Here's a tip about XP Home (there's no XP Home forum?) that I got from
File Level Permissions in XP Home
Does XP Home edition support file level (NTFS) permissions or not? Microsoft says, in their features comparison on the How to Buy web page, that it doesn't. And indeed, if you look for the Security tab in a file's or folder's properties - even one that's on an NTFS partition - you won't find it. That is, unless you log onto XP Home in Safe Mode. Then you can set file level permissions just like in XP Pro, and when you log back on in Normal mode, those permissions will be enforced. Give it a try:
Restart XP Home and press F8 during startup to access the boot menu.
Select Safe Mode from the boot options menu.
Log on as Administrator.
In Windows Explorer, right click the file or folder on which you want to set permissions. Select Properties. You'll see a Security tab that isn't there when you access the file's properties in Normal mode.
Remove the Users group name. Add the name of the user or group to which you want to give permissions and select the level of permissions you want to grant. Click OK.
Now restart again in Normal mode and log on with an account to which you did not grant permissions. Open Explorer and try to open the file or folder on which you set the permissions. You'll find that access is denied.
Remember that NTFS permissions are different from, and in addition to, shared folder permissions. Shared folder permissions can only be set on folders (not files) and only protect folders from being accessed across the network. NTFS permissions also protect files and folders being accessed by someone logged on to the local computer.
File Level Permissions in XP Home
Does XP Home edition support file level (NTFS) permissions or not? Microsoft says, in their features comparison on the How to Buy web page, that it doesn't. And indeed, if you look for the Security tab in a file's or folder's properties - even one that's on an NTFS partition - you won't find it. That is, unless you log onto XP Home in Safe Mode. Then you can set file level permissions just like in XP Pro, and when you log back on in Normal mode, those permissions will be enforced. Give it a try:
Restart XP Home and press F8 during startup to access the boot menu.
Select Safe Mode from the boot options menu.
Log on as Administrator.
In Windows Explorer, right click the file or folder on which you want to set permissions. Select Properties. You'll see a Security tab that isn't there when you access the file's properties in Normal mode.
Remove the Users group name. Add the name of the user or group to which you want to give permissions and select the level of permissions you want to grant. Click OK.
Now restart again in Normal mode and log on with an account to which you did not grant permissions. Open Explorer and try to open the file or folder on which you set the permissions. You'll find that access is denied.
Remember that NTFS permissions are different from, and in addition to, shared folder permissions. Shared folder permissions can only be set on folders (not files) and only protect folders from being accessed across the network. NTFS permissions also protect files and folders being accessed by someone logged on to the local computer.
