uiop Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Is it possible to Password Protect a folder in Jaguar straight from the box, meaning no other software? I am trying to protect my iChat folder ... i want it to ask me for a password even when I (admin) attempts to open this folder ... in case my mac doesn't go into screen saver mode. I'm not paranoid, i don't have anything interesting to hide, but it is something that i have been wondering for a while now for other folders on my system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaron901 Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 i would like to know too that would be great i have a lot of things to hide :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik XP Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 I want this feature on the next version of Windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Dorr Veteran Posted November 12, 2002 Veteran Share Posted November 12, 2002 you could always chmod it from the command line, or change it's permissions from the get info box. I'm not sure about a password pop-up though... *shrug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uiop Posted November 12, 2002 Author Share Posted November 12, 2002 it just seems like such an easy concept to me ... it should just *be* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33kb0y Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 it just seems like such an easy concept to me ... it should just *be* I agree completely. I also miss the password feature on the network. I know that the 9x/ME password protection on folders was easily hacked, but at least it was an annoyance and kept some people out. Why don't people just naturally program this into their system (that does NOT imply that it would be easy...but paying $200-- the legal OS owners out there...few that you are-- should at least justify some creativity and common sense)? It would make so much sense...guess that's life for ya. :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33kb0y Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 40th post!!!! *do a little dance* :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Dorr Veteran Posted November 12, 2002 Veteran Share Posted November 12, 2002 40th post!!!!*do a little dance* :D heh, we normally save those for every 1000 around here... :D anyhoo, i think that this should be possible maybe with an app to manage it all. It may be easily hackable, but it's at least secure against idiots :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayle Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 can this thing be done in xp pro on ntfs where even the admin needs to authorise himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uiop Posted November 12, 2002 Author Share Posted November 12, 2002 can this thing be done in xp pro on ntfs where even the admin needs to authorise himself thats the kind of thing i'm looking for ... obviously though for my mac ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessejlt Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 Yes you can do this in Jaguar. Yes it is free. Yes it is native. There are two ways of doing this, one is easy, one is easier. It all depends on how picky the application is that writes the files to the encrypted / password protected folder. Both ways are as follows: Warning: Before trying either of the following methods, please make a backup of the folder first! Easiest: Create an alias of the folder you wish to encrypt / password protect. Then, create an encrypted disk image using 'Disk Copy' (Applications/ Utilities/ Disk Copy) and drop the original folder into the disk image you just created. Then delete the original folder that is not in the disk image. Now when iChat tries to write a file in that folder, it will navigate to the alias, then the alias will navigate to the disk image, prompt for the password, and allow iChat to write the file. Easy cheesy :cool: Easy: If the app is picky, like Mail.app for example, you have to fake an alias. The instructions to do so are copy and pasted from Mac OS X Hints and I give full credit to that site for the following snipet: You can keep your Mail.app mailboxes on an encrypted image created by Disk Copy. Mail keeps your mailboxes in the ~/Library/Mail folder, and you can copy this folder over to an encrypted image. Unfortunately, you can't just delete the original and replace it with an alias (by dragging the folder back while holding down the Command and Option keys). That doesn't work -- Mail will not give a warning but will not find your mailboxes, either.Instead, you must create a symbolic link. Suppose you have created an image which mounts on the desktop as a disk named SECRET and you have copied over the Mail folder and deleted the original. Start up the Terminal application and type % cd ~/Library % ln -s "/Volumes/SECRET/Mail" Mail Now if you look back in ~/Library folder with the finder, you will find what looks like an alias. Mail will now work correctly. By the way, if you are using Eudora for mail (in Classic mode), you can just create an alias to the Eudora Folder. A symbolic link is not required. [Editor's note: You can, of course, use a more generic version of this hint to keep your Mail folder on any volume, not just an encrypted disk image.] I suggest first trying the 'Easier' way, since, well, it's easier :yes: Then try the other way, not as easy, but not that hard either :no: Have fun, and remember the password that you set the disk image to. If you forget, it is completely unrecoverable :angry: jesse ;-) -=Edit=- To use this method in a more generic fashion, like storing important information in an encrypted environment, or encrypting any senstive folder, the following link will give instructions and proper use. http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?sto...002090708155384 Have pHun :woot: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Dorr Veteran Posted November 12, 2002 Veteran Share Posted November 12, 2002 woah! awesome man! Thanks. I didn't even think of that :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayle Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 is there something like that in xp too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dayle Posted November 12, 2002 Share Posted November 12, 2002 (edited) i found one its really cool .but for windows see it here Easy File & Folder Protector Edited November 12, 2002 by dayle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickedkitten Veteran Posted November 12, 2002 Veteran Share Posted November 12, 2002 I just use pgp myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uiop Posted November 14, 2002 Author Share Posted November 14, 2002 awesome, thanks jessejlt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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