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

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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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-06-17T09:47:07+00:00

    As mentioned in my posts of 27 & 28 March 2013, I've tried all the known solutions, including the 'low level format tool' from hddguru.com, which also gave the 'error - drive is write-protected' response. 

    I'll keep looking occasionally, and report on this forum if I ever find a solution, but at the present, the bin is the only home for USB sticks that do not have the Policies error.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-06T13:40:59+00:00

    i didn't understand this try copying files into your USB drives.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-07T10:10:34+00:00

    Try this site, it really helped me when my flash had the problem

    http://computerapps103.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-repair-write-protected-disk.html

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-07-08T07:17:28+00:00

    Hi. Shekhar S.

    I tried your fix but it didn't work on win 7...

    Please respond if any other resolutions are avilable

    Thanks

    Sid

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