[ Tips ] : How to password protect a shared folder If your looking to password protect a shared folder on your network, you've probably noticed that Windows XP doesn't have any built in features allowing you to lock access to a folder via a password like previous Windows releases did. This means that anyone using the same workgroup or domain can access the files within your shared folder. The good news is that there is a work around that seems to do the trick and simply involves creating a password for the guest account. Since shared folders are accessed on the network using the guest account, once the password for the guest account is set, a user in your workgroup or network domain must supply a valid username and password for the guest account to access the shared folder and contents within. Password protecting a shared network folder: Log into Windows XP as an Administrator Click Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts, then click on Guest Account and make sure it is turned on Now Click Start -> Run, type cmd in the entry box, and click Ok At the command prompt, type Net user guest password and press Enter Again, Click Start -> Control Panel -> User Accounts, then click on Guest Account Notice that you can now set a password on the Guest Account. Set a Password and restart your Computer Now, when a person tires to access your shared folder, they will be prompted for a username and password to continue. Use the username "Guest" and "password" you have set to access the password protected shared folders from your network.

[ Tips ] : Run commands for Windows XP The following is a run command shortcut list for Windows XP. Run commands allow a user to quickly access a variety or Windows XP tools and applications directly via the Start -> Run interface. For quick reference, the application name is on the left and the command you would type in the run window is shown to the right in bold. * Accessibility: ACCESS.CPL * Add-Remove Programs: APPWIZ.CPL * Automatic Updates: WUAUCPL.CPL * Calculator: CALC * Character Map (ascii): CHARMAP * Command Prompt: CMD * Component Services: DCOMCNFG * Computer Management: COMPMGMT.MSC * Control Panel: CONTROL.EXE * Date and Time: TIMEDATE.CPL * Encryption: SYSKEY * Device Manager: DEVMGMT.MSC * Direct X Diagnostics: DXDIAG * Disk Cleanup: CLEANMGR * Disk Defragment: DFRG.MSC * Display: DESK.CPL * Display Properties: DESK.CPL * Group Policy Editor (XP PRO): GPEDIT.MSC * Internet Properties: INETCPL.CPL * Local Running Services: SERVICES.MSC * Microsoft Chat: WINCHAT * Mouse Properties: MAIN.CPL * Multimedia and Sounds: MMSYS.CPL * Network Connections: NCPA.CPL * Network Setup Wizard: NETSETUP.CPL * Notepad: NOTEPAD * Outlook Express: MSIMN.EXE * Performance Monitor: PERFMON.MSC * Power Management Settings: POWERCFG.CPL * Regional Settings: INTL.CPL * Registry Editor: REGEDIT * Remote Desktop: MSTSC * Removable Storage Manager: NTMSMGR.MSC * Scheduled Tasks: CONTROL SCHEDTASKS * Security Center Settings: WSCUI.CPL * Shared Folders Management: FSMGMT.MSC * System Configuration Utility: MSCONFIG * System Properties: SYSDM.CPL * Task Management: TASKMGR * Telephone and Modem Options: TELEPHON.CPL * Windows User Account Manager: NUSRMGR.CPL * Windows Utility Manager (narrator): UTILMAN * Windows Updates: WUPDMGR * WordPad: WRITE Additional Windows run commands exist, but these are the ones I feel are important to keep on hand.