ever wonder how to keep your secret files a secret without buying those expensive programs. Well here is how to do it for free using windows dos and notepad

this a easy way to hide and secure the files on your thumb drive

note this does not completely secure your files it only hides them from prying eyes

also check out my other instructable

Batsignal in batch

Step 1: Chose Your Thumb Drive

it can be any size brand or shape

Step 2: Create a Folder in the Thumb Drive

start by creating a folder and name it "lockbox" (without the quotes)

Step 3: Add Your "secret" Files Into the Folder

move any files you want to into the folder

Step 4: Go to Computer Menu

go to the computer menu where you can see the drives name

now when you look at the name you see the letter in parentheses to the right remember that letter

(this letter represents the USB port your drive is plugged into) (lets say its z)

Step 5: Open Notepad

copy the following into notepad

(only whats in between the lines of equals)

==================================

@echo off

attrib lockbox +h

==================================

remember the letter from the last step replace Z below with that letter ( just the letter )

now name it " hidelockbox.bat " without the quotes and below it click on save as all files and then save it to your desktop

Step 6: Double Click on Your Batch File " Hidelockbox "

run the batch file you just created and go back to the my computer menu and open your thumb drive the folder named " lockbox " should be invisible (not gone but invisible)

Step 7: Create the Lock File

now download the following open it and at the bottom of the file there is the letter z again you need to replace it with whatever letter you found in step 4

then at the top of the file you will see " themostsecurepassword "

that is the password feel free to change it to whatever you want

save it as " lock4.bat " on the thumb drive