Every user has their own confidential folders and files on their computer that they would like to protect from prying eyes. For example, at home it is necessary to protect a child from information not intended for him, and at work, for one reason or another, it may be undesirable to show other employees some of your work materials. Well, besides, tell me, hand on heart, do you always calmly allow your colleagues to use your work computer or your household members to use your home computer? Hardly... And the reason here lies not only in the desire to limit access to confidential information, but also in the subconscious fear of losing one’s own materials due to the illiterate actions of other users - that is, for example, when one’s own child actively begins to master the art of working with files and folders with all the ensuing sad consequences for you. It is worth noting that the need to protect confidential information from prying eyes is relevant not only if such data is constantly stored on a work or home computer, but also when transferring it to other users via email or on various media (CD/DVD drives, USB drives) , floppy disks, etc.). It often makes sense to also think about protecting folders and files of the operating system and applications from changes, deletion or movement in an unknown direction, which is often managed by insufficiently prepared users. If this is your case, then it is wiser to hide such folders altogether, say, from the eyes of household members, and this action alone can significantly extend the performance of your computer, since hidden folders can be used in the usual way (for example, by launching application programs from the Start menu). , but you won’t be able to delete them, rename them or move them. As for confidential information, it is better to block it - blocked folders will be inaccessible either for viewing or editing, and therefore the documents contained in them will be reliably protected from any changes. If you don’t want other users to be aware that some information is being hidden from them, then you should combine blocking with hiding. Well, if this doesn’t seem enough to you, then no one forbids you to also encrypt the most secret materials.

Protect folders and files with built-in Windows tools

Theoretically, you can hide your folders and files using the built-in capabilities of Windows - to do this, just enable the “Hidden” attribute in the properties of the corresponding objects. Folders and files hidden in this way will not be visible in Explorer to other system users, but only if the “Do not show hidden files and folders” checkbox is enabled in the properties of the parent folders containing them. In principle, this may be enough to protect your data from the most unprepared audience. However, objects hidden in this way will be visible in applications that do not use a standard dialog to display files and folders (FAR, Total Commander, etc.), so such protection is more than unreliable.

A more reliable option for protecting data using built-in Windows tools is to use the Encrypting File System (EFS), which allows you to encrypt files by enabling the “Encrypt contents to protect data” option in Explorer (Properties > General > Advanced). It is impossible to read files encrypted in this way without knowing the password, but the EFS system allows you to protect folders and files only in the NTFS file system.

Therefore, to protect personal folders and files, it is much better to use specialized utilities. These solutions will allow you to more securely hide folders and files (they will not be visible if you disable the "Do not show hidden files and folders" checkbox), as well as block access to them and even encrypt the data itself.

Programs for hiding, blocking and encrypting folders and files

There are a lot of programs on the market for hiding/encrypting folders and files, and the level of protection implemented in them differs markedly. Some solutions only provide for hiding folders and files and/or blocking them (it happens that similar features are also available for disks). Others additionally support full file encryption (Table 1), which ensures data protection even when booted in another operating system or the disk is installed on another computer. We do not set a goal to identify the best existing solutions, since everything here depends on the tasks facing the user, but simply as examples we will give the most attractive, in our (obviously subjective) opinion, diverse tools. Here, by the way, it is immediately worth noting several nuances. Firstly, it is quite possible that by default protected data will be inaccessible to other users only when the OS boots normally, and when Windows boots in SafeMode, access to it will be open. This is explained very simply: in safe mode, Windows loads only the drivers necessary for the system to operate, and skips all additional ones (including those responsible for hiding data), which leads to a similar result. So it is possible that to protect data in SafeMode, you will need to make some settings in the utilities (usually just enable the corresponding checkbox). Secondly, other users will be able to access hidden or blocked data by booting into another operating system if several are installed on the computer, but the protection program is configured in only one. There is another way - move the hard drive with protected information to another computer as an additional one, boot into it, after which you can easily access the data. With external media (USB, flash, CD-RW, etc.) it’s even easier - just install them on another computer - and the protection is gone. However, in real life, quite often such protection (if, for example, we are talking about a hard drive, there is only one OS on the computer, and you know for sure that other users will not be able to connect it to another computer) may be quite sufficient. In addition, if you accidentally forget the password to your data (we are all guilty of this), you will always have a reliable way to access it on another computer. Well, if you have top-secret materials stored in your arsenal, and the attackers who are eager to get to them are professionals, then you can’t limit yourself to just hiding or blocking the data - you need to encrypt it. Encrypted data cannot be read either when booted in SafeMode or when booted into another OS or on another computer. But if you manage to forget the password to the data, then you can safely “give up” on these top-secret materials - no one, including you personally, will be able to get to them.

Table 1. Functionality of solutions for hiding, blocking and encrypting folders and files (click to enlarge)

Universal Shield 4.3

Developer: Everstrike Software
Distribution size: 1.86 MB
Spreading: shareware Universal Shield is a very convenient tool for protecting personal files, folders and drives (including network drives) by hiding and encrypting them (seven encryption algorithms are supported, including AES with a 256-bit key). It is possible to hide files that match a specific mask (say, C:*.doc). It is possible to set different access rules (read, write, visibility and delete), which allows you to choose a variety of combinations of parameters - for example, you can make files accessible for reading and writing and prohibit their deletion. This access option allows you not only to prevent the deletion of personal data, but also application files, which is often no less important. If no activity has been performed on the computer for a certain period, the data can be blocked automatically. For greater security, it is possible to use a special Stealth Mode, which hides all user-visible information about the installation of Universal Shield - the program shortcut on the desktop and in the Start menu, as well as the corresponding folder in Program Files. Access to the program in this mode is possible only by pressing a pre-agreed key combination. There is support for “trusted processes”, which allows you to back up files, scan them for viruses, and similar operations in a protected state. Access to program settings requires entering a master password. The demo version of the program is fully functional for 30 days, the cost of the commercial version is $34.95. You can protect data in two ways - using the wizard that automatically starts when you first load the program (then it can be activated by the File > Universal Shield Wizard command or the Wizard button ) or manually. If the choice is made in favor of the master, you will have to perform several operations sequentially. First, select a protection option - that is, indicate to the program whether the data will be hidden or encrypted, or whether it will have limited access options. And then, in two steps, the data to be protected is selected, during which you can not only explicitly specify it, but also use file masks. Protecting data manually is no more difficult - the Protect button and the File > Protect Object command are responsible for this operation. For example, by clicking on the Protect button, you will have to define the data type (disk, folder, file or mask) on the left side of the window that opens, and on the right side, specify the protected object itself on the disk and configure its protection parameters. Correction of the installed type of protection is made through the properties of the object (Properties button), and refusal of protection is done by simply deleting the object from the program window. Temporary removal of protection is carried out from the utility itself by pressing the Locked button or using hot keys (the latter is much faster and more convenient).

Securing your files by encrypting them requires a little more time and effort. First, in the same way as discussed above, the basic protection parameters are configured (the Protect button). And then the protected object that appears in the utility window is additionally encrypted (Encrypt button) indicating the encryption algorithm and password. Decryption is performed by clicking on the Decrypt button, and, of course, is impossible without knowing the password.

Additionally, Universal Shield allows you to restrict access to special Windows folders (My Documents, Favorites, Control Panel, etc.), protect the desktop from changes (so that users cannot delete, add or change shortcuts and icons on the desktop), restrict access the control panel and prevent the date and time on your computer from being changed. This can be done through the wizard, or by using the File > Security tricks command.

There is a cheaper, simplified version of Universal Shield, Lock Folder XP (1.38 MB; $24.95), which limits the ability to protect drives, folders and files to hiding them. In addition, this utility does not support trusted processes and the use of hot keys is limited (however, the main function of quickly enabling/disabling protection is present), as well as limited functionality in terms of regulating access to special Windows folders and system settings. Setting up data protection in Lock Folder XP is possible through a wizard or manually - in both cases you will need to determine the type of data to be hidden and indicate which, for example, folders you want to hide. The Locked/Unlocked button or pressing the Ctrl + Win key combination is used to temporarily enable/disable protection.

Folder Guard 8.1

Developer: WinAbility Software Corporation
Distribution size: 3.29 MB
Spreading: shareware Folder Guard is a simple and convenient solution for restricting access to folders and files, as well as preventing access to a number of Windows settings. Restricting access to personal data is carried out by hiding it, setting read-only access, or blocking it. Hiding is implemented in two options - you can make folders and files hidden or assign folders as empty (Empty). In the second case, the folders will be externally visible, but when opened they will look empty, although in reality they will contain information - this protection option is reasonable for standard Windows folders, the complete hiding of which will tell other users that information on the computer is blocked, which is undesirable . Protected folders will not be accessible to other users of the system even when Windows boots in safe mode, however, for this you will need to enable the corresponding checkbox in the settings. Access to the settings of the program itself is provided only by entering the master password; in case you forget this password, there is a function for restoring it using the free Emergency Recovery utility. The ability to operate the program in Stealth Mode has also been implemented, in which its own shortcuts and files will be hidden. The demo version of the program is fully functional for 30 days, the cost of the commercial version depends on the license type: personal license - $29.95, business license - $59.95.

You can protect your data using a wizard that starts automatically when you load the program (of course, it’s easy to disable the wizard from starting), or manually. When working with the wizard, specify a folder with documents, determine whether to set a password for access to the folder, set the visibility option for the folder (visible, hidden or empty) and determine the level of access to it (full access, no access, read-only). To control the level of access to files of a certain type, the use of file masks is additionally allowed. When protecting manually, the procedure will be the same, with the exception that you will have to perform them yourself - first select the folder of interest in the program window, and then set all the required settings by clicking on the corresponding buttons in the program window (Read-Only, No Access, Visible, etc.) or by selecting the desired commands in the context menu. To remove the protection, you will have to perform the same set of actions, but in reverse order.

It is possible to set different restrictions for different users (the corresponding users will first have to be added using the Protect > User List command) - this is very convenient, since there will be no need to regularly remove protection in case of manual work on the computer. It is possible to configure a list of “trusted programs” (Protect > Trusted Programs) - that is, an antivirus, backup program, etc., which will allow you to carry out the corresponding operations without removing protection. The key combination Ctrl+G and the Toggle Protection button are responsible for switching from protected mode to normal mode. In addition to protecting folders and files, using Folder Guard you can also protect basic OS settings from being adjusted (Command Protect > Permissions). In particular, block access to the properties of the taskbar, the Start menu and a number of other windows, prohibit saving display properties (if they have been changed), block changes to folder properties and Internet Explorer settings, and do not show icons on the desktop. And also prevent changes to parameters critical for system operation by closing access to the control panel and setting a series of restrictions: access to the system registry, adding/removing printers, using the “Run” command, etc. You can also hide certain drives in the My Computer window, Explorer, and standard Open/Save dialog boxes, and block CD/DVD burning. Different users may have different sets of such restrictions.

There is a cheaper version of Folder Guard - MySecretFolder (1.35 MB; personal license - $24.95, business license - $3.95). This utility is easier to use than Folder Guard, but its capabilities are limited to hiding and blocking folders, and the specified protection settings will be the same for all users. Setting up data protection in MySecretFolder is quite simple - you just need to specify a folder, select a protection option for it (hiding or blocking) and click on the Protect button. Temporary disabling of protection is carried out using the Unprotect button.

Folder Lock 6.2.1

Developer: NewSoftwares, LLC
Distribution size: 2.78 MB
Spreading: shareware Folder Lock is an effective and reliable solution for protecting personal files, folders and disks by blocking, hiding and/or encrypting (AES algorithm with 256-bit key). For greater security, blocking and encryption can be used simultaneously. The original data that needs to be protected can be located not only on the hard drive, but also on USB flash drives, memory cards, CD-RW drives, floppy disks and laptops. All protected data is placed in a kind of closed lockers (Lockers), access to which is possible only after entering the master password. If necessary, there can be many such lockers, which allows several users to use the same version of the program to protect their own data. The functionally limited demo version of the program can be used completely free of charge for 30 days; it limits the size of protected areas (Lockers) and the number of files allowed to be placed in one area, and it is also impossible to protect data on USB drives and external drives. The commercial version costs $29.95.

The technology for working with Folder Lock is as follows - first, for each set of folders and files, its own protected area is created (a locker in the interpretation of the developers of this program) - Locker, protected by a password and placed by default in the "My Documents" folder. When entering a password for the locker being created, the program evaluates its strength level and informs the user in color: red, yellow or green (green passwords have the highest level of security). To protect against keyloggers, password entry can be done using the built-in virtual keyboard.

Then the tab with the desired type of data protection is activated - Encrypt or Lock - and folders and files are added to the created locker. To do this, for example, in case of blocking, click on the Lock files & folders button, indicate a folder or file on the disk and click on the Add button. If necessary, you can also block access to exe files in this way. To complete the operation, click on the Lock Now button, and the specified files and folders are locked. After this, you will be able to access your protected folders and files only if you know the path to the locker and password (of course, if the locker is on a removable drive, you will also have to insert this drive). Encryption of folders/files is carried out according to the exact same scheme. It is worth noting that in this program the protected data is actually moved to the protected area, and this can be done using guaranteed data destruction technology.

The process of installing the provided protection can be carried out automatically if the computer is inactive after a specified period of time. In the special Stealth Mode, the program can hide all traces indicating that data protection is installed on the computer. In particular, it prevents the display of its own shortcuts on the desktop and in the Start menu, as well as its folder in Program Files, hides installation/uninstallation data in the corresponding section of the control panel, etc. There are also tools for clearing the clipboard, startup histories, searching for documents, etc. In addition, for greater security, the program keeps a record of all unsuccessfully entered passwords to remove protection, which allows the user to timely detect the manifestation of unhealthy interest in his own computer on the part of other users.

File Lock 6.1.4

Developer: TopLang software
Distribution size: 917 kb
Spreading: shareware File Lock is a compact utility for ensuring the security of confidential information by blocking or hiding drives, folders or individual files on hard drives, floppy and CD/DVD drives. Please note that hiding drives means hiding all folders and files on them - the drives themselves will remain visible. It is possible to protect files in accordance with the specified masks and encrypt files. If desired, this or that restriction can be tied to time, which makes sense when using the program on home computers, for example, to set the time interval allotted to the child for games and other entertainment. It is possible to operate the utility in hidden mode, in which the utility will not be displayed in the Start menu, on the desktop, or in the Add/Remove Programs module - in this mode, the utility window can only be opened using a hotkey. It is possible to configure permissions for trusted processes. In addition, File Lock allows you to create numerous user settings - unique for each user, which is important if several users work on a computer. With appropriate settings, each user will be able to fully manage only their own folders and files, while a user with administrator rights will have access to all items. The demo version of the program can be downloaded and used without any restrictions for 15 days, the cost of the commercial version is $29.95.

To protect a file, folder or disk, just click on the Lock button (in the case of a file or folder, you can simply drag this object from Windows Explorer to the utility window or use the corresponding command from the Explorer context menu; however, in the latter case, you must first enable the corresponding option in the utility). And then select the type of protection (that is, block or hide) and, if necessary, to automate the process, also set up a schedule. Temporarily disabling/enabling data protection is done using the Deactivate File Lock and Activate File Lock commands from the Tools menu or by pressing the provided keyboard shortcuts (the latter is much more convenient).

Encrypting a file is also easy (the Encrypt File button is responsible for this) - specify the file, click on the Encrypt button and enter the key. As a result, a copy of the original file will be created, but in encrypted form, which cannot be read without knowing the key. The decryption process is performed according to the exact same scheme, only you have to click on the Decrypt button.

Hide Folders 2009 (3.1)

Developer: FSPro Labs
Distribution size: 1.39 MB
Spreading: shareware Hide Folders 2009 is a simple utility for protecting folders and files from unauthorized access by hiding and/or blocking them or setting read-only access. Protected folders will not be accessible to other users, including the system administrator, even when Windows starts in safe mode. And to prevent other users from guessing that there is protected data on the computer, the program can remove traces of the installation of protection and can hide itself. For example, it may not appear in the list of frequently downloaded programs, not show the uninstallation line in the control panel, hide itself in the list of running processes and its icon in the system tray, etc. The program also includes support for “trusted processes”. Without knowing the master password, it is impossible to access the utility settings. The demo version of the program (there is a Russian localization) can be downloaded and used without any restrictions for 30 days, the cost of the commercial version is 500 rubles.

Protecting your documents is a snap with Hide Folders 2009. Just click on the "Add" button, specify the desired folder and select the desired protection mode. In this case, it is possible to use file masks to protect certain types of files. There is another way to protect folders and files - by dragging them from Windows Explorer onto the program window. A list of all protected folders is visible in the program window; deleting any folder from this list will remove protection from this folder. Switching from protected mode to normal mode is carried out using hot keys or by pressing the corresponding buttons from the program itself. If necessary, it is also easy to configure the program to automatically turn on protection when starting the screensaver, entering standby/sleep mode and/or after several minutes of inactivity.

My Lockbox 1.3

Developer: FSPro Labs
Distribution size: 1.33 MB
Spreading: free My Lockbox is a free utility for protecting personal folders by hiding them. Hidden folders are inaccessible without knowing the password when booting into Windows normal and safe modes. To hide a specific folder, you should specify it in the utility window or drag it onto this window from Explorer and click on the Lock button, and to return visibility, select and click on the Unlock button. To gain access to the utility, you must enter a master password, and activating the master password request is possible not only through the Start menu, but also via a hotkey, which is somewhat faster. Hiding options are limited by the lack of display of the program icon in the system tray.

Hide Folders 2.2

Developer: GPL
Distribution size: 1.2 MB
Spreading: free Hide Folders is a simple free utility for hiding folders with confidential information that will be invisible to other users even when booting into Windows safe mode. Installing protection is extremely simple - you need to specify the folder to hide on the disk (Add Folder button) and click on the Hide button to hide it. Temporary removal of protection is performed by clicking the Unhide button, and its complete removal by clicking the Remove button.

Free Hide Folder 2.1

Developer: Cleanersoft.com
Distribution size: 743 kb
Spreading: free Free Hide Folder is a simple free utility for protecting personal folders by hiding them. Hidden folders are inaccessible without knowing the password, even when booting into Windows Safe Mode. Hiding folders is easy - just select a folder and click on the Hide button. The technology for returning visibility to a folder is similar, but you will have to use the Unhide folder. Access to the utility itself is possible only after entering the master password.

File encryption programs

File encryption programs are indispensable when it is necessary to transfer confidential information by mail and on various media (CD/DVD disks, USB drives, floppy disks, etc.), since some of these programs allow the recipient to decrypt data without installing it on his computer. This is convenient, since the sender can, for example, send an encrypted document by email (having previously agreed on a password with the recipient) and not worry about the fact that the recipient does not have the appropriate encryption/decryption software - the latter will still be able to decrypt the document simply by specifying the password . As examples of such solutions, we will focus on two programs Max File Encryption and Animabilis RS File Encryption, of which the first is more functional, as it allows you not only to encrypt documents, but also to hide them using steganography (Table 2).

table 2. Hiding solutions functionality,
blocking and encrypting folders and files

Max File Encryption 1.8

Developer: Softeza.com
Distribution size: 1.09 MB
Spreading: shareware Max File Encryption is a convenient program for encrypting files of any type (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents) using the Blowfish algorithm. It can be used to encrypt multiple files at once and allows you to encrypt even very large files (up to 4 GB). Encrypted files are saved in the program's own format or in EXE format - the latter option allows you to decrypt files if Max File Encryption is not installed on your computer. In addition, encrypted files can be hidden in ordinary files (so-called media) - graphic, audio and video files, and even in applications and dll files, and the media files of encrypted information remain fully functional. The program can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for 15 days, after which residents of the Russian Federation and CIS countries will need to pay 300 rubles. The encryption technology is simple - just create a list of source files by sequentially selecting them in the left panel of the utility window and clicking on the Add button, and then encrypt by clicking on the Encrypt button and selecting the encryption method, entering the password and specifying the source file. When finished, the program will ask whether the source files need to be deleted from the disk. To decrypt in the utility environment, select the encrypted file and click on the Decrypt button, followed by entering the password. And if the encrypted file was saved in EXE format, then you just need to run it and enter the password.

Animabilis RS File Encryption 1.3

Developer: AES Software
Distribution size: 1.1 MB
Spreading: shareware Animabilis RS File Encryption is a simple tool for encrypting files of any type, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents using the Blowfish algorithm. Encrypted files are written in the program's own format or converted to a self-extracting EXE format, which allows you to decrypt files if Animabilis RS File Encryption is not installed on your computer. After encryption, the program can ensure the deletion of the original files by writing a random set of characters to the appropriate area of ​​the disk a specified number of times. The program (there is a Russian version) can be downloaded and used completely free for 30 days, after which you will need to pay 300 rubles. The encryption technology is approximately the same as in the utility discussed above - select the file, click on the "Encrypt" button, enter the password and indicate the source file. You can also enable the corresponding checkbox to delete the source file. Decryption is possible both in the utility environment and without it (if we are talking about an encrypted file in EXE format).

Conclusion

The issue of secure storage and transfer of personal folders and files is relevant for any user. At work, it is advisable to protect your own materials from other employees, at home - from household members. This approach will save you from many problems. In particular, you won’t have to worry that something will happen to valuable materials due to the fault of someone at home, or they will simply be stolen and used not in your favor by other employees, since, for example, locked files/folders cannot be accessed by other users. open, read, much less change, move, rename or delete. The only problem is which of the solutions in your particular case will be the most suitable. It all depends on many circumstances. If you need to hide or block folders and files on your own computer from untrained users, then the capabilities of any of the listed utilities are quite sufficient. True, from the point of view of convenience, the considered utilities are far from straightforward. Unfortunately, not everyone allows you to enable/disable protection using hotkeys, they know how to hide their own presence in the system, and, again, not everyone can automatically enable protection, for example, if the user is not at the computer. If the users are professionals, and the materials on the disk are top-secret, then you will definitely have to resort to encrypting the folders, and when transferring confidential documents to other users by mail or on any media, it is wiser to encrypt the corresponding files. As for hiding/blocking drives, it should be recognized that although the mentioned capabilities are supported by some of the programs reviewed, they are at a very limited level, so to solve such a problem it is more reasonable to use solutions such as Security Administrator, WinLock, Deskman, etc. but this is a topic for a separate article.

If your computer is used by multiple users, it sometimes happens that some data disappears. This data may be accidentally deleted by other users of your computer.

It’s unpleasant, but what can you do now... What to do if truly important data was accidentally deleted by mistake?

It is not always possible to recover files deleted from a computer using special software, and doing this in a specialized company will be very expensive. Using standard Windows tools, you can hide a folder, but in this case it can easily be opened by any other user. Confidential information posted there will be available to another person.

To prevent the loss of important data, you need to use a program to hide files and folders. Using such a program, you can hide files and folders from prying eyes, preventing their deletion or simply hiding some confidential information.

WinMend Folder Hidden can quickly hide files and folders on local drives or removable devices (flash drives, SD cards, etc.). Regardless of the size or number of files in a folder, they can be hidden instantly. The user sets a password to log into the application upon first launch. In the future, you can make files and folders visible from the program interface, which you can enter only by knowing the password.

Interface WinMend Folder Hidden pleasant, simple and accessible even for novice users. A few control buttons are displayed in the main program window. Their functions are completely clear. In addition, multilingualism is supported.

WinMend Folder Hidden differs from similar programs in the reliability of protection. Files and folders are invisible even in safe mode (Safe Mode). They are hidden so reliably that they remain hidden even if the disk is moved to another computer with a new operating system; this is true for removable USB devices. The data is also completely invisible to other programs, including system ones, so be careful, losing the master password is comparable to losing hidden data; you cannot recover it yourself.

However, it should be noted that the authors of the programWinMend Folder Hidden , I do not recommend using this software in professional activities. They believe that this level of protection is perfect only for home use.

The technology used for hiding is completely safe and cannot damage data files.

There is a program similar in functionality with some additional functions Easy File Locker, but it does not have a Russian interface.

Switching the language to Russian (or any other) occurs after installing the program and entering the password:

In the lower right corner of the program window, you will need to click on the button "English". After this a window appears "Select Language" to select the program interface language. Choose Russian language - "Russian", and then press the button "OK".

Attention, you can hide any folders except system ones.

Attention! If you uninstall the program WinMend Folder Hidden from your computer, then before deleting it, be sure to remove the hidden data contained in it from the program. If you do not do this, then you will not be able to open hidden folders and files.

Attention! When creating a password, pay attention to what language it is entered in and whether the CapsLock button is pressed.

You must create a password that you can remember and not forget, otherwise you will not be able to open the program and access your hidden files and folders. The password can consist of an expression, a nickname, a word that you cannot forget. Such an expression in Russian can be written in the English register. If you forget your password, you will no longer be able to access your hidden data.

However!!!Folders hidden by this program can be opened if you boot not from the Windows operating system, but from

27
Sep
2011

WinMend Folder Hidden 1.4.5.3

Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Security, hiding files/folders
Developer: WinMend.com
Developer's website: http://www.winmend.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian present)
Assembly Type: Standard
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7
System requirements: PC
Description:
The WinMend Folder Hidden program is designed to hide files/folders on local partitions of an internal drive or external storage devices: flash drives or portable drives. At the same time, the user will be able to review the list of hidden files/folders or gain access to them only after entering the correct password. Reinstalling the operating system or connecting a drive/flash drive to another computer does not show hidden files/folders or open access to them.

01
Jan
2012

WinMend Folder Hidden 1.4.5.4 Portable

Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Data Protection
Developer: WinMend.com


Build Type: Portable
Bit depth: 32/64-bit

01
Jan
2012

WinMend Folder Hidden 1.4.5.4

Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Data Protection
Developer: WinMend.com
Developer website: http://www.winmend.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Assembly Type: Standard
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7
Description: WinMend Folder Hidden is a program for hiding files and folders. While guaranteeing absolute system security, this application can also quickly hide files and folders on local partitions and/or portable devices. Hidden files and folders will always be safely hidden, even if the device is accessed from others...

14
Mar
2011

WinMend File Copy 1.3.5

Version: 1.3.5
Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: File copying
Developer: WinMend.com
Developer website: http://www.winmend.com
Interface language: Russian
Platform: Windows 7, Vista, XP
Description: WinMend File Copy is a free tool for quickly and conveniently copying files, which, according to the developers, is three times faster than when copying in the usual way, which is achieved thanks to the presence of a unique software algorithm. Also, the advantages of the utility include resuming copying from the point where it was interrupted, the presence of a batch copying mode, as well as displaying a list...

27
Mar
2011

WinMend Registry Cleaner 1.5.9 Portable

Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Working with the registry
Developer: WinMend.com
Developer website: http://www.winmend.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, XP x64, Vista, Vista x64, 7, 7 x64
Description: WinMend Registry Cleaner cleans the system registry of incorrect or outdated information. Allows you to create registry backups and restore the registry from a backup copy. The scanner has a number of settings that allow you to search for registry problems of a certain category. There is a registry optimizer. There is a search function for “wrong” labels. Also in...

13
Mar
2011

WinMend Data Recovery 1.3.8 + RUS

Version: 1.3.8
Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Data Recovery
Developer: WinMend.com
Developer website: http://www.winmend.com/
Interface language: English + Russian
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7
Description: WinMend Data Recovery is a Windows application for recovering data from hard drives, Compact Flash, Memory Stick and other media. WinMend Data Recovery recovers files and data lost as a result of accidental deletion, formatting, virus attacks, problems when creating partitions or loading, improper shutdown of the computer, formatting of the storage medium. By...

29
Mar
2010

CloneCD 5.3.1.4 + Portable CloneCD 5.3.1.4

Year of manufacture: 2010
Genre: Software Drive emulator, CD/DVD copying
Developer: SlySoft
Publisher: SlySoft
Developer website: SlySoft
Interface language: English + Russian
Platform: Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP/XP64/VISTA/VISTA64/Windows 7 compatibility: FULL
System requirements: 500 MHz Pentium-class, 64 MB RAM. 1 MB of free hard disk space.
Description: CloneCD is a powerful CD replicator and is intended only for exact (1:1) copying of CDR/RW discs, including protected ones. The program works in RAW mode (hence the user needs a drive...

11
Sep
2014

Anvide Lock Folder 3.17 Silent install

Year of manufacture: 2014
Genre: Data Protection
Developer: Anvide
Developer's website: http://anvidelabs.org
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Assembly type: Silent install
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1
System requirements: -Processor with a clock frequency of 800 MHz or more powerful. -RAM 128 MB or more. -Free hard disk space from 20 MB.
Description: Anvide Lock Folder is a program for protecting folders from unauthorized access. With Anvide Lock Folder you can add the desired folder to the list of protected...

28
Mar
2010

CloneCD 5.3.1.4 Final

Year of manufacture: 2010
Genre: Drive emulator, CD/DVD copying
Developer: SlySoft
Developer website: www.slysoft.com
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP/XP64/VISTA/VISTA64
System requirements: IBM-compatible personal computer with a minimum 500 MHz Pentium-class microprocessor 64 MB RAM 1 MB hard-disk space
Description: Easy to use and at the same time powerful program for creating exact copies of any CD - even those that are copy-protected. Direct copying is allowed, as well as working with disk images (creating and burning). Support...

28
but I
2012

Firmware iOS 1.0 - 4.3.5

Year of manufacture: 2007 - 2011
Genre: Software Update
Developer: Apple

Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple TV
System Requirements: iTunes
Description: Official and original iOS firmware 1.0 - 4.3.5

03
Feb
2010

Year of manufacture: 2009
Genre: Disc recording
Developer: Nero AG
Developer's website: http://www.nero.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows XP, Vista, 7
Description: Nero 9 is the world's most trusted suite of next-generation digital media and home entertainment software. It features cutting-edge functionality that makes enjoying digital media easy. This easy-to-use yet powerful multimedia suite gives you the freedom to create, read, copy, record, edit...

08
Mar
2011

Folder Protect 1.8.9

Year of manufacture: 2011
Genre: Folder protection
Developer: NewSoftwares.net, Inc.
Developer's website: http://www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock/
Interface language: English
Platform: Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 7
System requirements: Pentium III, 512 MB RAM, 10 MB hard disk
Description: Folder Protect is a program that allows you to password protect and set different levels of access to your files, folders, programs and extensions. Folder Protect goes beyond the usual file locking and data encryption, allowing you to customize your security and choose between blocking file access, hiding, deleting...

28
Feb
2017

The KMPlayer 4.1.5.8 repack by cuta (build 4) 4.1.5.8 RePack

Year of release: 2017
Genre: Multimedia player
Developer: KMP PANDORA.TV
Developer website: http://kmplayer.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Build type: Repack
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
Description: KMPlayer is a media player that supports playing all popular audio and video formats, including DVD, VCD, AVI, MKV, Ogg Theora, OGM, 3GP, MPEG-1/2/4, WMV, RealMedia and QuickTime. The main features are built-in codecs and flexible settings. In addition, KMPlayer can work not only with internal, but also with external filters and...

17
Jan
2010

Folder Lock 6.2.1.0

Year of manufacture: 2009
Genre: File protection
Developer: Newsoftwares
Developer's website: http://www.newsoftwares.net/
Interface language: English
Platform: Windows XP, Vista
System requirements: minimum
Description: Folder Lock is a well-known program for protecting certain files and folders, hiding them from prying eyes! The size of the file or folder can be any, even 50 GB! Surely you have personal folders on your computer at home or at work that you do not want to show to other household members or work colleagues. And you would like to keep all personal information locked... Now you have...

23
Feb
2012

Anvide Lock Folder 1.65 + Skins

Year of manufacture: 2012
Genre: Deny access to folders
Developer: Anvide Labs
Developer's website: http://anvidelabs.dm0.ru/anvidelockfolder.html
Interface language: Russian
Assembly Type: Standard
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7
Description: Anvide Lock Folder is a program for protecting folders from unauthorized access. Using Anvide Lock Folder, you can add the desired folder to the list of protected objects and set it to “protected” status. After this, other users will no longer be able to view its contents. Nice, not overloaded Anvide interface...

25
Jun
2012

Firmware iOS 4.4 - 5.1.1

Year of manufacture: 2010-2012
Genre: Software Update
Developer: Apple
Developer website: www.apple.com
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Apple TV, iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, iPod Touch 3G, 4G, iPad 1, 2, 3
System Requirements: iTunes
Description: Official and original iOS firmware from iOS 4.4 to iOS 5.1.1
Firmware for: Apple TV, iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, iPod Touch 3G, 4G, iPad 1, 2, 3 When downloading firmware, you can select specific folders for downloading in uTorrent!

Have you ever wondered how to protect personal data stored on your PC from strangers? This is relevant if several people have access to one PC. The tools offered by the OS are not effective. What to do? A program for hiding folders on the Desktop will help.

Peculiarity

Most utilities designed to hide directories cope with the task. The only drawback is that not all utilities encrypt information. It is found by the regular OS search. To do this you need to know the file name. Therefore, do not create directories with the names “Personal”, “Access”, “Password”.
A free program for hiding folders, it is useful to make invisible system directories that you will not open. To avoid deleting them by mistake.

Wise Folder Hider

You can download the program for hiding folders in Russian from the official website at: http://www.wisecleaner.com/download.html. The installation is simple and will not cause any difficulties even for a novice user.

Beginning of work

When you open the utility for the first time, a window will appear where you will enter a password. Needed to open.
Drag a directory or file into the utility window, or use the “Hide Folder” buttons. Select the desired directory.

The folder will appear in the window.

To make the file visible, go to:
Encryption is available in the paid version. Cost $29.95.
After hiding, the standard search finds the directory, but does not open the files.

Program for hiding folders on PC Lim LockFolder

Offers two levels of protection:

1. Simple directory hiding;
2. Hiding and .

Download the application from the official website using the link: http://maxlim.org/index.php?download=files&id=160. Double-click on the installation “exe” file to install.

Beginning of work

Open the application. Add a folder. Click the padlock icon.

Enter the password. Required for entry.

Go to:

You won't be able to find the directory by searching.

To encrypt go to:

My Lockbox - a program for hiding folders on your computer

The interface resembles Explorer. Feature - installation of trusted processes. Allows applications to access the protected folder. Used when sending data via email or social network. Download the application archive from the official website using the link: https://fspro.net/download/distr/mylockbox_setup.zip.

How to work

When you start, a window will open where you enter your password and email:

Further:

Peculiarity

What should you do if you need to, for example, send a file by email? Add this application to your trusted list.

In the free version it is possible to hide one directory.

Disadvantage - no encryption.

The hidden directory is found by search. When opening a message appears:

Remember your password. It will be required during uninstallation.

Program for hiding files and folders in Russian Hide Folders

A special feature is the creation of trusted processes (discussed above). The software is shareware. The full version costs forty dollars. Download the utility installation “exe” file from the link: https://fspro.net/download/distr/hf5_setup.exe.
Choose one of the options:

1. Hide Folder. Hiding;
2. Lock The folder will be visible. Password access.

Conclusion

All the applications reviewed coped with the task. The best program for hiding folders is Lim LockFolder. It's free. Uses encryption. Hide Folders is the best paid solution.

Is there any way to remove a program from the list of installed programs in the Programs and Features section?

There are different ways to hide a program from the list of programs. I'll tell you about everything I know. The methods discussed in this article apply to all versions of the Windows operating system: from Windows XP to Windows 10.

Why hide programs from the program list?

Sometimes, when several users use one shared computer, it may be necessary to hide programs. There may be various reasons for this. I think that those who read this article themselves know why they need this.

By the way, for those who are new to us, here are a couple of similar useful articles. Here we told you how. And in the article “” - how to quickly hide a folder on the desktop. This is not the most reliable method. If you need something more reliable, I can recommend the method discussed in the article “”. Find everything else yourself using the site search form.

How to hide a program from the program list

Let's assume that we need to hide the Notepad++ program. As you can see, it is displayed in the list of programs.

In order to hide an entry about a program, you need to tinker a little in the registry. So, launch the “Run” window using the Win+R key combination.

Enter “regedit.exe” and click OK.

Then we find the Uninstall folder in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

In my case, the application is 32-bit and the operating system is 64-bit. In such a severe case, you should look for the application in this thread:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

This section is responsible for generating a list of installed programs that the user sees in the Control Panel in the “Programs and Features” menu.

Now we find the program branch that needs to be hidden (in my particular case, the name of the branch is the same as the name of the application - Notepad++).

After this, we create a DWORD parameter. This is done like this: right-click somewhere in an empty space and select “Create” and “DWORD Value”.

By right-clicking on it and selecting “Rename”, let’s name it “SystemComponent”.

Now right-click on it and select “Edit”.

Then change its value from “0” to “1”, and then click “OK”.

Well, now the best part is, go to the “Programs and Features” section and use the F5 key to update the list of programs. If everything was done correctly, then the program should be hidden.

There is an alternative way to hide an installed program in Windows. To do this, you need to change the key name “DisplayName” to “QuietDisplayName” in the same branch.

This method may not work, so use the first method, which always works without critical days and never fails.

How to disable hiding programs

To return everything as it was before, i.e. To disable the hiding mode for a particular program, you need to delete the “SystemComponent” parameter we created in the program branch. And if you hid the program using the second method, then you need to rename the “DisplayName” parameter back, removing the word “Quiet”.

Using hidden programs

You can work with hidden programs as before. And if you need to hide a program within a script, then you can use this command:

REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Notepad++" /v SystemComponent /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Click if we cannot copy the command text.

In this article, I clearly showed how to hide a program from the list of installed programs. If you know of any other way to hide an installed Windows program, write about it in the comments.

In the future, in a continuation of this article, I will tell you how to hide a program service. Therefore, if you have not yet subscribed to us on social networks, I highly recommend doing so now. That's all. Good luck friends!