Is there a way to prevent people from accessing certain drives, in Windows XP, like formatting to some unconventionnal file system.
Hard Drives
Is there a way to prevent people from accessing certain drives, in Windows XP, like formatting to some unconventionnal file system.
Format as NTFS. Then on the files/folders you want to restrict access (or even the entire drive), right click in explorer > Properties, and choose the Security tab. Then you can adjust the permissions there as you please
If the tab is missing, you need to make it visible. In Explorer, Tools > Folder Options > View > Untick the Use Simple File Sharing check box, should be the last in the whole list. I don't know if this is XP Pro only or not.
Formatting to reiserfs in Windows XP isn't going to help you much either.
You could setup permissions for your drives when you right click on a drive and go into Properties > Security. Of course it would be favorable to password protect your Windows login or else anyone could log onto your account and access the drive you've protected.
If you can't seem to get to the Security tab in Properties, first go to any explorer window and go to Tools > Folder Options > View > and untick Use Simple File Sharing. Go back to the Properties Window and it should appear.
EDIT: What he said.
I used partition magic to make that drive, and when I did it, I got an error saying it couldnt format it to NTSF. Will it pose any problems if I try to format it or is there a reason behind this.
I'm assuming you have one HDD, right? Is your Windows installation on an NTFS formatted drive or something else (FAT32)?
I have 2 hard drives on 2 computers I have to do this with. One of them is Fat32, along with is different partitions. The other one has a main NTSF partition and 2 Fat32 ones.
Edit: I noticed this is far from being clear
Computer one
C: Fat32
D: Fat32
E: Fat32
All of the abose is one HD
Computer 2
C: NTSF
D: Fat32
E: Fat32
This is the one where partition magic wouldnt make D and E into NTSF
Last edited by Killy; 12-12-2004 at 01:12 AM.
Don't use Partition Magic to format NTFS drives as that can sometimes do strange things, delete that problem partition and then use WinXP's own disk management tool to make it NTFS.
Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management on the left. You should be able to right click a partition and format as NTFS there.
EDIT: Looking at your edit, you have to delete the partition and recreate it as NTFS in the first place to format it as NTFS afterwards. Though I still recommend not using Partition Magic on NTFS drives.
Also, can I do it if the users I want to protect it from have admin priviledges. If I cant, is there a way to make their account so they can install stuff as they please without having me to type in the password.
I did not know WinXP had built-in partition tools, I guess I wont need Partition Magic anymore.
Last edited by Killy; 12-12-2004 at 01:37 AM.
If they have admin priviledges, then I suppose you might have to play around with encryption properties of NTFS, something I've not used myself before, so can't help you much more than point you in that general direction
Can I create a usergroup that would give them similar priviledges (or the same)?
I'm pretty sure you can deny admin privileges and grant a specific admin access.
You can deny an admin certain priviledges, but being an admin, there's little stopping them giving themselves the priviledges back again, taking ownership if necessary
Im counting on the fact that they lack initiative and computer knowledge. They will beleive there is nothing they can do.
*must... resist... urge... to recommend... Linux...*
Can't you make them a user with the power to install programs using a wizard? Or was that a different thing...
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