write protected pen drive

[tismehi]

i have a little 16gb imation usb pen drive that was connected to a sat reciever tv box.

we used it, ie made a recording on it and now i have removed the drive, plugged it into my windows 8.1 laptop to format it and it says it is write protected. there is no physical switch on the dongle.

[KenB]

Hi

 

Do you get the same error if you use a different Pen Drive on the same computer ?

 

If so ...

 

Start .....type in ....regedit .....ENTER

Click the > next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ............... then the > next to SYSTEM

Continue down the following until you get to StorageDevicePolicies

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

 

Double click the key WriteProtect in the right pane and set the value to 0

You will need to click on Edit > then change Value Data to 0

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2175[/ATTACH]

 

EDIT:

I have just checked this on Win 8.1 ..........I get as far as Control ...but cannot complete.

Do you get any further ?

[tismehi]

i have just tried another pen drive and i was able to format it on the same machine.

[tismehi]

i tried regedit instruction but there was no sign of "StorageDevicePolicies".

[seedy21]

Hi Tismehi

 

Try this trick . The USB Pen will need to plugged in before starting this.

 

 

Diskpart Command Line Utility

 

 

Click on your Start Menu and type cmd in the Search for programs and files field. Now, hit your Enter key. You’ll see a window looking like the following:

http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/diskpart-0.jpg

 

Type in the command diskpart and hit Enter. Diskpart is a disk-partitioning tool that is built into Windows and is accessible through the Command Line Utility. With it, we can change the values associated with your USB drive.

A new command line window will open. Type list disk and then hit Enter. You’ll now see a list of disks available in Windows. If your USB drive isn’t listed here, this won’t help you any. You can see in my example below that all that is showing are the two partitions on my computer’s hard drive. My USB drive doesn’t show up in here for whatever reason.

http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/diskpart-1.jpg

 

If it is listed here, make a note of the number beside it. Make sure that this is indeed your USB drive! Now type the command select disk 3, assuming your USB drive is number 3, and hit Enter. Type attributes disk clear readonly and then hit Enter. You have now cleared any Read-Only attribute that might be on that USB drive.

Type exit and hit Enter to leave the DiskPart utility.

 

Try your USB drive again. Still getting the Write Protect Error?

 

Original Article

[tismehi]

used the diskpart suggested and all commands were displayed as above but the pen drive is still the same. i can't format it, delete or edit content or save new items to it.

[Dokie]

  tismehi said:

used the diskpart suggested and all commands were displayed as above but the pen drive is still the same. i can't format it, delete or edit content or save new items to it.

Hello! It has been my experience and I have not found a answer to your issue: the flash drive is history. It can not be formatted or deleted or new content added. I will follow this thread because I'm very interested in the solution.

Good luck!

[KenB]

Hi tismehi ..

 

Plug in the Pen Drive ....go to Computer and make a note of the Drive Letter ...........( let's say X )

 

Start > type in ....cmd ....right click on the cmd.exe that appears top left .....click on "Run as Administrator"

 

At the command prompt type ..... X: ...hit ENTER .....[ X is the drive letter of your pen drive ]

 

You will see X:\>

 

At this prompt type .....attrib .....hit ENTER

 

You should get a list of all the files etc on your Pen Drive.

 

Now type attrib -r ......hit ENTER

The -r switch should remove the "read only" attribute.

[ this applies to the files on the pen drive ]

============

Failing that ...

 

Shut down and reboot.

Constantly tap F8 about once per second

You will see the Advanced Startup Options

 

Select Safe Mode with Command Prompt

• If your USB Memory Stick drive letter is (X) for example then type at the prompt ...
  X: and hit ENTER
  at the X:\> .......type in format X: and hit ENTER
  
• This will, of course, remove all data from the pen drive
  
• [assuming that we can get it to format :) ]
   
  Let me know how you get on.
  
• [ you may get a warning that the volume is in use ...and asking if you wish to "dismount" the volume ... this is OK ]
  

[tismehi]

i have failed in both these two suggestions above. when i shut down, reboot and f8 nothing unusual happens as the machine starts up normally, albeit slower than usual. in cmd when i type "f", (my pen drive pc letter), it says "f" is not recognized.........

this laptop is windows 8.1 - maybe that is making a difference.

[Ray1000]

Hi tismehi,

 

You will have thought of this already ... but following on from the above would it be a good idea to try the pen drive in a non Windows 8.1 machine when you get a chance.

 

Ray

[Dokie]

  tismehi said:

i have failed in both these two suggestions above. when i shut down, reboot and f8 nothing unusual happens as the machine starts up normally, albeit slower than usual. in cmd when i type "f", (my pen drive pc letter), it says "f" is not recognized.........

this laptop is windows 8.1 - maybe that is making a difference.

Hello! I may be wrong, but it sounds to me that you may not be booting into safe mode. W8.1 is different than other OS's. This is what Microsoft says

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2809468

PS I don't have W8. Maye someone here can help you with booting into safe mode

Edited April 14, 2014 by Dokie

[KenB]

  Quote

this laptop is windows 8.1

That does make a difference ...I hadn't realised it was Win 8 you were using.

 

  Quote

when i type "f"

If this is what you have tried there is a colon missing ..... it should be F: ...... F followed by a colon

If your pen drive is showing as F: in Computer then ATTRIB will read the files on the drive.

 

Give it another go.

 

Safe Mode > Win 8.1

Windows Key + I ...... ( the letter next to U on the keyboard )

In Settings click on "Change PC Settings" at the bottom

Click on Recovery ( left side ) > Advanced Startup

 

Your PC will restart - you should be able to access Safe Mode form here.

It is very different from previous "Safe Mode" ...there is a "Command Prompt" option there.

 

If there are any problems ...

 

This time try ....Windows Key + X

Select ........Command Prompt ( Admin )

Try the ATTRIB commands from here.

[Dokie]

Hello! Would just like to add. If the above solutions offered by forum members doesn't work; there is a very good possibility that your pen drive has gotten corrupted and will not be useable. I have seen that happen, but don't have a explanation. Always use the safely remove hardware feature. I have read that it's not necessary for pen drives, but I always use that feature to be on the safe side.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/safely-remove-devices-from-your-computer

[tismehi]

thanks guys. i always, always use safely remove but it sure could be that the wee drive is corrupt and beyond help. i don't like to give up easily but i am very close to it now.

i was missing the colon - well spotted. i retried it with the colon and sure enough i seemed to be getting somewhere as there were 2 files listed. but as i proceeded with the attrib -r enter i got the original message about being write protected.

i then ventured into new territory for me and tried the windows + I, change pc, recovery, advanced, etc. but i could not see safe mode option. then my machine started behaving quite weird and i got a little worried so i gave up on that avenue. then i tried the command prompt (admin) using win + X and tried the attrib again and once more the dreaded write protection message.

i thing i'll give it one more go tomorrow on a win 7 machine.

[KenB]

  Quote

but i could not see safe mode option

There should have been a "Command Prompt" option ....

 

We haven't run out of ideas yet ....

 

On the Win 7 machine ..

Start ...type in ....diskmgmt.msc .....ENTER

You will see something like this below.

 

Right click on the Pen Drive letter ( F: ) > Change drive letter

Change the letter to H: or J: ....it doesn't really matter.

 

Try accessing the drive now.

 

If that doesn't work go back to Disk Management .....right click on the drive > click Open.

Try opening the files from there.

 

Let me know how you get on.

[Dokie]

Hey Ken! I'm wondering why the OP can't get into the safe mode. I guess that can be figured out later.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2180[/ATTACH]

[KenB]

SAFE MODE - update

 

tismehi ....try the following

 

Go to an elevated command prompt ( Run as Administrator )

At the prompt type the following ... Bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu yes .....[ there are gaps ] .....hit ENTER

 

Then Press the Windows Key + R ....type in .....msconfig .....hit ENTER

Click on Boot

There is a TimeOut box .............if this is set to 0 make it 5 or 10 .......this is seconds to wait before continuing to boot.

 

Restart.

 

Your boot sequence should hang on a screen ...... if you press F8 at this point you should be given the option of Safe Mode ...plus other options.

 

I hope this sorts safe Mode .....finally :)