how to password protect external HD on XP without installing a software so that i could access it on any PC?

Question

I have have "Western digital elements" external hard drive and the file system of drive is NTFS and I am using Windows XP.

I want to password protect the drive/folders without installing any third party software so that I could plug it on any other machine.

OR is there any other way to do this?

Answer 1

It can't be done. The next best thing is to create two partitions, one small and unencrypted and one large an encrypted. On the small, unencrypted partition, store the software needed to decrypt.

Answer 2

If you are windows user you need at once convert your disk partition into NTFS file system. Click right buttom on your folder and choose "Properties" Select Rights tab (You need work with administrative rights) and remove from list all users except yourself and your Administrator account. Or set rights for ever user. You can prohibit various kind of folder access (file listing, file viewing, file executing, file deleting, file writing access rights or additional writing to existing file) If your version of Windows - Started edition or Home you cannot edit rights visualy. In this case, you need learn CACLS command from command string. For UNIX like systems (Linux, Mac) you should to work with CHMOD command

Answer 3

erm dunno about that try this!!

http://www.office.microsoft.com/en-gb/FX101538731033.aspx