Protecting your files on Windows XP
If you are running Microsoft Windows 2000 or an earlier version, then your only option to password-protect your documents is to buy and install some software. If you are running Windows XP, then you do not have to buy anything since this functionality is already present in the Windows XP.
Following are the steps to follow:
Create a new compressed folder by right-clicking on an empty space (of the desktop for example) and choosing New compressed (zipped) folder
A compressed folder should appear. Type a name for your compressed folder.
Copy or move files/folders you want to protect into this folder.
Double-click the folder to open it. Click on File Add a password.
You will be prompted to type a password and to confirm the password by retyping it.
Once you click on OK, the password will be set.
Now anyone can see your files but they cannot open them without the correct password.
Suppose you do not want anybody to be able to see your files. You can hide the files by adding another compressed folder with a password. In other words:
Create one compressed folder.
Add you files to this folder.
Add a password.
Create another compressed folder.
Move the compressed folder you created in step 1 to this folder
Add a password to the compressed folder created in step 4.
Now when someone double-clicks on your compressed folder, he would see another compressed folder. Once he clicks on the second compressed folder, he would get a password prompt. If he doesn’t know the password, he can’t view the files.
The downside of this technique is that you would have to remember and type 2 passwords to get to a file.
Even though, other users cannot open your files without passwords, they can still delete you compressed folders.
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