hide files under user accounts

[Blintok]

So am running Windows XP Professional SP2

I was sole (administrator) user of this computer until recently.
What i want to be able to do is set up a user account for me
and have a separate account for the others.

i set up a separate account but they can still see folders and files on my account
i want to lock(hide) files so that only i can see them.

i right click on a folder and to "sharing and security" and under Local Sharing and Security
"to make this folder and its subfolders private so that only you have access select the following checkbox"

but "make this folder private" is greyed out.

a search on the web i came across to go to folder options and turn off "use simple file sharing" doing that..going to sharing and security. under sharing "do not share this folder"is ticked. problem solved so i thot. but when i log out and into other user i can still see all my files.

the next tab from "sharing" is "security" aha. can set permissions but when i do not see a group or user name for other acct. (called Staff) ..there are 4 names under group or user names - Administrators, Creator owner, name(as in my name), system and Users.

under security tab i tried clicking on my name in "user names" and check all in Allow. then under "users" check all the deny boxes. i thot that was the end of it as it denied the other acct..but then when i log myself it..it has locked out the files for me too.

so is it possible to do what i want here? i am at a loss as to what to do next. help!

 

[Gunbuster]

If you are serious about keeping things to yourself nothing short of encrypting the files is going to keep them safe if someone has physical access to the PC.

 

[lmccrary]

Truecrypt is free and works great.

 

[scrappyd]

Maybe you can buy an external hard drive and save the files you don't want to be viewed on that.


I've used truecrypt and it works well. Look for videos on youtube if you need help setting it up.

 

[Blintok]

thanks everyone. appreciate the suggestions.

i tried just "hiding" the folders and turning off the show hidden folders option.
but that is easy to get past, so i discovered that XP professional has a built in
file encryption. so using those 2 seems to work. not sure how secure that is but its better than it was b4.

the computer is a work computer. it will now be shared by a few people. so i have one acct for me. one for "staff" (security) and a 3rd for the last staff member. she will only be working on Fridays. will have to let her set up a password on her user acct.

 

[Sephire]

I use Truecrypt.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Why not just totally hide the whole drive? IF the files you want hidden are on another drive, that is. I use NoDrivesManager, and I THINK it was free, and very easy to use.