Windows 10: In Need of Serious Help: How To Stop Apps From Scanning My Files?

This problem has been giving me so much anxiety and has been on my mind a lot.

My anxiety level has gotten to the point where I've even stopped installing 3rd party apps!

This is my problem:
I'm worried that an app that's running is able to view and access the other files (like my documents) on my hard drive that are in a completely different folder on my hard drive and without my permission.

It just seems so easy for an app to do this?

Is it possible for me to "contain" an app and make it impossible for an app to be able to view or access the files on my hard drive like my documents?

Thank you for any advice!

:)

 

please help, is my laptop in serious need of fixing?

I have been looking through the event viewer and am shocked to see so many warnings and errors, I don't know if this is normal or if my laptop is in dire need of taking somewhere to be fixed, I will list them all so please bare with me as I am not very smart
when it comes to computers so I do need some clear help. so far today ive had about 8 of them :

1: event id 8303 scoping unsuccessful for shadowcopy L:
\\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy4 with error 0x81000207.

2: event id 98 source ntfs, Volume TI30992200A (\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowcopy4) requires an online scan, this wil automatically run as part of the next maintenance task or run chkdsk scan or run repair- volume <drive> scan.

3: event id 513 sourse CAPI2m, Cryptographic services failed while processing the OnIdentity() call in the system writer object

Details: AddLegacyDriverFiles: Unable to back up image of binary Microsoft link- layer discovery protocol system error access is denied.

4: event id 36 source Volsnap the shadow copies of volume C: were aborted because the shadowcopy storage could not grow due to a user imposed limit.

5: event 1014 source Dns client events name resolution for the name wpad timed out after none of the configured dns servers responded.

please be as clear as you can me, I'm really worried that my laptop needs serious attention. thank you

 

please help, is my laptop in serious need of fixing?

Actually, it's normal. At this moment I have hundreds of errors and warnings, yet my computer runs very well.

99.9% of these are simply Windows internal processing and have no real meaning. To give an analogy, it's like flushing your toilet and then getting a warning - "low water pressure in toilet tank." Duh, what did you expect?

If you have doubts, copy a message or two and put them into a web search. When you understand what they're saying, you'll see it's no big deal.

Don't be a PC hypochondriac. As long as you operate your computer in supported ways and keep it free from malware, you're doing fine.

 

1. Yes, it's a 3rd party app, but probably your best option is Sandboxie
Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing
2. Get a USB thumb drive to keep your documents,etc on and unplug it when not being used. I recommend Sandisk as it comes with it's own Secure Access software.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...5-1699509?th=1

 

In all honesty, as I told you in another thread of yours, you should try to get help. I am saying this as a fellow geek concerned about your well being. It brings nothing good if, as it looks like, you can only think how software companies are going to or trying to access your personal data.

I hope you have someone you can talk with about your fears.

 

Indeed - maybe computers are not for you? You might feel better sending letters - but who knows who is going to steam them open?

 

After reading the many NiceAndShy posts over the months, I agree with @Kari. Some counseling/therapy here is definitely needed, not computer help.

 

Your concern is much appreciated!

However, I don't have any mental problems and I'm just deeply concerned with so many apps having so much inbuilt "cloud connectivity".

 

I suggest disabling your network connection. No. Seriously.

 

Your idea is much appreciated!

I've come across this "Sandboxie" app before and it seems really great.

Are there any other ways I can prevent a 3rd party app from accessing the files on the hard drive that the 3rd party app is installed on?

 

I just want to make it clear that this is a genuine problem of mine I'm trying to solve.

 

Sandboxie seems like a great app.

I'm researching Sandboxie now.

I'd love to hear more feedback about Sandboxie!

 

Other than using something like Sandboxie, are there other ways I can make sure that an app is unable to view other files on my hard drive?

 

You can encrypt the files. You can log in to a different user account and put the files in your user folder, and make sure you never run apps under that user account, or a user account with administrator privileges.

 

Wow, encrypting my files is a great idea!