Secure/hide folders without any software

This tip is very helpful to hide and secure your personal data from other users, particularly on your home computer. You can use third party softwares but at times they can be costly. There is a way to hide your folders using the built-in Windows (XP, 2003, Vista) Attrib commands option. With the Attrib command, you can change the attributes of a folder (Read only, Hidden and System attributes) and safeguard your data.

Follow the given steps to edit the folders attributes to secure your data:
Note: To enable this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.

1. Create a folder that you want to hide on any computer drive. (For example, you have created a folder on D drive with the name 'Data'.
2. Click on Start button and type CMD in the Run box then press O.K. button to display the Windows Command Prompt
3. Now type the command "attrib +s +h D:\Data" (without quotation marks) and press Enter button to execute it

This command will hide your "Data" folder from D drive and now you can verify it.

Any one cannot unhide this folder using the Windows' "Show hidden files and folders" option also.

When you want to unhide this folder, open command prompt and type the command "attrib -s -h D:\Data" and press Enter button. If you want to hide some files, then simply move them to this 'Data' folder.