File hiding mechanism for Windows XP

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Do you have some sensitive data which you want to hide from your friends and fellow computer handlers? The basic method used for the same in any operating system is to hide these files, which has now become so common that even children know the trick. Another thing people do is install some file hiding software. No doubt this technique is very useful with the existence of softwares like “Hide files”, “Fake folders”, and many more in the list. But basic problem with this is you have to remember the password. And the existence of softwares can easily be sensed. Also you have to waste up some disk space for these softwares.
Also few people tend to change the extension. Just for example extension of image files is renamed as .DOC or .PDF. These image files won’t open up in Microsoft Word or Acrobat Reader. But there are few ‘smart’ softwares which find out the type of file and prompt the error regarding wrong extension.
Well, there are few more ways with which you can reliably apply security to your files without anyone knowing about it. And yes, you don’t need to remember any passwords.

First method for folder hiding on windows platform is redirecting the path of your folder to control panel. All you have to do is add the hex address of control panel in the end of your folder name. Once you add this string to the folder name, the folder will show control panel icon. And if you try to open it, all that opens up is control panel window. The system won’t show up the string attached to the folder name, so none will know that you have applied any such security. If you want to see the contents of original folder, just rename folder to previous name through DOS.



Here is how the folder will show up in folder view. I’ve applied the technique to the folder “Video_files”. And if you rename the folder to control panel, none will even know what you are hiding under the icon.



This is how the folder will look if you open up it. Check out the path is I:/video_songs, same folder which have been hidden using this technique.

Another way can be applied if you want to hide whole drive. All you have to do is go to drive management utility, select the drive you want to hide, rename the drive letter and remove the letter. Now try opening up the drive through My computer, Run prompt or command prompt. You can’t open it from any of these..



You will notice that drives I and J are missing as I’ve hidden them using this technique.

If anyone interested in knowing more about these techniques, you can just contact me or Dhiraj who taught me these techniques.



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Dinesh Soni
dinesh.soni@gmail.com
9890897198

- Dinesh Finally completed this scribble at 11:13 AM  

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