files but it might just be worh mentioning that Word documents and Excel spreadsheets can be given passwords from within those programs when saving the files. I believe there are programs widely available to defeat these passwords so they are only protection against casual hackers.

[John259]

You should be able to burn any file onto a CD or DVD as a computer data file, subject to the disc having enough room for it of course. Perhaps you were trying to burn a non-video file using a "make video disc" option?

[Jimmy_McNulty]

Share With> Nobody.

[newlight1]

I have experimented and I right click on the file, Axcrypt-Encrypt- it then says enter passphrase and verify phrasphrase which I do, the box that says remember this for encryption is left empty as is the box below, nothing is put in the box file key, then it says shredding and the file is then encrypted and has the green shield on it, but whats the point really as all someone has to do to open it is right click on it, axcrypt-dycrypt and its opened without asking for the password

[anniebrion]

Originally Posted by newlight1

I have experimented and I right click on the file, Axcrypt-Encrypt- it then says enter passphrase and verify phrasphrase which I do, the box that says remember this for encryption is left empty as is the box below, nothing is put in the box file key, then it says shredding and the file is then encrypted and has the green shield on it, but whats the point really as all someone has to do to open it is right click on it, axcrypt-dycrypt and its opened without asking for the password

You have something set up incorrectly then as I always get asked for the passphrase every time I double click on an encrypted file

[RobinOfLoxley]

Try Right click > Axcrypt > Clear Passphrase Memory.

[Johnbee]

You can make a small partition of your C drive so you get a new drive to look at in My Computer. Put the files on it. Remove the partition. It will not be shown as existing anywhere at all except the system management tools, in the disk manager part and even there it just shows as a blank bit of disk until you assign it a letter, when it will again be seen in My Computer - the files will still exist even though the disk has been non-existent for a while.

Obviously do a practice run before doing the real thing.

That will defeat just about everybody. If a person can get past that trick, don't bother, you can not hide anything from them, they know too much.

[anniebrion]

If you're having issues with AxCrypt then try TrueCrypt, this will allow you to create a file that will be treated as a new drive in My Computer, you will need to use a password before any of the contents can be accessed. TrueCrypt can be more secure that AxCrypt

[anniebrion]

Originally Posted by Johnbee

You can make a small partition of your C drive so you get a new drive to look at in My Computer. Put the files on it. Remove the partition. It will not be shown as existing anywhere at all except the system management tools, in the disk manager part and even there it just shows as a blank bit of disk until you assign it a letter, when it will again be seen in My Computer - the files will still exist even though the disk has been non-existent for a while.

Obviously do a practice run before doing the real thing.

That will defeat just about everybody. If a person can get past that trick, don't bother, you can not hide anything from them, they know too much.

Why not just use TrueCrypt, you need not create an extra partitions and you end up will a password protected and fully encrypted virtual HDD.

[Superwomble]

Originally Posted by anniebrion

Why not just use TrueCrypt, you need not create an extra partitions and you end up will a password protected and fully encrypted virtual HDD.

Thats what I was going to suggest. Truecrypt is what I would use, but I would read the instructions VERY thoroughly first.

If its a single small file, why not change its name to a gobbledygook name, change its extension and hide it somewhere in the system folders or any of the program file subfolders? Obviously dont give it the same name or extension as something that is there, and make a note of where it is - but I have hidden odd things away like this.