USB flash drive write protection
- Thread starter maxhar
- Start date
thank you very much!
thanks.
i am not very good in english and i seldom do this. writing in appreciation of another. how ever this time i would make an exeption.
my kingston datatreveler 2.0 2gb flash drive suddenly went into "write-protection" mode. for no apparent reasons. i tried 2-3 ways to unlock it, but to no avail. later on i tried your way and wallah! all of the problems are now gone. i can delete, add or copy files from and into the flash drive. thank you very much.
p.s
it was not just my kingston, the problem also extended to my easydisk 128mb and another of my flashdrive too. i think it might be because of registry done by my collague. anyway, it is back to normal now. thanks.
thanks.
i am not very good in english and i seldom do this. writing in appreciation of another. how ever this time i would make an exeption.
my kingston datatreveler 2.0 2gb flash drive suddenly went into "write-protection" mode. for no apparent reasons. i tried 2-3 ways to unlock it, but to no avail. later on i tried your way and wallah! all of the problems are now gone. i can delete, add or copy files from and into the flash drive. thank you very much.
p.s
it was not just my kingston, the problem also extended to my easydisk 128mb and another of my flashdrive too. i think it might be because of registry done by my collague. anyway, it is back to normal now. thanks.
This is a very old thread. And any users who still have issues should really create a New Thread on the forums
But I thought I'd mention two other tools that may help members\viewers of this thread.
Warning: These tools will format (ie remove all data from) your flash drive, but as a last resort it is worth it.
1.
HP USB Disk Storage Format Utility
This will format most USB flash drives
It can be known to recover Flash drives that are un-responsive too.
2.
If that doesn't work try this one:
Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool (USB Flash drive "format" that is
)
But I thought I'd mention two other tools that may help members\viewers of this thread.
Warning: These tools will format (ie remove all data from) your flash drive, but as a last resort it is worth it.
1.
HP USB Disk Storage Format Utility
This will format most USB flash drives
It can be known to recover Flash drives that are un-responsive too.
2.
If that doesn't work try this one:
Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool (USB Flash drive "format" that is
)i need help..........
my flash drive write protected, I was able to copy a folder to the flash drive but when I tried to copy another one, the system says "Write Protect Error" I tried to format the drive but it also says the same problem. But When I dismounted it to the computer and mounted it again, you can now delete the files stored in it and also format the drive but still you cannot copy a file/folder to it because of this error
my flash drive write protected, I was able to copy a folder to the flash drive but when I tried to copy another one, the system says "Write Protect Error" I tried to format the drive but it also says the same problem. But When I dismounted it to the computer and mounted it again, you can now delete the files stored in it and also format the drive but still you cannot copy a file/folder to it because of this error
Thanks fatbird, i solve my usb write protect problem,
there is no problem in the USB, and no need to format, usb if giving the problems to write on it, actully you have to do some changes in ur registory, and that is very simple,
- Start > Run > type ‘regedit’ (without the speachmarks) > Enter
- Single-click on ‘My Computer’ > File > Export > save it to the Desktop (Always best to have a backup!!)
- Go to the following:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDeviceP olicies
*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*
- Double click on the string ‘WriteProtect’ and change the ‘Value Data’ box to ‘0’
that's all.....plug off the usb dirve and plug in again, now you can copy and delete the files from ur usb.....
enjoy it....
there is no problem in the USB, and no need to format, usb if giving the problems to write on it, actully you have to do some changes in ur registory, and that is very simple,
- Start > Run > type ‘regedit’ (without the speachmarks) > Enter
- Single-click on ‘My Computer’ > File > Export > save it to the Desktop (Always best to have a backup!!)
- Go to the following:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDeviceP olicies
*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*
- Double click on the string ‘WriteProtect’ and change the ‘Value Data’ box to ‘0’
that's all.....plug off the usb dirve and plug in again, now you can copy and delete the files from ur usb.....
enjoy it....
Don't worry I copied this down ages ago
I have the format options and the registry option, and even the little mico switch all in one text file to quote to others
One user tried all and didn't work
So other than manufacture format tools
I'd say faulty USB drive (or data cable if it has one)
I have the format options and the registry option, and even the little mico switch all in one text file to quote to others
One user tried all and didn't work
So other than manufacture format tools
I'd say faulty USB drive (or data cable if it has one)
hi
like all of u i had a same problems withmy usb flash memory
xp said that it is lock and i could not write or even format it
i checked with many programs but non of thems work
so at last i boot with dos ! i had a bootable cd i try with it
my flash memory in dos was B: so i use scandisk in dos
it find some problems and solved them and then i can
format it in dos
i wish it can help u all of my friends
( i hate microsoft xp )
like all of u i had a same problems withmy usb flash memory
xp said that it is lock and i could not write or even format it
i checked with many programs but non of thems work
so at last i boot with dos ! i had a bootable cd i try with it
my flash memory in dos was B: so i use scandisk in dos
it find some problems and solved them and then i can
format it in dos
i wish it can help u all of my friends
( i hate microsoft xp )
no storagedevicepolicies
...I looked in my registry (win xp, sp2, home ed.) but can find no such item in that registry string.
OK – after an hour or so of faffing around :knock: , I think that I have found a possible solution
Here’s what worked for me (sorry for the *****’s Guide approach, but I used to :hotbounce hate it :hotbounce when I used forums and couldn’t understand what the technobabble meant!):
- Start > Run > type ‘regedit’ (without the speachmarks) > Enter
- Single-click on ‘My Computer’ > File > Export > save it to the Desktop (Always best to have a backup!!)
- Go to the following:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Double click on the string ‘WriteProtect’ and change the ‘Value Data’ box to ‘0’
- Then: File > Export > save somewhere useful as something like ‘StorageDevicePolicies001.reg’
- You also need to do this for the strings in any folders called ‘ControlSet***’ (* = any Digit, i.e. 001, 002) – for example: Everything is the same, just change ‘CurrentControlSet’ to ‘ControlSet***’
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Save these to the same place as before as ‘StorageDevicePolicies00*’
The saves are in case it reverts at a later date, just double click (saying ‘yes’ to importing these to the registry) on all of the files and it will all work again!
...I looked in my registry (win xp, sp2, home ed.) but can find no such item in that registry string.
Obviously this thread gets viewed a lot (must be Google searches or something )
Anyway, because no one wants to create a => New Thread; I'll just post some general info here! (Something is bound to work!)
Advanced troubleshooting tips for general USB problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310575
The Care and Feeding of USB Storage Devices in XP
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=28888
USB Guides
http://www.usbman.com/USB_Guides.htm
Solved: Drive Letters Cannot Be Assigned to Flash / USB Drives Under Windows XP
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=337977#post337977
Flash drive recovery procedures
https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic45834.html
Western Digital external hard drive problem
https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic116656.html
How to remove Virus from USB Drives
http://www.whoismadhur.com/2008/01/26/how-to-remove-virus-from-usb-drives/
Format an unresponsive USB Drive :grinthumb
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=687891#post687891
Troubleshoot: Windows Won't Recognize USB Hard Drive / Fix Unassigned Drive Letter :grinthumb
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?t=122125
It would be nice to know which one worked for you
)Anyway, because no one wants to create a => New Thread; I'll just post some general info here! (Something is bound to work!)
Advanced troubleshooting tips for general USB problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310575
The Care and Feeding of USB Storage Devices in XP
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=28888
USB Guides
http://www.usbman.com/USB_Guides.htm
Solved: Drive Letters Cannot Be Assigned to Flash / USB Drives Under Windows XP
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=337977#post337977
Flash drive recovery procedures
https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic45834.html
Western Digital external hard drive problem
https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic116656.html
How to remove Virus from USB Drives
http://www.whoismadhur.com/2008/01/26/how-to-remove-virus-from-usb-drives/
Format an unresponsive USB Drive :grinthumb
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?p=687891#post687891
Troubleshoot: Windows Won't Recognize USB Hard Drive / Fix Unassigned Drive Letter :grinthumb
https://www.techspot.com/vb/showthread.php?t=122125
It would be nice to know which one worked for you
YOU are a legend mate 4hrs scrolling through useless help topics, i knew it was a windows error and now the answer, all my control settings for groups 1 3 4 were set to 1 not 0!!!! all 5 of the usb sticks i have bought now work
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ps. i have XP SP3 and only needed to change control settings didnt save anything
Hello all the people at forum
Hello
To day I get big help from your community about problem in my PC ,
The problem is : not have permit for to write in pendrive and external storage disk .but in your forum I found the solution, thanks very much.
Now I am part the community of course one baby in this but have big curiosity and learn quick.
have all very good day, afternoon, morning or night!!!
Take care
Itamar
Hello
To day I get big help from your community about problem in my PC ,
The problem is : not have permit for to write in pendrive and external storage disk .but in your forum I found the solution, thanks very much.
Now I am part the community of course one baby in this but have big curiosity and learn quick.
have all very good day, afternoon, morning or night!!!
Take care
Itamar
I wrote an article a few weeks back describing different types of flash drive failures and a few quick fixes to try. People experiencing flash drive issues may find it useful.
How Flash Drives Fail
How Flash Drives Fail
thank you very much FATBIRD actually i googled for this problem and reached very near to the soluttion you gave but i found that controlset001 etc. are also to be changed....thnx once again
Need help!
I have this 4GBToshiba Transmemory USB Device. I used it last Wednesday. I was copying stuffs like songs and games and trying to save it on my USB then all the while a copywrite protected popped up. It said I need to remove the copywrite protection or use a new disk. I can't delete my old files too nor can format the device itself. Also I can't put new files again.
I tried fatbird's solution but I can't find the StorageDevicePolicies...
Please help me... I just borrowed it and I'd be so dead if the owner will learn I ruined her USB.
please! thanks a lot!
I have this 4GBToshiba Transmemory USB Device. I used it last Wednesday. I was copying stuffs like songs and games and trying to save it on my USB then all the while a copywrite protected popped up. It said I need to remove the copywrite protection or use a new disk. I can't delete my old files too nor can format the device itself. Also I can't put new files again.
I tried fatbird's solution but I can't find the StorageDevicePolicies...
Please help me... I just borrowed it and I'd be so dead if the owner will learn I ruined her USB.
please! thanks a lot!
"Write protection" is actually an old Windows limitation
If you are copying your files in the root folder, Windows has an arbitrary and archaic limit of about 128 files.
To overcome that, simply create a folder and copy your files there instead -- voilà!
No more limit...
Well, were you expecting quality from Microsoft ?
If you are copying your files in the root folder, Windows has an arbitrary and archaic limit of about 128 files.
To overcome that, simply create a folder and copy your files there instead -- voilà!
No more limit...
Well, were you expecting quality from Microsoft ?
Fix for USB Card Reader With SD-to-Micro Adapter
If you are getting a "write protect" message while trying to access a USB card reader/writer with an SD-to-Micro adapter in it, suggest you look carefully on each edge of the adapter. You may see a previously unnoticed (and tiny) slide switch.
My Sandisk Micro-to-SD Adapter has such a switch, although I didn't see it two months ago when putting a 2GB micro into the adapter and then putting the adapter into the USB card reader/writer.
Everything was ok until a couple of days ago. Then the "write protected" error appeared. Looking closely, the adapter did have a slide switch with a very small tab. It also became clear that the very act of removing and then reinserting the adapter into the reader would often push the tab backward enough to enable the write-protect mode.
Using magnifying goggles, I carefully applied small drop of nail polish behind the tab. This proved enough to hold the switch in place. Please be careful. The tolerances are so small that too much nail polish could create its own problem.
If you are getting a "write protect" message while trying to access a USB card reader/writer with an SD-to-Micro adapter in it, suggest you look carefully on each edge of the adapter. You may see a previously unnoticed (and tiny) slide switch.
My Sandisk Micro-to-SD Adapter has such a switch, although I didn't see it two months ago when putting a 2GB micro into the adapter and then putting the adapter into the USB card reader/writer.
Everything was ok until a couple of days ago. Then the "write protected" error appeared. Looking closely, the adapter did have a slide switch with a very small tab. It also became clear that the very act of removing and then reinserting the adapter into the reader would often push the tab backward enough to enable the write-protect mode.
Using magnifying goggles, I carefully applied small drop of nail polish behind the tab. This proved enough to hold the switch in place. Please be careful. The tolerances are so small that too much nail polish could create its own problem.
The same problem
Hi,
I just won a Duracell USB Stick 960 MB...It worked for 2 days...But yesterday I tried to format my Memory Stick and it sais I need to remove protection...What protection???...I tried to remove the protection with the solutions posted recently...maybe not recentbut can someone help me please
Hi,
I just won a Duracell USB Stick 960 MB...It worked for 2 days...But yesterday I tried to format my Memory Stick and it sais I need to remove protection...What protection???...I tried to remove the protection with the solutions posted recently...maybe not recent
but can someone help me pleaseYou need to try the things already mentioned in this Topic, before posting here
If you have tried everything, then throw it away, or go back to "batteries Duracell" or wherever you won it, and say it doesn't work.
Hopefully they give you a bigger one than 1 gig, really unheard of these days
Okay, I have read through just about the whole thread and the same thing: "Cannot format (or whatever) - disk is protected remove write protected or use another disk". I have Windows XP Professional SP3, I'm using a 1 GB flash drive my Grandfather gave me from his work, which is at BMW so it says BMW on it, I do not see a switch for write protection.I have 3 others that aren't write protected and they are the same thing!!! This really pisses me off! Please help!
The Easy fix
The fix worked great ! Thanks Fatbird :grinthumb
QUOTE=fatbird;198590]OK – after an hour or so of faffing around :knock: , I think that I have found a possible solution . The problem seems to be something to do with Microsoft’s SP2 :dead: !
Here’s what worked for me (sorry for the *****’s Guide approach, but I used to :hotbounce hate it :hotbounce when I used forums and couldn’t understand what the technobabble meant!):
- Start > Run > type ‘regedit’ (without the speachmarks) > Enter
- Single-click on ‘My Computer’ > File > Export > save it to the Desktop (Always best to have a backup!!)
- Go to the following:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Double click on the string ‘WriteProtect’ and change the ‘Value Data’ box to ‘0’
- Then: File > Export > save somewhere useful as something like ‘StorageDevicePolicies001.reg’
- You also need to do this for the strings in any folders called ‘ControlSet***’ (* = any Digit, i.e. 001, 002) – for example: Everything is the same, just change ‘CurrentControlSet’ to ‘ControlSet***’
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Save these to the same place as before as ‘StorageDevicePolicies00*’
The saves are in case it reverts at a later date, just double click (saying ‘yes’ to importing these to the registry) on all of the files and it will all work again![/QUOTE]
The fix worked great ! Thanks Fatbird :grinthumb
QUOTE=fatbird;198590]OK – after an hour or so of faffing around :knock: , I think that I have found a possible solution
. The problem seems to be something to do with Microsoft’s SP2 :dead: !Here’s what worked for me (sorry for the *****’s Guide approach, but I used to :hotbounce hate it :hotbounce when I used forums and couldn’t understand what the technobabble meant!):
- Start > Run > type ‘regedit’ (without the speachmarks) > Enter
- Single-click on ‘My Computer’ > File > Export > save it to the Desktop (Always best to have a backup!!)
- Go to the following:
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Double click on the string ‘WriteProtect’ and change the ‘Value Data’ box to ‘0’
- Then: File > Export > save somewhere useful as something like ‘StorageDevicePolicies001.reg’
- You also need to do this for the strings in any folders called ‘ControlSet***’ (* = any Digit, i.e. 001, 002) – for example: Everything is the same, just change ‘CurrentControlSet’ to ‘ControlSet***’
My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
[CENTER]*There seems to be some spaces here in 'StorageDevicePolicies' in the text above, there shouldn't be, OK*[/CENTER]
- Save these to the same place as before as ‘StorageDevicePolicies00*’
The saves are in case it reverts at a later date, just double click (saying ‘yes’ to importing these to the registry) on all of the files and it will all work again![/QUOTE]
Similar threads
