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Use CLSID to secure folders in WinXP

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6 Jul 2006 46.4K   668   27   11
Using CLSID to secure folders in WinXP.

Sample Image - folderhide.jpg

Introduction

In Win98, people use the "¦" character to rename folders and lock them or hide them.

Situation

The trouble began with WinXP when WinXP supported all such characters for folder names thus making life hell for hiding-freaks. Well, many folder lock software are available but whatever I found out on the net are different.

Idea

You must have noticed that the MyComputer and Recycle Bin folders behave very similar to a normal folder but still they are different. Just check out your registry:

HKLM\Software\software\classes\clsid\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Click the default property..... surprised? Yes, that's "My Computer". What this number "20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D" represents is a CLSID.

CLSID is short for Class ID. CLSID is the identification of a COM object. Applications that support Microsoft's COM architecture register their objects as class IDs.

CLSIDs

.{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} (= My Computer) 
.{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} (= My Documents) 
.{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} (= My Network Places) 
.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} (= Recycle Bin) 
.{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} (= Internet Explorer) 
.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} (= Control Panel) 
.{D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524153} (= Administrative Tools) 
.{00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} (= Inbox) 
.{D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524152} (= Fonts) 
.{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} (= Network Connections) 
.{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} (= Printers and Faxes) 
.{7BE9D83C-A729-4D97-b5A7-1B7313C39E0A} (= Programs Folder) 
.{E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD} (= Scanners and Cameras) 
.{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} (= Scheduled Tasks) 
.{48E7CAAB-B918-4E58-A94D-505519C795DC} (= Start Menu Folder) 
.{7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933} (= Temporary Internet Files) 
.{BDEADF00-C265-11d0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F} (= Web Folders) 
.{6DFD7C5C-2451-11D3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF} (= Folder Options) 
.{00020801-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} (= Folder) 
.{00021400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} (= Another Folder)

Finally

Now, in my program, what have I done? That's so simple...

  • select a folder
  • rename it with this class ID

Voila...check the folder location... it's not there. Instead there is MyComputer.

License

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Written By
Engineer
India India
Kedar Vaijanapurkar
theghost_k8@yahoo.com

Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralMy vote of 2 Pin
noreply-thephoenixprod18-Jan-12 3:25
noreply-thephoenixprod18-Jan-12 3:25 
GeneralCLSID for invisible Pin
sarfaraznawaz24-Mar-11 21:25
sarfaraznawaz24-Mar-11 21:25 
GeneralEasy Going Pin
Pushkarr5-Feb-07 3:01
Pushkarr5-Feb-07 3:01 
GeneralRe: Easy Going Pin
K edar V5-Feb-07 22:36
K edar V5-Feb-07 22:36 
GeneralGood Idea, But..... Pin
merlin98114-Jul-06 6:22
professionalmerlin98114-Jul-06 6:22 
GeneralRe: Good Idea, But..... Pin
K edar V16-Jul-06 19:47
K edar V16-Jul-06 19:47 
QuestionHow do you intend this to be used? Pin
arhoads7611-Jul-06 11:39
arhoads7611-Jul-06 11:39 
AnswerRe: How do you intend this to be used? Pin
K edar V11-Jul-06 18:36
K edar V11-Jul-06 18:36 
GeneralRepost Pin
Jonathan [Darka]6-Jul-06 9:52
professionalJonathan [Darka]6-Jul-06 9:52 
GeneralRe: Repost Pin
K edar V6-Jul-06 18:29
K edar V6-Jul-06 18:29 
GeneralRe: Repost Pin
K edar V31-Jul-06 21:37
K edar V31-Jul-06 21:37 

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