Setting up the secret folder

To protect your secret folder from other users, first you need to use the configuration utility of MySecretFolder software to designate the folder you want to be secret. You can run the configuration utility by choosing the Start - All Programs - MySecretFolder command, or by using the shortcuts created during the installation on Start menu and/or Desktop:

To designate a folder as the secret folder, select it in the Which folder do you want to be secret? area. If the folder you want to protect is not listed, press the Browse button to locate the folder on your hard disk.

Note that only the "real folders" that actually exist on your hard drive and can hold files and documents can be protected with MySecretFolder. You cannot protect the "virtual" folders (such as Control Panel or My Network Places, or other such folders) with MySecretFolder. Also note that only one folder at a time can be made secret: if you designate a different folder to be protected with MySecretFolder software, the previously protected folder will become unprotected, until you select it again in the Path to your secret folder list.

Having designated a folder to protect with MySecretFolder software, you can also choose the method you want the folder to be protected: you can select to either Hide the folder or Lock the folder with password.

If you choose the Hide the folder method, the secret folder you have selected above will become completely hidden: if someone were to browse your computer with Windows Explorer, or with another program, he or she would not see your secret folder in the list of folders on your computer. The hidden folder would not appear if the user were using the Save As or Open commands, or if s/he were examining the hard drive with the command line prompt of Windows. For all practical purposes your secret folder would not exist for other users while it is protected by MySecretFolder software. How to remove the protection from the hidden folder and make it visible again? Very easy: by running the configuration utility of MySecretFolder software and pressing the Unprotect button, shown on the image above. To speed up this process, you can also set up a hot key and press it to quickly protect and unprotect your secret folder.

If you select the Lock the folder with password method, the secret folder you have chosen above will remain visible, but an attempt to open it will result in a password prompt shown on the screen. Only if you (or someone else who knows the password) enter the correct password, the folder would open in a window. Note that the password prompt can be displayed only if you open the folder in a usual way, by double-clicking on it on the Desktop, or in a Windows Explorer window, or while using the Save As or Open commands. If you attempt to open the folder via a shortcut, or via a menu command, or using some other method, then the Access denied (or similar) message will be shown, without displaying the password prompt. To be able to quickly open the folder in such a case, you may want to set up a hot key, and press the hot key combination to quickly display the password prompt.

Note that to actually start protecting your secret folder, you need to press the Protect button. If you turn the protection on, it will remain in effect even after you close the configuration utility, or restart the computer. To unprotect the folder for your own use, you can press the hot key, or use the taskbar icon menu, or run the configuration utility of MySecretFolder software and press the Unprotect button. The folder will remain unprotected until you protect it again.

Note: MySecretFolder software can protect the secret folder from the prying eyes of most Windows users. This protection, however, is not intended to withstand attack by anyone who has sufficient time and expertise.