PC-Online 1998 February/PCOnline_02_1998.iso/filesbbs/win3x/mfd.exe/MF.DOC

Text File | 1997-05-30 | 24.4 KB | 493 lines

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    * Welcome to Magic Folders

    Version 97.04a

    Magic Folders makes any folder (directory) you choose and all the files
    in that folder completely invisible to those without your password.

    These invisible folders and files can't be deleted, viewed, modified,
    or run.  For all practical purposes they don't exist.  Use Magic
    Folders to protect your finances, taxes, and personal documents.  Not
    only won't other users not know these files exist, they won't be able
    to accidentally delete or modify them either.  With Magic Folders you
    can turn over your computer to your children or your co-workers
    without worrying if they'll delete, modify or view important files.

    Yet, just enter your password and you'll instantly have complete and
    normal access to all your folders and the files within.  There's no
    need to un-hide each file or folder individually.  And Magic Folders
    is totally transparent.  No one need know your invisible
    folders/files even exist.

    If you wish you can establish 10 different accounts so everyone using
    your computer can create their own invisible folders that only they
    have access to.

    If you share your computer you need Magic Folders.  Use it to protect
    files you don't want others to delete, modify, view, or use.  Keep your
    important files safe.  Protect them with Magic Folders!

    Magic Folders works in DOS, Windows 3.1, and Windows 95.  It will not
    hide your folders/files in OS/2, 32 bit file access in Windows for
    Workgroups or Windows NT.  It is not for use on shared LAN drives.

    Magic Folders (tm) is copyrighted 1996-97 by RSE Incorporated.  Parts
    of the program are proprietary.  Do not use the software unless you
    agree  NOT to unassemble, disassemble, reverse engineer or use any
    other means to examine or modify the code of any of its files
    including MAGIC.EXE and MF.EXE.

    "Magic Folders" is licensed "As is" without any express or implied
    warranties whatsoever.  In no event shall RSE Inc. be liable for any
    loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including without
    limitation, special, incidental, consequential or other damages.
    Your rights may vary based on your state's laws.

    By choosing to install "Magic Folders" you signal that you understand
    and agree to abide by the above.

    * How much?

    Magic Folders is shareware.  You're freely given this copy in order
    to evaluate it.  If after a 30 day evaluation period you decide to
    continue using Magic Folders then you must become a registered user.
    You can register instantly by modem (select "Register Now" under the
    "Registration" menu) or by sending the registration fee of $29 plus
    $1 shipping ($5 overseas) to:

        Magic Folders                    Mastercard or Visa customers:
        1157 57th Drive SE               E-mail: [e-mail]
        Auburn, WA 98092                         [phone]
                                          After Oct97: [phone]

    Make check in US funds drawn on a US or Canadian bank payable to RSE.

    You're encouraged to freely distribute copies of MFD.ZIP as long as
    you don't modify the files in any way.  DO NOT distribute the
    individual, extracted, files; only MFD.ZIP.

    As a registered user you'll receive these additional benefits:

    1.  No more annoying messages (and delays) asking you to register.
    2.  The latest version of Magic Folders.
    3.  Free updates for 6 months! (If you download them)
    4.  The latest full function evaluation versions of our other
        shareware including our popular "Remind Me!" programs.
    5.  Technical support
    6.  A sincere "Thank you" for supporting our efforts to develop quality
        software and offer it at reasonable prices.

    Site licenses are available, as well as quantity discounts.

    If for some reason you decide not to register Magic Folders please
    send us e-mail and let us know why.  We're always trying to improve
    our products.

    * Installation

    If you haven't already installed Magic Folders you need to do so now.
    Run "MAGIC.EXE" from within Windows.

    * Disk compression software

    If you have disk compression software like Stacker or DoubleDisk make
    sure that the line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file that runs Magic Folders
    (MF.EXE, or whatever you renamed it during installation) occurs AFTER
    the line that loads your disk compression program.

    * Selecting your magic folders

    Magic folders are those folders you want to be able to make
    invisible.  You designate which folders you want to be magic folders
    by selecting the "Add" button at the top of the screen.

    Magic Folders not only makes all the files in your magic folders
    invisible it also makes any sub folders invisible too.  For example,
    if you designate "C:\TAXES" as a magic folder then all the files in
    "C:\TAXES\BUSINESS" would be invisible too.

    * Making your magic folders invisible

    Your magic folders are invisible from the time you start your computer
    until the time your computer is turned off unless you deliberately
    make them visible as explained below.

    * Making your magic folders visible

    To make your magic folders visible run Magic Folders (in the
    Accessories group), or press the hot-key you assigned Magic Folders
    during installation, enter your password, and then select "Make
    Folders Visible".  This gives you instant, complete, and normal
    access to all your files, including the files in your magic folders.

    Likewise, to make your magic folders invisible again just run Magic
    Folders, enter your password and select "Make Folders Invisible" or
    use the shortcut and just click on the "Please enter your password"
    message when prompted for your password.  Your magic folders also
    become invisible again if your re-boot or turn off your computer.

    If you put the PW.EXE file in your \WINDOWS directory then you can
    enter your password from the DOS prompt just by enter "pw".  Although
    I can't imagine how you would use it a couple of users have asked
    that we let them enter the password from a command line.  You can use
    PW.EXE to do this by appending your password after the "pw".  For
    example if your password is "hello"  you could enter "pw hello" at
    the DOS prompt and it would grant you access without you having to
    physically type in your password.  You could if so inclined put the
    "pw hello" in a batch file so that access is granted anytime the
    batch file is run.

    * Utility Functions

    Selecting "Utilities" from the top menu lets you change your
    password, switch to another account (if you know its password), and
    remove your account.  The Master Account can also create new accounts
    and un-install Magic Folders.

    * AutoStart

    You can have Magic Folders automatically start whenever you boot
    your computer.  In AutoStart mode, Magic Folders gets your password,
    makes your magic folders visible and then exits.  You can use this
    feature to control access to your computer.

    You have two options when installing AutoStart.  Both deal with how
    incorrect passwords are handled.  The first option lets you attempt
    to enter the password just once.  If incorrect then the user is
    granted access to the computer but all magic folders remain
    invisible.

    The second option lets you attempt to enter the password three times.
    After three tries the computer is shut down.  In other words, only
    those with Magic Folder accounts will have access to the computer.

    In both options AutoStart looks for the KeyDisk if the password is
    not valid.  Therefore you can still use the KeyDisk to gain access
    should you forget your password.  And as always, you can use DISABLE
    on the KeyDisk to uninstall Magic Folders should you not be able to
    access Magic Folders within Windows.

    Because AutoStart only makes your magic folders visible you still run
    Magic Folders (in the Accessories group) to modify your magic folder
    list and all other Magic Folder functions.

    You can uninstall AutoStart from within Magic Folders.


    * Multiple Accounts

    Magic Folders lets you create up to five different accounts, each of
    whose magic folders are invisible to the others.  In this way each
    user of your computer, or member of the family, can have their own
    magic folders.  You could also use this feature to group similar
    files together so that working on one group doesn't expose the
    others.  For example, one account for financial data, one for
    business, one for personal documents, etc..

    Only the magic folders of one account can be visible at any time.  In
    other words when someone successfully enters their password, all
    magic folders are made invisible.  If that person exits by selecting
    "Make Folders Invisible" then all magic folders remain invisible.  If
    they exit with "Make Folders Visible" then only their folders become
    visible, all others remain invisible.  For example if you make your
    folders visible, and your son comes along and uses Magic Folders to
    make his folders visible, then yours become invisible.

    If you create multiple accounts you can't make all files on the
    computer visible at one time without uninstalling Magic Folders.
    Remember this when making backups.  It also means that you don't want
    to make multiple accounts if you have a disk fix or defragmenting
    utility that reports more errors when folders are invisible than when
    they're visible (see WARNING section below).

    Only the master account can create new accounts.  This doesn't mean
    however that the master account has access to all accounts.  Each
    account can change its password.  Let's say you want to give your
    spouse a private account.  You'd select "Utilities" then "Create New
    Account" and enter the new account password as requested.  You would
    then tell your spouse the password you used to establish the account
    and they would run Magic Folders using that password, select
    "Utilities", and select "Change Your Password".  Now they have their
    own account, with a password only they know.

    Unlike the master account which can use the KeyDisk to get access
    should the password be forgotten there is no way another account can
    make their magic folders visible if they forget their password -
    other than uninstalling Magic Folders.  Don't forget your
    password(s)!


    * WARNING

    If you use a disk fix or defrag utility other than SCANDISK, DEFRAG,
    Norton Disk Doctor, or Norton Speed Disk then you MUST test them to
    see if they are safe to use with Magic Folders.  The danger is that
    they may see the space allocated to your invisible files and free it
    thereby deleting all your invisible folders and files and your
    password info.

    With over 60,000 people trying Magic Folders CHKDSK.EXE is the only
    program we've seen that becomes confused which is why we disable it
    so it won't run when Magic Folders is installed (as long as it is
    named CHKDSK.EXE).  There are situations where you may need to copy
    or access CHKDSK.  For example, Win95 puts CHKDSK on the bootable
    recovery disk it creates.  For this reason there is a function under
    "Utilities" on the main screen that makes CHKDSK temporarily
    accessible.

    To test your utilities (if not listed above) :  Run your disk fix or
    defragmenting utilities when your Magic folders are visible and
    invisible.  DO NOT FIX ANY ERRORS THEY MAY REPORT.  If more errors
    are reported when your folders are invisible then do one of the
    following:

    1.  Remove the utilities (so you can't use them) or remove Magic Folders.

    2.  Use only one account in Magic Folders (just use the Master Account
    already created) and move the offending utility into one of your
    invisible folders.  That way it can only be used when all folders and
    files are visible, and thereby safe.

    If the errors reported are the same when your magic folders are
    hidden as they are when magic folders are visible then you can use
    the utility without concern.

    Please send the results of your testing to [e-mail]

    For those interested in the technical details, this is why CHKDSK
    (and maybe others) get confused.  Disk fix and defragmenting
    utilities bypass the operating system and directly examine your disk.
    In this way they can see the space allocated for your invisible
    files.  Instead of directly examining the disk to see which files
    belong to this allocated space (as smart utilities do) they instead
    ask the operating system.  Since the operating system doesn't see
    your magic folders when they're invisible these utilities assume the
    space allocated to your invisible files should be freed.  Freeing
    this space will obviously delete your invisible files and folders.
    On the other hand if you don't create any additional Magic Folder
    accounts except for the Master Account created during installation
    then you can put the offending utility into one of your magic
    folders.  In that way it can only be run when all folders and files
    are visible to the operating system.

    WARNING TOO!

    DON'T hide folders that contain critical system files.  By default
    your folders are invisible until you use Magic Folders to designate
    them as visible.  If Windows needs a file that exists only in one of
    your hidden folders then it won't be able to find it until you make
    the folders visible.  If you accidentally hide important system files
    then you'll need to use your KeyDisk to disable Magic Folders.  See
    "Problems?" below.


    * Things to remember

    Backups:  Some backup programs won't backup your magic folders unless
    they are visible.  Remember, if you have multiple accounts you won't
    be able to make all files visible at once, you can only make the
    magic folders of one account visible at a time.

    Networks:  Do not use Magic Folders on a file server for a LAN.
    However it works great protecting files that exist only on your
    workstation's drives and are not accessible to the LAN.

    Win95 "Boot to DOS":  If you exit Win95 by booting to DOS the
    visibility of your magic folders remains the same in DOS as they were
    when you exited Win95.  Likewise, if you're using Win95 and you want
    the visibility of your magic folders to be the same when you re-start
    the computer as it was when you shut down the computer then simply
    add a " x" to the line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file that loads MF.EXE
    (or whatever you renamed it).  In other words change the line from
    "LH MF.EXE" to "LH MF.EXE x".  Use a lower case "x".

    Shortcut:  If you've made your magic folders visible and you want to
    make them invisible again, you need only click on the Magic Folders
    icon and then click on the "Please enter your password" message.

    Another Shortcut:  If you're using Win95 and exit Magic Folders by
    clicking on the yellow folder button on the Main Screen, then not
    only will your magic folders be visible, but the "Hide M-folders"
    icon will appear on the Task Bar.  You need only click on this "Hide
    M-folders" icon and your magic folders will be instantly hidden.
    Notice that the "Hide M-folders" description only appears for 5
    seconds and then disappears leaving no evidence that Magic Folders is
    present.

    Another Shortcut:  Don't forget, you can run Magic Folders by
    pressing the hot-key you assigned it during installation.  In Win95
    you can change your hot-key (or establish one) by right clicking
    "Start", click "Open", double-click "Programs", double-click
    "Accessories", right-click "Magic Folders", click "Properties", click
    the "Shortcut" tab, enter a "Shortcut key", and click on "OK" to
    finish.


    * Making Magic Folders tougher to defeat

    Magic Folders does a great job of keeping your files protected and
    invisible if its loaded and running.  If no one knows Magic Folders
    is running then they won't have any reason to try to defeat it.  To
    the non-authorized user, Magic Folders is totally transparent.  If we
    broadcast the fact Magic Folders is protecting your files then a
    nosey user could try to disable it.   If they disable it then your
    folders become visible.

    There are several things you can do to make Magic Folder more
    difficult, if not near impossible, to defeat.  Please read this
    entire section before deciding which option, if any, you wish to
    implement.

    During installation MF.EXE is renamed to the new name you give it.
    You can make multiple copies of this renamed file, giving each copy a
    different name, putting them in different directories, and running
    each of the different copies from within your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
    Someone would then have to remove all references to the renamed Magic
    Folders files in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file before Magic Folders would be
    defeated.  Don't worry about loading Magic Folders multiple times as
    it only loads itself once regardless of how many times it is run.

    If you're using Windows 95 you can also use this "multiple load using
    different names" method in the SYSTEM.INI file.  Look for the section
    "[386Enh]" and add a line underneath it that says "device=" followed
    by the full pathname of the renamed Magic Folders.EXE file.  For
    example, if during installation you rename Magic Folders to SYS_MGR,
    and the Magic Folders files are in C:\MF,  then you would add the
    line: "device=c:\mf\sys_mgr.exe".   This is only useful in Win95.

    If you're using Windows 95 you can also user REGEDIT.EXE to modify
    the registry files.  If you don't know what the Registry is or how
    to use RegEdit, or you don't understand the following directions,
    then DON'T try this.  DO NOT ask us for help if you mess up your
    registry.  Microsoft technical support won't even take calls on the
    registry.  You're on your own.

    Windows 95 depends heavily on the registry so ALWAYS backup the
    registry files (SYSTEM.DAT SYSTEM.DA0 USER.DAT USER.DA0) to a floppy
    before modifying the registry.  Use REGEDIT to hi-lite the

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/VXD

    key.  Making sure you've selected the "VXD" key select "Edit" then
    "New" then "Key" and enter whatever you want the key to be named.
    Double click on your new key to open it.  Then select "Edit", "New",
    and "String Value" and enter "StaticVxD".  Then double click on the
    "StaticVxD" and enter the full pathname of the renamed MF.EXE file.
    Since most people are not stupid enough to mess with the Registry,
    and you're hiding the purpose of this key fairly well, this is a
    fairly secure method of assuring that Magic Folders runs whenever
    Windows 95 does.  Note: Win95 Safe Mode doesn't use the registry, but
    Magic Folders uses another method to load in Safe Mode.

    In addition, we've included programs that can convert WIN.COM and
    COMMAND.COM so that whenever these files are run they attempt to run
    Magic Folders. As long as someone boots from your hard disk, and not
    from a floppy, this virtually guarantees that Magic Folders will
    always be loaded and protecting your files.  However, because WIN.COM
    and COMMAND.COM are important system files WE DO NOT SUPPORT THESE
    CONVERSION PROGRAMS IN ANY WAY.  You use them entirely at your own
    risk.  If you're interested, the conversion programs and their
    instructions (CONVERT.TXT) are included in CONVERT.ZIP.

    If you decide to load Magic Folders using any of these methods
    remember that using the "Uninstall" Utility within Magic Folders (or
    DISABLE on your KeyDisk) only un-installs the initial copy of Magic
    Folders.  You'll need to manually remove all other references to the
    renamed MF.EXE file in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file (and SYSTEM.INI and
    Registry if appropriate).  If you convert WIN.COM and COMMAND.COM
    you'll also need to restore the original of those files as well.


    * FAQs  (Frequently Asked Questions)

    "Sometimes after making my magic folders invisible they still show up
    in directory listings, even tho I can't access them or their files.
    Why?"

    Many programs keep their directory listings in memory.  So if you
    have the program do a directory search before hiding your folders
    the program will continue to use that directory information even
    after you hide your folders.  File Manager and Explorer both do this.
    If you force the program to regather (refresh) the directory
    information then most times you'll see that your folders really are
    invisible.  In any case you won't be able to view or access the
    files in your hidden folders.  The hot key to force a refresh in File
    Manager and Explorer is F5.


    "Sometimes icons on my Win95 desktop that point to hidden folders
    don't appear, even when the folders are visible.".

    To make them appear when folders are visible just click on the
    desktop and press F5 to force a refresh.


    "I'm having problems with my disk compression software"

    Check the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and make sure the line that run Magic
    Folders (or whatever you renamed it during installation) is being run
    AFTER the line that loads your disk compression software (Stacker,
    DoubleDisk, etc..).


    "I forgot my password.  What now?"

    Master Account:

    Put your KeyDisk in the appropriate floppy drive.  Run Magic Folders
    and attempt to enter a password three times.  After the third attempt
    Magic Folders will attempt to read your Password from your KeyDisk.

    Other Accounts:

    You'll have to have the Master Account uninstall Magic Folders, re-
    install it, and then re-create a new account for you.


    "I want to un-install Magic Folders but I forgot my password so I
    can't use the Magic Folders utilities to un-install.  What now?"

    Re-boot using a System floppy.  Insert your KeyDisk and run
    DISABLE.COM.


    "I registered but the program is still asking me to register."

    Make sure MFD.SYS is in the same directory as MAGIC.EXE.  MFD.SYS is
    licensed for your use only and has been customized with your personal
    information.  If MFD.SYS isn't in the directory with MAGIC.EXE then
    the program won't act registered.  If you registered via modem then
    MFD.SYS was downloaded and installed automatically, otherwise it's on
    the disk we sent when you registered.  For more information select
    "About your registration" under the "Registration" menu.


    "I can't rename the parent folder of a magic folder when it's
    invisible."

    That's correct.  Magic Folders doesn't mark your folders
    with a special secret sign to indicate they're magic folders.  It
    just uses the list of magic folders you create.  If someone renamed
    the parent directory of a magic folder then your magic folder would
    no longer match the list of magic folders and would therefore become
    visible.


    * Technical Support

    Registered users can get technical support by calling [phone]
    ( after Oct97: [phone] )

    or preferably by e-mail at [e-mail]

    * Latest Versions

    You can always find the latest versions of all our software on our
    WEB page at:  www.pc-magic.com

    Thank you for taking a look at Magic Folders.  Hope you find it
    worthy of your support.