removing write protection from a usb drive

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:11 pm

Hi,
I am hoping someone here may be able to help me.
I have a 8g usb (looks like a coke can). The first time a used it, I copied some photos over to it and it became write protected.
I have tried:

changing the storage device policies settings
a repair tool originally from apacer I think.
looking for a hidden lock/unlock switch
a low level formatting tool
getting angry

But so far nothing has worked.
It seems a pretty common problem, from what I have already read. If someone out there has a fix for this that I haven't already tried I would be very appreciative. Smile

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:38 pm

Are you sure the thing has not just gone tits up?

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:38 pm

Hi stonecold.3.16, long time no chat. How many times has it been used before? Have you tried running as adminstrator? Have you checked their site? I know you have googled but have you checked the memory makers website?

Other than that I am at a loss bud.

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:28 pm

Format it?

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:36 pm

Check out the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.

The value 'WriteProtect' should be absent or set to '0'.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 12:19 am

CHILI25 wrote:

Quote:

Check out the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.

The value 'WriteProtect' should be absent or set to '0'.

I tried that, no go.
already_dead wrote:

Quote:

Format it?

Tried that several ways, no luck.
djdezzie wrote:

Quote:

Hi stonecold.3.16, long time no chat. How many times has it been used before? Have you tried running as adminstrator? Have you checked their site? I know you have googled but have you checked the memory makers website?
Other than that I am at a loss bud.

Hi,This happened the first time I used it. I tried to "run as administrator". It doesn't have any brand on it except CocaCola, although there are lots of images on the web so one of them may have some info.
fblevins1 wrote:

Quote:

Are you sure the thing has not just gone tits up?

I'm beginning to think that's the answer.

Thanks for the input guys. Ultimately it's not a big deal but I like to play around with the broken stuff. I will keep trying and if I work it out I will post back.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:04 am

Use it as a Christmas Ornament and get one that's not a coke can. Laughing

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:25 am

That's a good idea A_D . It was a gift from the markets in Hong Kong. Probably should have mentioned that at the start. Wink

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:34 am

Have you tried drinking it?? Laughing

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:24 pm

I can't get the ring-pull open. Smile

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:51 pm

don't know if it will help but i had a 2TB drive last year that i couldn't get to format and this found the drive and formatted it no problem

http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:55 pm

Thanks iamnephilim for the link. That's a great tool. I was able to view the contents of the usb which included a corrupt folder that was hidden until now. It was unable to get past the write protection so I was unable to format or partition the usb.
I'm really starting to think it's stuffed.
But thanks again for your help. Smile

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 3:19 pm

Use a hammer --- then Amazon.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:44 pm

robmead wrote:

Quote:

Use a hammer --- then Amazon.

I get the hammer, but why the amazon? They only have trees not usb's. Confused

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:31 pm

Raid some dudes secret cannabis crop secreted away in the only flat and treeless part of the Amazon, sell the cannabis to make some money, then buy a fully functional usb stick not a Coke can - selling cannabis to fund a Coke deal is fundamentally wrong.