Is there a way to password protect a folder (and all subsequent sub-folders beneath it?)
No, not without using a third party tool or XPs built in encryption (which can work on a per folder basis).
Sorry, forget the second part, XPs encryption works in a different way.
I'd recommend looking at TrueCrypt (free) or BestCrypt (not free*).
(* In fact, BestCrypt has that kinda annoying subscription model where you stop getting minor fixes/updates after a year unless you pay for another year, even if there isn't a new major update to justify paying the re-subscription for. However, last I tried it around 2007 I found TC caused my PC to BSOD every few days so BC is still my choice.)
hmm, I´m using TrueCrypt via containers. They will be mounted as removable disks after launching TrueCrypt & typing in the password.
Your answer suggests, that there is a direct way to encrypt folders. That would be cool (as an additional way). Is this possible with BestCrypt only?
BestCrypt works via containers (either physical disks/partitions or virtual partitions that live inside a big file) as well.
I don't think I've seen a tool that lets you password-encrypt folders; only individual files or entire (virtual) drives.
The Windows encryption stuff will do folders but as I understand it it's tied to your account, rather than a password, so you can't be logged in but prevent things running as you from reading the folders and you can't share the data with other people AFAIK. (Or maybe you can add other people's accounts to the list of keys? I've not really tried it to be honest.)
[quote="leo"]BestCrypt works via containers (either physical disks/partitions or virtual partitions that live inside a big file) as well.
I don't think I've seen a tool that lets you password-encrypt folders; only individual files or entire (virtual) drives.
The Windows encryption stuff will do folders but as I understand it it's tied to your account, rather than a password, so you can't be logged in but prevent things running as you from reading the folders and you can't share the data with other people AFAIK. (Or maybe you can add other people's accounts to the list of keys? I've not really tried it to be honest.)[/quote]
I think, there are a few smaller tools out there that can encrypt folders.
Interestingly, if Opus could obfuscate the file names within password encrypted Zips & "unlock" the Zip (for a session), that would be sufficient for that task - sort of. Whole folder structures can be zipped.
[quote="leo"]BestCrypt works via containers (either physical disks/partitions or virtual partitions that live inside a big file) as well.
I don't think I've seen a tool that lets you password-encrypt folders; only individual files or entire (virtual) drives.
[/quote]
take a look at Folder Guard
winability.com/folderguard/
i bought it but i can't say anything good or bad because i haven't had a chance yet to really use it, but it has been around for a while
and their other stuff is good and professionally done
before i found Dopus their file manager was my main windows file tool, of course Dopus beats all the competition hands down as far as i am concerned
ds