Password Protecting?

[Custom Coffin Works]

Is there a way to password protect a hard drive? I have a slave unit that I have sensitive materials on and wish to make access to it via password only. I am using Windows XP. I would even go as far as trying to make it a remote storage devise. Could I wire a switch to the red power wire to turn it on and off?
Thanks...
PS: I understand Stray Cat if you don't come up with something to add to this thread.

[Psychoholic]

if you are using NTFS on it, you could set the security on it for only certain users to access it. Or you can go to the security tab and check the 'encrypt contents' option.

I think those only work in XP Pro, not sure what to do with xp home.

[Guest]

yeah, NTFS permissions only work in professional versions of windows.

another option would be to use something like TrueCrypt or PGP Whole Disk to encrypt the disk

[Scary Guy]

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/DiskCryptor/1232527086/1

Just something I saw, not sure how well it works though.

[Guest]

yeah that's basically the same thing as truecrypt