Chapter 16). EFS is transparent: Encrypted files and folders change color, but otherwise, you open, edit, and save them in the usual way.
appendix). To check a drive, choose Start > My Computer; right-click a drive icon; then choose Properties > General tab. The File System entry should be NTFS.
NTFS-compressed files can't be EFS-encrypted (but you
can encrypt Zipped folders). See "Compressing Files and Folders" earlier in this chapter.
You can't encrypt system files, such as those in the Windows (or WINNT) folder.
To encrypt a file or folder:
1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the file or folder that you want to encrypt; then choose Properties > General tab > Advanced.
If the Advanced button is missing, the selected file or folder isn't on an NTFS drive
2. Check Encrypt Contents to Secure Data (Figure 5.57 ).
3. Click OK in each open dialog box.
EFS isn't all that safe, because an administrator can use a Group Policy "back door" to recover your encrypted data. For better protection use a stand-alone encryption tool such as PGP (free; Tweak UI" sidebar in "Using the Start Menu" in Chapter 2.) Consider
not coloring encrypted files so that onlookers won't know that you're using EFS.