The situation has been familiar since the days of floppy disks. Write protection can be installed on SD or microSD memory cards, or on a USB drive. Sometimes this indicates a device malfunction. In most cases, the problem is solvable. How to quickly and easily remove protection from a flash drive, read our article.
Why does a flash drive need write protection?
Sometimes this is a necessary measure. Users put protection on their flash drives to protect them from malware that is spontaneously copied to the drives.
In other cases, it is a hardware or software error.
Disc is write protected
Causes of the “Disk is write-protected” error and solutions
Mechanical write protection mode is enabled
Some USB flash drives have built-in mechanical protection. It is a switch on the body. If there is one, and it is in the “Lock” position, then it needs to be moved.
If the switch is in the “Lock” position, then data cannot be written to the flash drive
It is also possible that the mechanism is broken and the switch cannot be moved.
The host is infected with a virus
Malicious software not only blocks data recording, but also any other operations related to the movement of information. In this case there are two solutions:
- Scan the drive with an antivirus (antivirus databases must be up to date).
- Format the flash drive using system tools or using third-party programs. It is possible that the virus will block the formatting. In this case, you need to scan the entire computer.
Blocking by system processes
- Go to the tray, right-click on the “Safely remove devices and disks” icon and select your flash drive.
In the tray, find the “Safely remove devices and disks” icon, right-click on it and select the desired device
2. Restart your computer. It is possible that some system processes interfered with the operation of the drive and interfered with its operation. And the steps described above can disable them.
USB storage file system errors
Memory chip wear, viruses, power surges and unsafe removal of the flash drive can lead to logical damage to the USB drive.
- If you need the data on the flash drive, you need to extract it first. If you can’t just copy, you’ll have to use a data recovery program.
- Format the drive to restore the file system.
However, it is unlikely that it will be possible to format it in the usual way. Therefore, you need to use the Run tool.
This can also be done using the utility. For example, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. It is free and requires running as administrator.
Free utility for formatting USB drives HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool
USB storage controller firmware failure
The reasons described in the previous paragraph may lead to controller failure. To protect the information on the flash drive, it goes into blocking mode and stops responding to system requests. To fix this, the controller needs to be reflashed. To do this, you need to know the controller model in order to select the appropriate program. A good tool is the Flash Drive Information Extractor utility. It is free and displays all available information about the flash drive, including the controller model.
The free utility provides all the information about the USB drive, including the controller model
Windows Registry
There may be a setting in the registry that prohibits changes.
- Go to the address to the section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
- If the partition does not exist, you need to create it. To do this, right-click on the “Control” section, select “New” and click on “Section”. Name it “StorageDevicePolicies” (without quotes).
If the editor does not have the StorageDevicePolicies section, then you need to create it: to do this, right-click on the “Control” section, select “Create” and click on “Section”
- In the right part of the window, right-click and create “DWORD Value (32 bits)”. Name it “WriteProtect” (without quotes).
Right-click on the right half of the window, select “New” and click on “DWORD Value (32-bit)”
- Check the parameter value. Right-click on it and select “Edit...”. The value should be "0".
A new setting called "WriteProtect" should be set to "0"
- Close Registry Editor, remove the USB drive, and restart your computer.
Using the “Win” + R buttons, launch the “Run” tool and enter the regedit command.
Enter the regedit command
Read-Only attribute
It has nothing to do with the file system of the flash drive, but simply tells the system that changing the disk data is prohibited.
- In the window that opens, first enter the command “diskpart”, then “list disk”. The last command displays a list of available drives. Find the removable disk (in this example it is Disk 1).
After entering the list disk command, a list of available disks appears, among them you need to find a removable disk
Using the "Win" + R buttons, launch the "Run" tool and enter the cmd command.
Enter cmd command
Enter the command “select disk 1”. A confirmation message appears that the drive has been selected. Then enter the second command “attributes disk clear readonly”.
After entering the select disk 1 command, confirmation appears that the disk has been selected: all that remains is to enter the attributes disk clear readonly command
Local Group Policy Editor
There may be a setting in the editor that is causing the write protection error to appear.
- Using the key combination “Win” + R, launch the “Run” tool and enter gpedit.msc into the line.
To allow data to be written to the disk, you need to select “Disable” and click “OK”
Malfunctioning USB ports
To exclude or confirm this possibility, you need to connect another USB device to the port. If it works fine, then the problem is with the media.
Physical damage to the media
A shock, improper storage or wear of the flash drive can cause a write protection error to appear. In this case, you need to contact the service center. If the memory chip is intact, then the information can be restored.
USB stick Transcend
A special feature is that there is a JetFlash Recovery utility for servicing flash drives from this company. It eliminates errors, including the one due to which information cannot be written to the disk.
Video instructions: how to remove protection from a flash drive
Using these instructions, the user will be able to determine the cause of the error when trying to write data to it and remove protection from the device.
A USB drive is also called a flash drive. We all use it for personal purposes. External storage devices play an important role in our daily lives. They are very useful when it comes to operations involving moving files from one computer to another.
If the flash drive is inexplicably converted into a write-protected device, a serious problem arises. This means that you can no longer format it. Even record and edit files. You have only one option for using the drive - copying data. In this case, the normal formatting function does not work.
To remove write protection once and for all, follow these additional steps. In this article, we will share step-by-step instructions to solve this problem.
Write protection is a condition in which the user cannot write anything to the USB drive/flash drive. He does not have access to create a folder or copy data on the device. However, it is still possible to transfer content from a write-protected storage device. Therefore, if you are facing this type of problem, then your flash drive is definitely in write protected mode. Plus, now you can't format it.
Why did this happen?
The reasons for this problem may be different. For example, most often it is a virus. If the system is infected with malware, then the likelihood of write protection on external devices is high. For example, you removed the flash drive while transferring data from the computer. As a result, write protection appeared. Even when using data encryption algorithms on a USB storage device, the above-mentioned problem may also occur.
Which flash drives most often become write-protected?
It all depends on how you use the device. It can be easily converted to a write-protected disc. The manufacturer (Sony, HP, Toshiba, SanDisk, Stronium, Samsung, Kingston, etc.) does not matter.
Is it true that in most cases it is the SandDisk Cruzer Blade that gets infected?
Yes, mostly SanDisk flash drives face the problem of write protection. To be more precise, the Cruzer Blade model is vulnerable.
Can I disable/enable write protection?
Yes, you can easily fix this error on any device. Depending on your computer's operating system, the steps may vary. For example, write protection in Windows 7/8/10 or Linux can be easily removed using simple methods.
Steps to remove write protection on a drive in Windows 7/8/10
Solving a protected drive problem using the command line and the Diskpart function
Diskpart is a disk partitioning tool integrated into Windows. It can be accessed by running the command line. Diskpart provides information about partitions and volumes, allows you to delete and create them, expand NTFS volumes, etc.
- Click Start (or Windows Search in Windows 8 and 10) and type cmd in the search box. Then right-click on cmd.exe and select Run as Administrator.
- Enter the command as in the photo below and press Enter.
- Again enter the command as shown below and press Enter. Two available options will appear: hard disk drive (HDD) as 0 and USB flash drive as 1.
- Select the drive as in the photo below and press Enter.
- Write the command indicated in the yellow square, and then press the Enter key. The first line will say: "Current read-only status: Yes."
- To remove write protection using Diskpart, enter the command shown in the bottom photo. If it works, you will see a confirmation: “The disk attributes were successfully cleared.”
Format the USB drive
The last procedure is to format the flash drive. This action should return read/write capabilities to it. Before formatting, check the file system type of the drive. Let's see how to do this:
When finished, click "Done". You can then copy the small file to your USB drive. Everything should work. If not, then try it
Easy Troubleshooting: Check the Storage Chassis
Some USB flash drives have a mechanical switch on the case that automatically turns on write-protect mode.
Hence, check if there is any small slider on it as it may change position due to external factors.
On a note! If so, then simply slide the switch to the unlock position and check if the problem is resolved. Otherwise, the drive is most likely damaged. Contact a computer specialist or purchase a new device.
Video - Flash drive writes disk is write protected
Guide to removing write protection from a USB flash drive.
Navigation
USB flash drives and microSD memory cards are widely used for temporary storage of data. The files stored on them are easy to delete, but they often leave behind a lot of invisible garbage, which clogs the memory and slows down the reading of information on the USB drive. To deep clean memory, users resort to formatting flash drives. But quite often, while formatting a flash drive, a notification pops up informing you that it is write-protected.
In our article we will try to figure out how to bypass the protection of a locked flash drive or memory card.
A similar message about disk security can pop up for various reasons, and not only when trying to format a flash drive. It happens that a USB drive has served you faithfully for a long time, but one fine day, when you try to transfer files to it or, conversely, take them from it, such a notification appears. Let's look at the main reasons why such a nuisance can happen:
Physical blocking
- Many USB flash drives and memory cards have a small fuse on their case. It is a standard slider switch that is easy to miss. If you move the switch to a certain position, it will act as a fuse and will not allow you to accidentally delete data from the flash drive. Carefully inspect the body of the flash drive for the presence of a switch slider. If there is one, move it to a different position and try to repeat the procedure for deleting files from the USB drive.
New flash drive
- If you purchased a new USB flash drive or microSD card, and while writing files to it you receive a message about the security of the disk, then it is most likely that your device was previously formatted in an ancient file system FAT32. To restore order in the file system, it will need to be formatted in the format NTFS. We'll talk about this a little later.
- Another possible reason for this error to occur when using a new flash drive is a virus. Before you, the store clerks where you bought the flash drive could have used the drive and placed a malicious program on it. Just in case, scan your computer and flash drive for viruses with any available antivirus program.
Physical damage
- Quite often the reason for the notification is “ The disc is write protected» is associated with physical damage to the drive. Perhaps, due to a strong impact of the device on the floor, the contact fell off or microcracks appeared. The worst case scenario is damage to the memory chip from impact or natural wear and tear. If, in the case of a fallen contact, you can recover data from a flash drive using special equipment, then if the chip is damaged, you can say goodbye to it.
How to format a write-protected flash drive using standard Windows operating system tools?
Before resorting to using third-party software, you should try to break the write protection using Windows tricks. Do the following one by one:
- Step 1. Expand menu " StartExecute" In the window that opens, enter “ cmd" and press " Enter" to activate the command line.
- Step 2. In the window that opens, you will need to write the command “ diskpart" and press " Enter» to start a service that works with computer disks.
- Step 3. A new window will open where you will need to write the command “ list disk" and press " Enter» to display existing hard drive partitions and USB drives. Your flash drive must first be connected to the computer.
- Step 4. A list of hard drive partitions and connected storage devices will appear on the monitor, each of which is assigned its own number. In the same window, write the command “ select disk H", where instead of " H“You need to put the number under which your flash drive is located. Click " Enter».
- Step 5. Once the flash drive is selected, enter the command " attributes disk clear readonly» to clear its attributes. Remember that all files from it will be erased. Click " Enter».
- Step 6. Next, enter the command “ clean" and press " Enter» to clean up the disk.
- Step 7. Since the flash drive has a file system format FAT32, we need to reformat it into the format NTFS. To do this, write the command “ format fs=ntfs" and press " Enter».
- Step 8. The flash drive is formatted and now all that remains is to assign it a letter under which it will be displayed on the computer. To do this, write the command “ assign letter=K" and press " Enter" Instead of " K»You can set any other letter.
If this procedure does not lead to a positive result, then there is a possibility that the USB flash drive has a slightly different write protection system, which can be removed through the Group Policy Editor. To do this, do the following:
- Step 1. Expand menu " Start" and left-click on the item " Execute" In the window that opens, write “ gpedit.msc" and press " Enter».
- Step 2. In the window that opens, go to “ Computer configuration", then " Administrative Templates", then " System" and further in " Access to removable storage devices" In the window on the right, find the line “ Removable drives: Disable write"and look carefully at her condition. If recording prohibition is activated, double-click on the line to bring up the menu and set the status to “ Disabled" To finish, click the " OK».
- Unfortunately, standard Windows tools cannot always solve this problem. Sometimes you have to resort to third-party utilities designed to recover and format USB drives. It is best to use the utilities, the disk with which is sold complete with the flash drive. But if you don’t have it, you can use the program HUDS Format Tool which is possible.
- To format a flash drive using this program, connect the flash drive to your computer, download and run the program. In the window that opens, select your device from the list, set the file system format " NTFS", check the box next to the line " Quick formatting" and click the " Begin" After completing the formatting process, the flash drive should again be usable.
- If none of the above methods helped you, then most likely the problem lies in physical damage to the device and the only way out of this situation is to purchase a new USB flash drive or memory card.
VIDEO: How to remove write protection from a flash drive?
Having a problem with a write-protected flash drive? Don't know how to unlock a flash drive and make it readable? You are trying to write some file to a USB drive or SD card, and in response you receive a message: “The flash drive is write-protected.” If you urgently need to copy files to a disk or flash drive, I will show you how to remove protection and format (or clean) the storage medium - for further work, familiar and correct.
We use programs to format memory cards and USB flash drives
Some flash drives come with proprietary software. It works better than standard Windows formatting tools. These programs - not always, but nevertheless - will help remove protection. The downside of this approach is that you lose all the data on the media. So if this is unacceptable to you, move on to the next chapter.
2. A more universal way to force format a USB flash drive / SD card is to use formatting utilities like the Hp Disk Format Tool. You can select the file system and formatting type.
Restoring access to a flash drive through the Registry
The method of removing write protection is quite simple, but requires minimal skill and careful handling of the registry editor. If you are not 100% sure of your actions, make a backup copy of the Windows Registry using the RegOrganizer program.
1. Open the Registry Editor (Start – regedit).
2. Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ directory. If there is no StorageDevicePolicies folder inside this directory, create it. For this:
3. Right-click on the current directory Control
4. From the menu, select New - Partition and name it StorageDevicePolicies.
5. Right-click on StorageDevicePolicies and select a new value for the DWORD(32-bit) parameter for a 32-bit OS or DWORD(64-bit) for a 64-bit OS, respectively.
6. Rename the dword parameter to WriteProtect, double-click on the line, specify the value 0 (HEX).
7. Safely remove the flash drive and restart your computer.
8. Connect the USB flash drive. If necessary, format it.
Video version of the instructions:
Another solution to remove protection from a disk: use the diskpart utility
diskpart is a console utility included in Windows XP and higher, which allows you to flexibly manage hard drives, file volumes and partitions at an advanced access level.
We will try to access the problematic flash drive via the console, and then format the write-protected flash drive.
1. Open a command prompt (cmd.exe). Type "diskpart" to open the utility.
2. Type "list disk" to display a list of available disks on the system.
3. Determine where your USB drive is in the list. Enter "SELECT DISK n", where n is your USB flash drive with a write-protected disk.
Be very careful! Selecting the wrong media will result in you losing all data on the selected drive.
4. Type "clean" (you may have to repeat this command twice or three times). If nothing works, try other ways to unlock the flash drive.
5. Enter "create partition primary" to create a new partition on the USB flash drive.
6. Enter "select partition" to select a partition on the disk
7. Type "active" to make the drive active
8. Enter "format fs=ntfs" to format to NTFS (before formatting the flash drive, make sure you have selected the correct storage medium!).
By the way, the diskpart option is one of the best methods to format a write-protected flash drive without resorting to third-party tools.
Another way to remove protection from a memory card/flash drive. Diskmgmt.msc utility
The protection removal method is suitable for both SD memory cards and USB flash drives. To implement it, we will need a standard Windows component for disk management - diskmgmt.msc.
- Start – Run. Type diskmgmt.msc into the text line and press Enter
- Right button on the partition you want to format (the letter and partition will help you determine)
- Select "Delete volume..." and confirm the operation
- In the context menu, select the "Create Volume" command
- Select primary partition
- Leave all parameters as default
- Click ok
Removing protection from a flash drive through the Windows Group Policy Editor
In some cases, access to a flash drive is limited by local Windows Group Policy rights. We tell you how to remove protection in such a situation:
- Start – Run – .
- In the panel that opens, go to the following section: “Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - System - Access to Removable Storage Devices.”
- Next, you need to deactivate the “Removable drives: Deny read” option by switching to the “Disable” state.
Other working methods for removing file write protection
If none of the above recipes helped, well, other methods on how to remove protection from a flash drive will probably work (the list will grow over time).
- Check your flash drive for viruses. Some malicious applications establish their own control over files; as a result, the flash drive is protected from writing data belonging to viruses. How to remove protection in this case? We recommend using the best antivirus software for scanning.
- Check if the flash drive has a hardware button that allows you to physically unlock it (there is a switch on the side that needs to be moved towards the open lock). However, today such USB flash drives and SD cards are very rare - these are mostly old device models.
- Update the firmware of the flash drive, you can find the exact model on Google by chip vendor and chip vendor model, see Device Manager.
Conclusion. Although it is not always possible to determine why a flash drive is write-protected, of the many methods described, at least one works. If none of the methods for removing protection from a flash drive helped you, all that remains is to replace the USB drive - in other words, buy a new one.
However, ask questions on the topic - you can do this through the sidebar on our website. We'll try to help.
The media is write protected: what to do? Questions and Answers
32 GB flash drive WANSENDA when formatted. When you try to delete a file, it asks you to remove write protection from the disk or use another one. What to do, how to remove write protection? I can’t delete or transfer files to a flash drive.
Answer. Try removing protection from your flash drive through the Registry, using the diskpart or diskmgmt.msc utilities (included in Windows). Format the flash drive with special programs - Low level format or Disk format tool (see the beginning of the guide).
All my formatting attempts produce the same result: remove the protection, the card is write-protected. I removed the protection in every possible way, but it comes back, I can’t do anything. The phone displays information about a card malfunction and cannot format it in any way. The computer and laptop accept it, but formatting fails.
Can you tell me what to do, how to remove protection from the SD card? Other phones and a digital camera did not help.
Answer. Try resetting the protection using the methods described in the article and immediately format the memory card to FAT32. Check if there is a switch on the SD card (it may be set in the wrong position, so the memory card is write protected).
I can’t format a SONY 64GB flash drive, copy or delete files to it. The system says that the disk is write protected. What to do? I tried everything you have. Does not help. I bought Flash from Mvideo about 3 months ago, it worked fine before.
Answer. Some users can remove protection using the proprietary JetFlash Recovery utility. It allows you to format a flash drive at a low access level. If that doesn't help, try removing write protection from the disk through the registry or command line. After this, restart your computer.
I have a Samsung S3600 phone, it has stopped writing files to the card. The most interesting thing is that there are two photos and one video left on the card - there is NO way to delete them at all. They are deleted from the computer, but then they appear again on the map. I can’t write anything on the card - at first it’s as if everything is there, but on the phone there’s nothing... like nothing. I didn’t drop the phone, I didn’t drown it, the card just suddenly stopped working, and in such a weird way. He sees the card, but does not write anything to it and does not delete anything from it... How to remove write protection on a flash drive?
Answer. You can remove write protection on a flash drive through forced formatting. This can be done through the console utility diskpart for Windows or various graphical utilities like SDFormatter or Hp disk format tool.
It is possible that files are not deleted due to errors in reading the sectors on which the files that cannot be deleted are written. You can check the flash drive for errors via Properties - Tools - Check in Explorer.
After navigating with ADRplayer, I can’t delete files (including write-protected ones) from the SD card. In Windows it is recognized as a 118 MB disk with the ADRplayer program on it. The files are all played by this program. Formatting is not possible in Windows.
Answer. Since the SD card's disk is write-protected, you need to format it to NTFS via the command line (using the diskpart utility) or using the diskmgmt.msc system utility. In addition, there is a wonderful program for SD cards called SDFormatter - it removes write protection.
It’s not clear what happened to the flash card, when you connect the card to the computer it says “To use the disk in drive J, first format it.” You start formatting in fat32 format without quick cleaning and tried with quick cleaning, it says the disk is write protected. I tried the described ones the options didn't help.
The method via diskmgmt.msc after right-clicking on the flash drive does not allow “delete volume” and other actions are simply not active. The file system of the flash card is Raw, and the system says that it is working. What to do, how to remove write protection from a flash drive and revive it?
Answer. In addition to diskmgmt.msc, try removing write protection on the flash drive through the Registry or using the console utility diskpart. For formatting, use not standard Windows tools, but, for example, Low level format. If after these manipulations the disk is still write-protected, try opening the flash drive in another operating system, use third-party software to manage disks on the flash drive - say, Acronis Disk Director.
I bought a mini sd for a 128gig SanDisk phone. I insert it into my Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016), it works for a while and then it blocks recording to it. No matter what I did: I formatted it via a PC, and via a phone - it was all to no avail, it would work for a while and then it would block the recording again. How to format a protected flash drive?
Answer. The file table on the memory card may be damaged, making it impossible to write new data. In such cases, it is recommended to check the disk for errors using the standard chkdsk tool (Start - Run - chkdsk). If that doesn't help, format the SD card using the sd formatter desktop application. Judging by the reviews, the utility has helped many users when formatting a flash drive. You can also format the SD card through the Recovery menu by rebooting the phone in the appropriate mode and selecting the Wipe cache partition option.
I ordered a USB flash memory from the Internet. I initially formatted it, but I didn’t like that she didn’t read or see all the formats. I decided to format it completely, without a check mark, just (table of contents). Now a laptop with Windows 10 OS sees it, but requires formatting it. I format it, but the flash drive is not formatted - the disk is write-protected. I have already tried to do something (download programs), but I don’t understand, I’m still far from it.
Answer. In your case, it is advisable to format a USB flash drive not using standard Windows tools, but using specialized software - fortunately, the choice is wide. First of all, look for programs specifically for your flash drive on the manufacturer’s website. If not found, use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool or any disk manager like Acronis Disk Director. Specify NTFS or exFAT as the file system.
1) Sandisk ultra USB 3.0 flash drive 16 GB. I tried everything, from renaming the letter to cleaning the registry. As soon as you start formatting (including through partition management), a message pops up that Windows cannot do this and the flash drive disappears from view. I also tried HDD Low Level Format Tool v4.40 Final - the same thing happens as described above. How to format a write-protected flash drive?
2) I can't format the micro SD card. Writes: “Windows was unable to complete the formatting.” I’ve already tried different programs and the command line. It still doesn’t format. I can’t even delete the files. I click “delete,” removed the flash drive and put it back. The file that I deleted is there again I can neither delete nor format.
Answer. Try other formatting programs: SDFormatter or software available on the developer’s website (sometimes you can use them to format a flash drive to bypass system errors). In addition to Disk Management, you can use any disk manager like Partition Magic or Acronis Disk Director.
You can also assume that the problem is related to Windows or the computer configuration. Try formatting the flash drive on another computer or in a different OS environment (Windows/Mac OS/Linux).
How to remove write protection from a flash drive - here are the coolest ways, read! If the user’s attempts to erase, format, write, edit, save the file, transfer or other similar actions with a flash drive are unsuccessful, then he is probably dealing with a protected flash drive and needs to decide how to remove the protection. The guide below contains all the necessary instructions on the issue at hand.
Causes of the “disk is write-protected” error. Why is the flash drive write protected?
When the PC complains that the disk is write-protected, it is necessary to first clarify the cause of the problem.
- Hardware;
- Software.
The disc can be write-protected at the request of its owner, simply by using a mechanical switch on the device or by using software tools. Also, the media is often programmatically blocked by the system itself, malicious applications, etc.
Main types of write protection
The first type is mechanical write protection: Manufacturers of flash drives take care to protect the integrity of information stored on their media. The simplest type includes equipping the device with buttons on the body or toggle switches with a “lock” icon.
The second type is software write protection: Software refers to a more reliable type of protection, in which special utilities are used to block access to information.
The easiest way to remove write protection from a flash drive (USB or SD card) in case of mechanical protection
If a USB flash drive or SD is mechanically write-protected, then how to remove the protection in this case?
You should inspect the media itself for the presence of a switch. On some USB flash drives, usually a small toggle switch is located at the end.
Almost all SD cards are equipped with a switch, so before using them, you need to install the switch, as shown in the photo below.
Owners of computers with the “Total Commander” utility installed, in any unclear case, turn to the capabilities of this file harvester, stuffed with many features.
In order to eliminate the problem in question, it is enough to follow several steps:
- Click “Configuration”;
- After that, click “Settings”;
- In the menu that appears, go to the “File Operations” tab and check the box: “Auto select method”;
- Click “Apply”;
- Click “Ok”;
- Ready.
You will need to complete the following steps:
Note: Sometimes the section described in paragraph 11 is missing. In this case, you need to create it. This is done simply: by right-clicking on the mouse in the “Control” subfolder, hovering the cursor over the “Create” line and clicking “Section”.
How to remove protection from a USB flash drive using Diskpart?
If the disk is write-protected, the “Command Line” (CS) will help you quickly unlock it, but the information on the USB drive will be erased.
Steps:
- Through “Start”, launch “KS” with extended powers;
- Then in “KS” type “Diskpart”;
- Click “Enter”;
- Type "list disk";
- Click "Enter";
- Enter “select disk (here indicate the letter that the removable media is designated in the system, no need to insert parentheses)”;
- Input;
- Then execute “attributes disk clear readonly”;
- Enter "clean";
- "create partition primary";
- "formatfs=fat32";
- Input;
- "exit";
- Input;
- Ready.
How to remove protection from a disk using local group policy?
If there are no positive results in deciding how to remove protection from a flash drive using the above methods, you will have to use a complex method and fix the problem through group policies (GP).
Action steps:
If you decide how to remove protection from a USB flash drive, it is more convenient for the user to use “KS”, then you will need to run this tool with extended rights.
Action steps:
- In the search line type “cmd” or “KS”;
- Right-click on the search result;
- Open "KS" with extended rights.
- Diskpart;
- list disk;
- select disk (here indicate the letter that the removable media is designated in the system; no need to insert parentheses);
- attributes disk clear readonly;
- exit.
- Ready.
Programs to resolve the “disk is write-protected” error
All companies that produce USB drives develop software to work with them. However, all these programs can lead to a positive result only when the user is logged in with administrator rights. The second important condition is that the software matches the drive model. In order to obtain accurate information about the media, it is convenient to use the “ChipGenius” utility. It is free and always available on the resource: “mydigit.cn”.
The application displays detailed information about the flash drive, based on which you can accurately determine which software to use.
Having found out the necessary information, it is recommended to visit the page http://flashboot.ru/iflash/, where you can select an application for your flash drive. The last paragraph of this guide provides examples of common software that can effectively solve problems that arise.
How to remove write protection from individual folders or files?
To remove the protection of an individual directory, you need to go to its “Properties” and check the corresponding boxes in the “Security” section.
If there is a ban on editing, for example, a text document, then you can simply copy its contents to another file and save it with normal settings, that is, without protection. Or use the file menu “Save as...”.
To remove system protection from a file, call up the context menu for it and click “properties”. Uncheck the “read only” box.
Often one file or folder is used by several applications at once and as a result the problem we are considering occurs. You need to close all utilities that use the file or directory. After this, access will be immediately provided.
Sometimes a folder or file is protected with passwords. To hack them, specialists have developed applications, for example, “Office Password Recovery”. This is one of the most effective utilities for cracking access codes. You only need to perform a few sequential steps:
- Click “open”;
- Go to the “attack” tab;
- Click “start”;
- Wait until the process completes;
- Ready.
You can also access individual directories and files by starting the PC in Safe Mode.
When the described methods do not help, it is recommended to install the “Unlocker” application, which, after installation, will appear in the context menu, so using it to work with individual files is especially convenient.
To do this, you will need to install a paid or free modification of the “HDD Low Level Format Tool” (mainly they differ only in the speed of formatting and the lack of automatic updating).
In addition to flash drives, the program can work with USB hard drives. The installation wizard will help you quickly install the utility on your PC.
If it is not important for the user to receive regular updates and is ready for formatting speed limitations, then it is better to choose the free option.
After installing the program to format a protected flash drive, you must perform the following steps:
- Select the flash drive.
- Click “Continue”.
- Read the information in the first tab of the program menu and go to “Low-level format”.
- Confirm your commitment and then click “FORMAT THIS DEVICE”.
After waiting for the process to complete, the mission will be completed, that is, all bytes of information have already been erased. In order to use the device in normal mode in the future, you will need to format it using the tools built into the OS.
Programs for formatting protected flash drives
The following programs have earned a significant number of positive user reviews:
AlcorMP— This utility, in addition to removing protection, does an excellent job of restoring the functionality of a USB drive.
You can select the “Russian” language in the menu, so even for beginners it does not cause difficulties.
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool— The application is suitable for many flash drives, and it is also available for installation for free on the official resource.
In addition to unlocking and formatting functions, the utility can create bootable flash drives.
JetFlash Recovery Tool— Transcend owners appreciated the speed and simplicity of this program, which is capable of correcting errors in reading write blocks and unlocking protection.
Using this software will not complicate the user, since the built-in wizard will help you perform basic operations with a USB flash drive.
Apacer Repair— Owners of flash drives from Apacer easily cope with blocking, thanks to the proprietary utility.
If it is impossible to format the media using standard OS tools, the program will effortlessly complete the task within a few minutes.
Check Disk— A fully functional modification of the program is distributed freely on the Internet.
In addition to the main formatting function, the utility is used to monitor and correct errors on hard drives and USB drives (including flash drives).
