I was tasked to password protect a few folders that are being shared in the network. The folders are stored in the server (that i have admin access) and anyone in the network have full access to the folders and the files inside those folders. The computers linked in the network have different OS - 3 running vista, 2 running xp and 1 windows server 2008. Anybody in the office can use the computers without being prompted for a password (except the server) and the folders are accessible through any of those computers. The following are my questions: 1. Is it possible to password protect folders shared in the network? If so, if someone wants to access those password protected folder through any of the computers connected to the network, will they be prompted to enter a password to be able to access it or the system will just say "access denied?" If so, please give detailed instructions on how to do it. 2. If it is possible to password protect network folders, is it possible to put different passwords on each folders? If so please give detailed instructions on how to do it. 3. If it is not possible to do any of the mentioned above through windows, is it possible with the use of a third-party software? If so, what are those third party software?

1) yes, it is. In fact, the server will not enable empty password access at all. If you share a folder on the 2k8 server, it enables (by default) access only to users having a password. To make it work, you need to create appropriate user accounts on the 2k8 in the Computer Management console (or if there is Active Directory Users and Computer console installed, use it instead). For each user account you create, you can have a different password.1.5) go to Server Manager and install a new Role called File Server2) in principle yes. The folders, in their properties, have tab called Security which defines the list of users (or groups which could also be created by using the console from step 1)) who can access the folder. You should always set the security tab, so that:SYSTEM - full controlAdministrators - full controlTheUserInQuestion - full control (or only modify should also be enough)2.5) after you have set the permissions, switch to the Sharing tab in the folder properties and enable Advanced Sharing, also click its button called Permissions and enable Everyone with Full control3) why 3rd party software? this is completelly managed by windowsany further questions could go here :-)ondrej.

Thanks Ondrej, I did a test. I made a new folder on the server's drive where the network folders are located. So I followed your instructions step by step Then, I mapped the network drive to access the folder through the network computers. Unfortunately, It's telling me that I don't have permission and access denied. FYI, the only connection between the server and the computers in the network is the network folder Please advice. Greggy

you must have some problem with the permissions - the Security tab.so what happens on the client side when you try to access \\server\sharedfolder ? don't map the drive (or unmap it), log off and log on again and try it.ondrej.

There seems to be some confusion here about terminology. Regardless of what Ondrej has posted up to this point, there is no way in Windows (any version) to password protect a shared folder, it simply is not possible without some kind of 3rd party software (and no, I don't know of any since I use the default Windows security mechanisms which is what Ondrej is describing for you).The Windows security model is all based upon security principals (user/group/computer accounts) rather than assigning a specific password to a specific resource. Based on the description of your network, I'm going to make the asusmption that you do not have an Active Directory environment so you do not have a distributed database of accounts.If my assumption is correct then the first thing you're going to have to do is to create user accounts on the server for all of the users on your network. You're also going to need to make sure that the passwords for these user accounts match the passwords for the local accounts on your client computers. Once you've done this, you can then proceed to assign users and or groups (you'll need to create groups and then add the user accounts to the groups as well) permissions on the shared resources.You should do some reading on TechNet and in the online help for your OS to learn more about how the Windows security model actually works.Hope this helps.Paul Adare CTO IdentIT Inc. ILM MVP

Yes Paul, you're right. I do not have a distributed database of accounts. I'll try your instructions first and then I'll do Ondrej again. Greg

Hi All, First time on this forum and am finding it very interesting (sorry about the proposed as answer above.. hit the wrong key). I found this topic particularly interesting and am looking to do a similar thing but seemed to have gotten around it quite easily (if I am on the same lines as greggync777 that is). My problem is this I have a Home Theatre Network set up in my lounge to several locations around the house with around 8 gb of videos/music/pics etc, all works fine on connected pc's with WMC (all using Windows 7) and all is shared by family for entertainment. I also have a Seperate workstation where I do my work (video editing) which involves storing considerable amounts of footage and more importantly all the work files/folders all of which is confidential, at the moment is also on a seperate pc which also houses 8 hdd with around 6gb of ever growing video information. My point is that both these PC's ( HTPC and my WORKSTATION) are a bit too noisy despite having installed the best I can afford fans/Samsung eco green hdd's. My desire is to build a main super server running WHS 2008 (The size/Cooling/Noise etc is not a problem due to where it will be located). My main concern is Security with so many in the family having direct access to the Server so I want to restrict which files/folders they can subsequently access once there. I want to be the only one to have access to my work from my PC and everyone else denied access. I have set up a test rig running WHS08 and have set up access with several PC's using passwords for the server etc which was straightforward after creating a user account for them on whs08, therein laid the problem of then how to keep them from accessing my side of the server which is when I hit up on this thread after much searching. Following one of the suggestions above I went to the folder in question (in my case this will be a plus as all my work will be in one main folder with several thousand sub folders) to the security tab/permissions etc and firstly removed access to everyone except the server administrator. I then granted access only to one PC on the network - the one that is my workstation together with a password ( I meant to say upto this point everyone I had given access to the server could access my test folder), went back to my PC and was able to access as normal after entering the password. I then went to every other PC on the network (that has access to the Server) where I am pleased to say all denied me access to my folder. (my work pc by the way is running XPsp3). Not sure if it will work for Greggync777 or if it what he is looking to do but it did for me. I apologise also if I have rambled on a bit for my first thread. tks Dave