A Windows XP operating system user must know that it has an in-built encryption feature that enables the user to encrypt any file or folder. The feature will be available for you if the hard disk is an NTFS formatted one. Users who have installed XP on a hard disk that is FAT32 formatted will not be able to use the encryption feature. If you want help with the encryption feature, you may contact a
computer repair service immediately.
Encryption of a file
If you want to encrypt a file in Windows XP, you must right click on the file and then select Properties from the list of options. In the Properties dialog that opens, the user has to click on the Advanced button. Having done this, a dialog will be opened for the Advanced Attributes. The user should now identify and check the box that is labeled Encrypt contents to secure data and then click on the OK option for saving the changes and closing the Advanced Attributes dialog.
In the Properties dialog, the Apply button would be enabled. Click on the Apply button and there will be a warning dialog shown. Now the user must choose the option labeled Encrypt the file only and then click on OK for saving the changes made. The user needs to click on OK again for closing the Properties dialog.
Know that the file that you encrypted can be opened only by you. The other people who use your computer system on the same domain will be able to see the file listed in Windows Explorer but are unable to view the contents of the file. If you have encrypted the file, you must set the options accordingly if you want to share access to other users and let them view the contents of the file.
In case, you cannot do this yourself, you can contact an online technical support service.
Auto encryption of files
When you encrypt a folder, know that whatever files you are placing in the folder will get automatically encrypted. Therefore, you may have a secret encrypted folder created, where you can store many secret files that are meant for your eyes only.
The color
In windows XP, you will find that the file name of an encrypted file is shown in green color; this is by default. If you do not like the color, you may change the options for disabling showing the encrypted files as well as folders names in color. Now, how do you do this? Its quite easy, you have to go to Control Panel and open Folder Options. Now the user must click on the View tab and select it. In the list of options that follow, the checkbox labeled Show compressed or encrypted NTFS files in color must be unchecked. Now click OK for saving the changes you have made.
