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applelabs

macrumors member
Jan 9, 2007
75
0
I looked around but couldn't find anything.
You could attach an AppleScript to the external hard drive. This would keep out the non computer savvy but it's possible to remove attached scripts without typing in a password.


If you deiced to do this this is what you do:

Open Script Editor.
Copy and past this code into the Script Editors window.
Code:
on opening folder this_folder

	set the_password to "iwantin" --set this to your password you want to use.
	set secret_folder to "secret stuff" --set this to a folder inside of your external hard drive. This is where you need to protected files.

	tell application "Finder"
		activate
		close window of this_folder
	end tell
	set the_prompt to "Please enter your password:"
	repeat
		tell current application
			activate
			display dialog the_prompt default answer "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2 with icon 0 with hidden answer
			if the text returned of the result is the_password then
				exit repeat
			else
				beep
				set the_prompt to "Incorect." & return & "Please enter your password:"
			end if
		end tell
	end repeat
	
	--set this_folder to "FLASH DRIVE"
	tell application "Finder"
		activate
		open folder ((startup disk as string) & "Volumes:" & (the name of this_folder as string) & ":" & secret_folder & ":")
	end tell
end opening folder

Edit the line:
set the_password to "iwantin"
Change "iwantin" to you password of choice.

Edit the line:
set secret_folder to "secret stuff"
You have to create a folder inside of your external hard drive and put all you stuff there. This is the only folder you will be able to accesses.

Save it as a script in "your username/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts" (or anywhere really)

Plug in your external hard drive.

Right click (ctrl click) it and select "Enable Folder Actions". If it's not there then skip this step.

Right click it again and select "Attach a Folder Action…"

You will then be asked to select a scrip to attach. Navigate to where you saved the script above and click "Choose".

Now try and open the external hard drive and see what happens.
 

n-abounds

macrumors 6502a
Mar 6, 2006
563
0
You could use disk utility to make a new disk image the size of your entire ext. HD. Then you could simply set it so that is has a password.
 

wawie

macrumors newbie
Nov 4, 2008
1
0
I looked around but couldn't find anything.
You could attach an AppleScript to the external hard drive. This would keep out the non computer savvy but it's possible to remove attached scripts without typing in a password.


If you deiced to do this this is what you do:

Open Script Editor.
Copy and past this code into the Script Editors window.
Code:
on opening folder this_folder

	set the_password to "iwantin" --set this to your password you want to use.
	set secret_folder to "secret stuff" --set this to a folder inside of your external hard drive. This is where you need to protected files.

	tell application "Finder"
		activate
		close window of this_folder
	end tell
	set the_prompt to "Please enter your password:"
	repeat
		tell current application
			activate
			display dialog the_prompt default answer "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2 with icon 0 with hidden answer
			if the text returned of the result is the_password then
				exit repeat
			else
				beep
				set the_prompt to "Incorect." & return & "Please enter your password:"
			end if
		end tell
	end repeat
	
	--set this_folder to "FLASH DRIVE"
	tell application "Finder"
		activate
		open folder ((startup disk as string) & "Volumes:" & (the name of this_folder as string) & ":" & secret_folder & ":")
	end tell
end opening folder

Edit the line:
set the_password to "iwantin"
Change "iwantin" to you password of choice.

Edit the line:
set secret_folder to "secret stuff"
You have to create a folder inside of your external hard drive and put all you stuff there. This is the only folder you will be able to accesses.

Save it as a script in "your username/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scripts" (or anywhere really)

Plug in your external hard drive.

Right click (ctrl click) it and select "Enable Folder Actions". If it's not there then skip this step.

Right click it again and select "Attach a Folder Action…"

You will then be asked to select a scrip to attach. Navigate to where you saved the script above and click "Choose".

Now try and open the external hard drive and see what happens.

....................................

Hi i came and saw your post and im interested to put a pass on my folder. so i did fallow the step and instruction you provided, but i have no success on getting up and running. can you plz tell what am i doing wrong. here's the script i made.

on opening folder this_folder

set the_password to "*******" --set this to your password you want to use.
set secret_folder to "Documents" --set this to a folder inside of your external hard drive. This is where you need to protected files.

tell application "Finder"
activate
close window of this_folder
end tell
set the_prompt to "Please enter your password:"
repeat
tell current application
activate
display dialog the_prompt default answer "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2 with icon 0 with hidden answer
if the text returned of the result is the_password then
exit repeat
else
beep
set the_prompt to "Incorect." & return & "Please enter your password:"
end if
end tell
end repeat

--set this_folder to "FLASH DRIVE"
tell application "Finder"
activate
open folder ((startup disk as string) & "Volumes:" & (the name of this_folder as string) & ":" & secret_folder & ":")
end tell
end opening folder

................................

canyou tell if im doing somthing wrong or do i have to erase somthing or change. i did enable the folder action and attach the script and tried it nothing happen it still let me access the folder.
 

nineeyes

macrumors newbie
Dec 14, 2010
1
0
Removed all folder actions for my external hard drive! HELP!

On a related note,

I was attempting to add a password protection to my external HD and somehow managed to make it so that the hard drive icon doesn't appear on the desktop or in finder and I REALLY need that data!

I can tell the computer still knows it's there because if I unplug it incorrectly a message pops up alerting me.

Any ideas???
 

penter

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2006
600
29
the first reply seems to have been made a really savvy user.
I've seen WD (Western digital) drives with password protection. They have proprietary software to make that happen. You might want to check out hose they do it, and perhaps reverse-engineer that? But that's assuming you can do that. Which from the looks of it, doesn't seem to be assuming too much :)
 

Mala

macrumors 6502
Nov 19, 2003
287
0
Can you use an encrypted disk image as a backup disk?

A friend has just had her computers stolen, and they had all kinds of personal information on them - not just hers, but her clients'. The robbers also took her backup drives.

In response to hearing this, I have my computer set to ask for an admin password when woken from sleep of more than a few minutes. But I back up once a week using Time Machine. I'd like to protect my backup drive in case of robbery.

It seems to me that I can't back up to an encrypted disk image - am I wrong?
 
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