# Windows XP file access question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-file-access-question/397659>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-file-access-question/397659 "2007-03-27T07:09:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-file-access-question/397659/1 "2007-03-27T07:09:37Z")

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Is there a way to tell who has accessed a file under Windows XP? (i.e. copied or opened but not modified a file)

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-file-access-question/397659/2 "2007-03-27T07:46:46Z")

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No.

Real, secure Operating Systems (like MVS) have built-in security and access control subsystems & logs to track and maintain control over such things. Windows does not.

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-file-access-question/397659/3 "2007-03-27T11:14:07Z")

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In Windows XP Professional you can set up [auditing](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310399) which will give you this information. You have to turn it on ahead of time though.