There are dozens of these little "softwares" out there, most of them free, usually with names like "File Hider" or "Folder Lock." I believe that they work at the Windows kernel level and can even make files and folders invisible in Safe Mode. I'd like to test one or two of these programs out, but I'm afraid that if they are buggy, I might lose access to valuable data or otherwise screw up my operating system. Does anyone have experience these programs? Do they do what they say? And more importantly, are they safe to use?
SOLVED Folder hiding/locking software--how safe to use?
- Thread starter Ronnie B
- Start date
bassfisher6522
Moderator
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2014
- Messages
- 2,063
- Reaction score
- 396
This is exactly why users need to have a 2nd system to test software like this. Example of what I mean....have a desktop (tower) and a backup system (laptop). Or, setup a VM to test software.
Bassfisher6522, thanks for replying. FYI, I run multiple VM's with various flavors of Windows from 7 thru Enterprise 10. I also rely heavily on encrypted containers to secure critical data. However, it's some 36 TB of only semi-critical files and folders--way too much to keep spending hours encrypting--that I'd like to find a quicker/easier way to secure at least minimally. If you or someone else could address my original questions re: file-hiding/locking software, I'd very much appreciate it--thanks!
bassfisher6522
Moderator
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2014
- Messages
- 2,063
- Reaction score
- 396
Have you tried bitlocker? It's native to windows. Open up control panel and scroll down to BitLocker.
Umm-m-m … BitLocker? Really? Isn't that freebie from MSoft right up there with VeraCrypt (a fork of now-defunct TrueCrypt) for being suspicious for having a backdoor? I guess in considering an oddball security solution like the little hide/lock "softwares" I referenced in my original post, I've been looking for something more along the lines of Willow's disappearing-pig trick--a stratagem so offbeat and simplistic that it might well just baffle minds conditioned to expect more conventional strategies.
Bottom line: I guess I'll wait another 24 hours or so to see if anyone actually has any info or opinions about the folder or file hiding/locking software programs that I am interested in, and then I'll kill off this thread and move on. My thanks to one and all who have taken the time to consider the questions I have posed here!
Bottom line: I guess I'll wait another 24 hours or so to see if anyone actually has any info or opinions about the folder or file hiding/locking software programs that I am interested in, and then I'll kill off this thread and move on. My thanks to one and all who have taken the time to consider the questions I have posed here!
Guess I'll consider this issue "resolved" if maybe not actually 100% solved. I tested out a few of these little proggies, found one I liked best--WinMend Folder Hidden--tried to break it by cleaning and defragging the target drive and couldn't, and tested it out in Safe Mode, where it worked just fine. Will I be using it for any "serious" security purposes? Wouldn't you like to know? <wink>