how to put a password for few folders in my documents folder. im using windows xp?

Answer 1

Microsoft has an utility for this - Microsoft Private Floder. Unfortunatelly it allows the creation of only one password-protected folder. The program is no longer available from Microsoft, but you can get it from other sites(for example: www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Lockdown/Microsoft-Private-Folder.shtml ).
If you want to password more than one folder, I would advise you to use the open-source application TrueCrypt (www.truecrypt.org), that will allow you to password protect more folders and even hide them completely. Each folder (or all of them if you wish) will be like a virtual drive, password protected.
You can also archieve the folders using a password (for example using winrar), but this is much slower than using TrueCrypt, that encrypts everything on the fly and no waiting time is needed.
There are also programs that try (or pretend) to password protect folders, but many of them are not free and many of them are not trustworhy in my opinion (might come with bundled adware or spyware). TrueCrypt is open source, free and has a large community and a good reputation. I am using it and I am very content with it.

Answer 2

Search google for "Folder Guard". I had used this software about 3 years back and it was good. But if u forget the password, u can't recover it.

Answer 3

Right click the folder you want to add to and click 'send to' ... 'Compressed (zipped) folder. Double click the new folder, right click the background and click 'add a password'. Choose a password and it will now need a password to open. Hope this helps!