Hi all - I'm at my home PC (recent Dell, XP Pro SP1, all MS Security patches installed). I just noticed I no longer have any low-level Security controls on Folders or files, only on Shares, where there's a menu option for this that show's up and allows permission changes). Though I haven't used low-level security feature much at home (not needed much), I use it at work a lot as a Workstation/Server Admin, and there is such a low-level security ability available on XP Pro at my workplace (as of a few weeks back, last time I looked, anyway). My workplace is not very standard due to all the customized security, so I can't tell too much from that, but this is a home PC where an Admin should have full-control over everything (I still do, I checked, except for this one security issue).

I *have* been installing all kinds of MS security patches lately (like everyone else), in addition to not long ago installing McAfee Enterprise 7.0. - a necessity to connect via RAS to my workplace for telework and some weekend remote administration), and good for security anyway, better controls than older NAI versions). I temporarily uninstalled ZoneAlarm, just checking to see if that had any effect, but no help there...I could try uninstalling McAfee Enterprise, but that's a big hassle and risky business, so I'm trying to resolve this without that.

I have full Admin access here, and I'm the only one that can logon to this machine - though I have occasional family over I let use the machine to check webmail, etc. (but with a watchful eye to ensure they're doing nothing funny). But primarily for this reason (occasional family usage, plus a little added security for sensitive data), I'd like to lockdown some of my work-related folders without doing any sharing.

BTW, even lock-down users at work have this low-level Security show up, though it's disabled except for Admins.

This *is* my PC, and I should be able to control security, right? Right now there is no lockdown anywhere (just McAfee, ZA (which I need to disable for RAS use or I can't connect), and the XP firewall, which is always on). Basically, and I don't like this situation - I want to tighten some folder-security without doing any sharing - some folders I will even lock myself out of, until I need to use them, for very tight security of personal and work-related sensitive-data.

Can anyone enlighten me on what might have happened to low-level folder/file security control on XP Pro, or how to restore it, if this makes sense? Or am I way off-base here, somehow (perhaps my workplace XP Pro has a custom security feature to allow Admins to control at low-level, for example, and I hadn't noticed my home XP Pro didn't have this feature, or it hasn't been enabled). I *think* it was here not too long ago, but can't swear by that. Thanks.

Note: This *is* entirely NTFS, just to clarify.