Solved How do u make sure the person working on your PC can't access ur files

[kuurt]

I had problems with my computer a while back and couldn't fix it myself. So I had to take my computer to a place that could fix it for me. And you have to leave your computer with them while they work on it. I have a password to log into my user account, but they had to have it in order to fix my computer since my user account is the administrator account. I don't like that because they could access my private documents. They probably wouldn't, but still they could.

I tried a free software that password protects your files, but I didn't like the way it worked. I'm wondering if there isn't another way. Like, could I create another user account that isn't an administrator account and make that my main account? That way they couldn't access it because I would have a password and they wouldn't need that password because it's not an administrator account. Would that work?

If it would work, it would be a lot of work to transfer all my files from one user account to another, could I just change my current user account from being an administrator account to not being an administrator account? And then create another user account and make it the administrator?

I am using Windows 7 if it matters.

 

[samuria]

If someone has physical access to your pc there is little you can do to stop them accessing everything unless you encrypt folders

 

[kuurt]

Why wouldn't my idea of using a non-administrator account work? It would have a password and they wouldn't need to access that user account.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

If your data is on a data drive(s) separate from your C: drive, you can always pull the data drive(s) from the computer before taking it into the shop.

 

[kuurt]

I've never heard of that. Do people save all their stuff to a data drive? Don't most people save their stuff to the C drive? I'm not sure I really like that idea because you could lose your data drive.

 

[samuria]

Your more likleyto loose c than a data drive and it doesnt matter if you create another account they canget to all the data simple boot linux and they can read everything your banks details internet history one hopes its a good company and they dont do that but they can if they want

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I've never heard of that. Do people save all their stuff to a data drive? Don't most people save their stuff to the C drive? I'm not sure I really like that idea because you could lose your data drive.

You could also lose your C: drive and yes, people do save all their stuff to a data drive (I have four data drives in my desktop computer). The point is moot since you should have all your data backed up. Segregating data from System files (OS and programs) has the added advantage that different programs can be used for each to most efficiently back each up.

 

[kuurt]

How would you lose your c drive - it's built into the computer? I suppose you could have a hard drive failure, but I do occasionally back up my files to a zip drive. I just don't like the idea of having my files stored in only one place. I don't have linux on my computer, I just have Windows 7, so I don't know how they could boot linux.

 

[redoak]

Why wouldn't my idea of using a non-administrator account work? It would have a password and they wouldn't need to access that user account.

An adminstrator can access all accounts on the machine, without a password. Heck, administrators set the passwords to begin with. That's why it's an administrator. If you are worried about this in future, the best bet is to put any sensitive data on a removable drive, or encrypt it. But everything in your User folder is totally accessible to an administrator login - Documents, Pictures, Music, Downloads, whatever.

 

[kuurt]

I tried a free software for encrypting my files. I was hoping it would encrypt my My Documents folder so that once I used my password to open that I could access all my files. Instead it wanted to go through and encrypt every single thing in the My Documents folder separately. Which would be a pain to have to put in a password every time you open a file. Seems like it also had trouble encrypting some things.

 

[mrjimphelps]

Lady Fitzgerald stated one really good reason for keeping your data on a separate drive - you can remove the data drive if you need to bring your computer in for service. (You stole my thunder!)

Another good reason to keep your data on a separate drive is that it simplifies backups. Basically, you back up your Windows drive every now and then (say once every one or two months), and you backup your data drive regularly, say once a week.

I have two hard drives in my main computer - one for the OS (Linux, in my case) and the other for my data. And the data drive is shared; it is the data drive for all of my computers.

 

[kuurt]

Is that what you guys are talking about when you say "data drive", a second hard drive? I assumed they meant a zip drive that you plug into a usb port, no?

mrjimphelps, if your data drive is in your main computer, how is it shared with your other computers?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

How would you lose your c drive - it's built into the computer? I suppose you could have a hard drive failure, but I do occasionally back up my files to a zip drive. I just don't like the idea of having my files stored in only one place. I don't have linux on my computer, I just have Windows 7, so I don't know how they could boot linux.

Any drive is subject to failure, including the C: drive that's built into your computer, external drives, zip drives, thumb drives, etc.. In fact, given enough time, all drives will eventually fail, some sooner than others (I've seen new drives arrive DOA). Also, files can become corrupted and fail to work properly, if at all.

The separate data drives we were referring to would also be "built into" (in other words, installed inside) your computer. Computers can have more than one drive installed. Even many laptops can have two drives installed.

Someone can access the data on your computer without a password by using a copy of Linux installed on a CD, DVD, or thumb drive. Linux, or even another OS, for that matter, doesn't have to be installed on your computer to be able to run as long as the media (CD, DVD, thumb drive) is connected to the computer.

You are not the only one who doesn't like to have files stored in more than one place (heck, I'm positively paranoid that way!). For data to be reasonably safe, it must exist in at least three places, most typically on the computer, on an onsite backup drive, and on an offsite backup drive. Even only one backup is better than none. By occasionally backing up your files to a zip drive, you are already doing better than most people, who don't do any backups at all. Yu should consider more frequent backups, though. Any data added or changed on your computer after your last backup would be lost if your computer should die.

 

[Megahertz07]

As you have a desktop, the best solution is to have your data on another physical drive (as Lady suggested above).
When you take the computer to a repair, just take out the data drive.

Beware with encryption. If something goes wrong, you loose all data on it. Don't try it without making a disk image backup BEFORE you begin.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

Kuurt,
Are you serious....still using a ZIP drive? I've not even seen one of those in over a decade.

Today, high capacity Flash Drives or Terrabyte External USB drives are the preferred media for all your backups.

OK, a little bit of info for you.... First if you don't trust a particular PC Service center, then don't take your PC there. A really good PC service center should be Certified and Bonded. But, you can't hide anything on a hard drive, except for High Security Encryption.

I'm a Computer Tech myself, and I never ask a customer for their password, if they were not smart enough to give it to me in the first place. There are so many ways for a technician to get past a password, it's not even funny. I can get into any running computer, in less than five minutes, passwords not withstanding.

If you have highly personal data, pictures, etc. on your hard drive that you don't want anyone to see, then copy them all to an external drive, and then delete them off of your hard drive.
OR, just don't save them to the hard drive in the first place. Only save them to an external drive, that you can unplug from a USB port for safety. And if your data files are that critical to you, multiple backup drives would be in order. I have my own data files backed up to four different drives, and I update them all at least once a week.

Good luck!
TechnoMage

 

[bigmck]

How would you lose your c drive - it's built into the computer? I suppose you could have a hard drive failure, but I do occasionally back up my files to a zip drive. I just don't like the idea of having my files stored in only one place. I don't have linux on my computer, I just have Windows 7, so I don't know how they could boot linux.

A really easy way to backup you files is with Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free It can automatically backup your files on a schedule to an internal or external drive. If you need to restore you files it only takes a few minutes. Check out the link.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...I have my own data files backed up to four different drives, and I update them all at least once a week...

I'm so glad I'm not the only anal one here!

 

[kuurt]

Today, high capacity Flash Drives or Terrabyte External USB drives are the preferred media for all your backups.

I just assumed that a zip drive, thumb drive, and a flash drive were different names for the same thing.

How difficult is it to install a second hard drive as a data drive? I have installed a hard drive before when my last one failed me, but I'm not sure how to connect two of them. I'm assuming each hard drive needs it's own cable to connect to the power supply? And each hard drive needs it's own cable to connect to the mother board? I'm assuming there are places on the power supply and mother board for these second cables?

 

[Layback Bear]

To put it simple.

Put your data on a external drive.
Remove the data from the "C" partition after verifying the data is safe on the external drive.
Remove the external drive from the computer.

At this point you have the external drive and the repair shop has your computer.

The repair shop can't see things that aren't there. No encryption or passwords needed.

**If one has a bag full of money in the trunk of their car, they would remove it before taking the car to the repair shop. Same thing with removing the external drive from your computer before taking the computer to a repair shop.

Jack

 

[kuurt]

That might be easier, but then I would have to plug my external drive in every time I want to access my data. I'd rather have a second hard drive like they mentioned because then I could leave it attached to the computer when it's not in the shop getting worked on. Besides, if you stored all your data on an external hard drive how would you back up your external hard drive?