USB flash drive prompts with "Write Protected" message.

Anonymous
2010-06-25T00:56:28+00:00

I have recently purchased a 32gb usb flash drive. I have been using it ok until 3 days ago. I now get a message saying "Write Protected". There is no write protection switch on the device. How do i remove the write protection.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-06-25T21:03:53+00:00

Hi,

You can remove write protection from your usb flash drive using the below method:

a. Open start menu, in the search bar type regedit and press enter. This wil open the registry editor.

b. Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

Note:

If the registry key StorageDevicePolicies does not exist, you will need to create it manually.

c. Highlight StorageDevicePolicies, and then create a New DWORD (32-bit) Value named as WriteProtect.

d. Double click the key WriteProtect in the right window and set the value to 0 in the Value

Data Box and press OK button

e. Restart your computer and try copying files into your USB drives.

Important Note:

Sometimes this problem is caused by two Windows registry entries that have become corrupted. To fix the problem, you have to use Registry Editor to delete the corrupted registry entries.

However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs.

For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, follow the steps as in the KB Article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/

Hope this helps.

Thanks and Regards:

Shekhar S - Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

Was this answer helpful?

80+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

66 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-11-27T16:39:07+00:00

    Very good detail on the fix however it didn't work. Both flash drives I tried (which work on my W7 notebook) prompted the write protect message. IN checking the registry on the notebook there is no StorageDevicePolicies entry but both flash drives work as they're supposed to. Just this W7 desktop (now with a registry SDP entry doesn't work. My guess is it wants to reformat the drives which isn't going to happen. I guess I'll get a new flash drive and see if it will work first on the desktop then in the notebook.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-03-13T17:11:03+00:00

    There is not StorageDevicePolicies file.

    Was this answer helpful?

    200+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2011-05-11T21:45:51+00:00

    there is nothing like storagedevicepolicies on that link.....please be specific.

    Was this answer helpful?

    10 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2012-03-18T21:10:57+00:00

    Can anyone help re this write protection warning - I have spent hours trying to find out how to remove this write protection on a flash drive without success.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments