The flash drive says the disk is write protected. Removing write protection from a flash drive The disk is write protected transcend 32gb

Miniature USB flash drives are our reliable electronic storage devices for various data. With their help, information can be easily “carried” in your pocket.

USB flash is convenient, compact, mobile, has a stylish design and makes it possible to connect to any modern device with a USB connector for reading and writing information.

How flash drives work

The USB Flash Drive uses non-volatile NAND flash memory controlled by a microcontroller. The controller chip contains information about the manufacturer, available memory and service information necessary for the operation of the device. The storage time of information in memory cells is quite long, but limited. The number of data rewrites on a flash drive ranges from five to ten thousand cycles.

Typically, flash media with a small amount of memory use the FAT family file system (FAT 16, FAT 32, ex FAT), and for Flash media larger than 64 GB, the NTFS or ex FAT systems are used.

Protecting information on flash drives

To ensure the security of storing confidential information and preventing viruses from entering flash media, various ways protection. This:

In this case, when you try to change data on a connected flash drive, for example, when formatting, copying, transferring, deleting information, messages about write protection of the disk appear on the monitor screen.

This review provides several options for removing protection from mechanical and software blocking of flash media.

This article will also discuss possible reasons failures in the operation of a flash drive or software that prohibit rewriting, as well as ways to eliminate such malfunctions.

Flash drive malfunctions associated with system messages indicating that the disk is write-protected

Blocking a flash drive from being overwritten can be caused by:

• Special user actions to protect confidential information during mechanical blocking and encryption of data;
• A software write ban installed in the operating system;
• Hardware settings of a personal computer that prohibit recording to USB devices;
• Limiting rewrite cycles when the flash drive has exhausted its resources. In this case, Flash is switched to read-only mode;
• Disk full and missing free space for recording data;
• Malfunction and disconnection of computer USB ports;
• Incorrect formatting;
• File system errors;
• Damaged (Bad) blocks (sectors) of the memory chip caused by wear;
• Removal or absence of a special program - “driver”, designed for the correct recognition of devices by the operating system;
• Unsafe removal of the device from the USB connector during the running processes of writing, moving, renaming, deleting, downloading, reading open files;
• Running (hung) system processes accessing the disk;
• Using flash drives in devices with various types operating and hardware systems. For example, after watching movies on a TV and recording video data from it, the flash is not detected and cannot be read by the computer. In these cases, each operating system changes the file structure of the flash drive, while writing data under its own unique scheme;

  Malfunctions of the main hardware components: memory chips and microcontroller (including failures of its program);

• Poor quality manufacturing when purchasing “counterfeits” of leading brands;
• Under thermal and electrical influences. For example, during discharges of static electricity and overheating;
• Mechanical damage as a result of breaks, cracks, scratches, desoldering and impacts during falls;
• Exposure to moisture and electromagnetic radiation;
• Unstable power supply;
• Malicious software - viruses.

The main ways to remove protection from overwriting information from a flash drive

Hardware method

Some manufacturers of USB drives implement mechanical protection against changes in the form of a switch (Lock), which allows or prohibits writing. Typically, it is located on the side of the media and is marked with a lock icon.

To remove the mechanical lock, move the lever in the opposite direction.

Software methods for unlocking flash media using standard Windows tools

Removing overwrite protection using Windows Registry Editor

The registry is a hierarchical database of parameters, hardware and software settings, and information about user profiles of the Windows system.

Registry Editor is a special program included in the standard set of Windows operating systems. It allows you to add, edit registry keys and settings, set default values, import or export keys to save and restore the registry file from backup in case of system failures.

To enter the Registry Editor, there are three options:

Using the Run software utility. For this:

After the registry editor has been launched, the following window opens

you need to find the registry branch

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Control\

Color: #008000;">Control and then the StorageDevicePolicies subsection, if available, and on the right side of the program interface, pay attention to the binary parameter WriteProtect (Reg_Dword), the value of which can be (0) or (1).

If this parameter is present and equal to (1), this is the reason for blocking the flash drive.

To remove protection you must:

• double-click on the WriteProtect (Reg_Dword) parameter;
• manually change its value from (1) to (0);
• confirm changes OK ;
• close the registry editor;
• to restart a computer;
• check the removal of protection from the device.

If the registry key is missing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Control\ StorageDevicePolicies, it must be created using the “Editor” described above in this way:

Removing overwrite protection of a flash drive using the Windows command line

For advanced users, the Windows operating system provides the ability to text input computer and MS-DOS commands using the command line shell.

The command console can be launched with rights ordinary users or administrator.

To remove overwrite protection or the read-only attribute from USB drives, it is recommended to work in the console with administrator rights.

There are several ways to launch the command line interface:

Running the Command Prompt in Windows 7

Using the Run software utility.

For this:

Via Search in the Start menu. For this:

Running the Command Prompt in Windows 8

Launching Command Prompt in Windows 10

Similarly, you can find the console application " Command line(cmd)"through the Start menu and launch it through the context menu" On behalf of the administrator»

With any of the methods described above, the following console window opens.

Using the text command interface, you must do the following:

Removing overwrite protection using the Local Group Policy Editor

Group Policy is a set of rules that allow you to manage user settings and policy settings in Windows operating systems.

Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in available in the standard set of utilities for operating systems starting with Windows Server 2008R2 and Professional versions for Windows 7 and Windows 8.

With this tool you can:

• configure various settings of your personal computer,
• set some restrictions for individual users or their groups on the launch and installation of programs, services, processes,
• prohibit changing information on any media, including removable disks, etc.

There are several ways to launch the editor:

After opening the Local Group Policy Editor, to remove write protection from removable USB drives, you need to go to the following console tabs:

Software methods for unlocking flash media using special software

If the standard Windows operating system tools described above did not lead to the desired result and the flash drive remains blocked, you can use special software (hereinafter abbreviated as software) from various manufacturers to remove protection and restore functionality.

In most cases, such software formats the flash drive, deleting all data on it.

Selecting software for restoring Flash media

The choice of utilities for servicing a USB Flash Drive is based on the compliance of the flash drive model, its memory chip and controller.

All well-known manufacturers develop USB Flash for their products special utilities, restoring the functionality of devices and correcting possible defects. Such programs can be found on official websites and downloaded.

When selecting software for a specific Flash device model, it is advisable to know the following values:

• Vendor – manufacturer;
• Product – model;
• VID – Vendor Identifier, manufacturer identifier;
• PID – Product Identifier, product identifier, that is specific model devices;
• Serial Number – serial number;
• Controller Model – controller model, etc.

If determining the model (Product) and manufacturer (Vendor) does not cause any particular difficulties, then to detect other information you will need to use third party programs or built-in operating system features.

In order to find out the VID and PID of USB devices through the built-in system tools, you must do the following:

To establish information about a flash drive, you can also use the ChipGenius program from Chinese developers, which displays a report on the following data: Vendor, Product, VID, PID, SerialNumber, ControllerModel, FlashID, Channel, etc. This program is compatible with various models of controllers. You can download ChipGenius for free from the developer’s official website using this link.

Below is the ChipGenius interface with an example device scan report Flash USB 32GB and defining values ​​such as:

1. Device Vendor, Product Model (Innostor);
2. Device Name (PenDrive);
3. VID (1F75);
4. PID (0903);
5. Serial Number;
6. controller manufacturer (Vendor Innostor);
7. Controller Part-Number and other parameters.

ChipGenius interface with flash drive scanning report

When the necessary parameters are set, then using special sites with extensive databases of well-known flash drives (for example, http://flashboot.ru/iflash/), it is easy to select a utility for restoring them or even “reflashing” the controller.

Below we will consider popular programs that will help remove protection from a flash drive and restore its functionality.

Users should remember that during the operation of such software, data from flash media will be permanently deleted.

AlcorMP

AlcorMP is a recovery program for flash drives with controllers, produced by Alcor. It allows you not only to remove protection from a flash drive, but also to restore its functionality, “reflash” the controller and create protected partitions on the disk.

When using AlcorMP, all data on the USB drive is permanently deleted as a result of formatting.

Therefore, if the data on the media is important to you, then try restoring it first deleted files from a flash drive. Since the official developer no longer supports this utility, our site recommends downloading AlcorMP for free from this link.

After downloading the program, you need to unpack it and run it executable file AlcorMP.exe as administrator and then connect the USB flash drive.

To recognize the device, press the Refresh (R) button. After reading the data, data about the media will appear in the program window, marked with a letter or number in black (in the example given, the letter G). If the letter is red, then you need to use other software, because the flash drive cannot be processed in AlcorMP.

If desired, you can configure a utility for in-depth analysis of flash memory. To do this, go to Settings (Setup S) and set the scan speed value.

To start formatting, click Start (Start A) and wait until the process of removing attributes from the flash goes through. Depending on the volume, speed of the media, and memory state, this process takes from two minutes to an hour.

Upon completion of the process, first disconnect the drive from the USB connector, and then close the program, check the functionality of the flash drive and the success of removing the read-only attribute.

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is a freely distributed program designed for formatting any model of flash media. With its help, you can partially restore inoperative flash drives and format disks even in cases where this fails standard means operating system. You can download the Russian version of HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool for free on the official website.

The functionality of the utility allows you to unlock any USB device, select file system(NTFS, FAT32), quick formatting option, assign a label to the disk, enable information compression permission for NTFS.

There is also an additional option HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - creating bootable flash media using MS - DOS files located on the hard drive.

The program does not require installation. After downloading, launch the executable file HPUSBDisk.exe (as administrator) from the archive, select the disk, set the necessary values ​​for the file system, label and formatting method, and click the Start button. At the end of the process, close the Close interface and check whether the flash drive is unlocked

JetFlash Recovery Tool

JetFlash Recovery Tool is a program designed to recover flash drives, produced by Transcend (JetFlash) and A-Data, available for free use. You can read an overview of the program on our website.

Functionality:

• Correction of errors in reading write blocks at high data processing speeds;
• Unblocking if recording is impossible;
• Recognition of media with a RAW file system that has a damaged structure;
• Formatting with the ability to pre-save data.

Download the JetFlash Recovery Tool program from the developer’s official website using this link.

After downloading the program, you need to run the application file JetFlash Recovery Tool.exe as an administrator and wait for installation on HDD

Then run the executable file JFRecoveryTool.exe to download the application, connect a non-working or blocked flash drive and click Start. Upon completion of work, check the normalization of the media condition

Apacer Repair

A small program, Apacer Repair, was developed specifically for flash media from Apacer Technology Inc. Using it, you can perform quick formatting if other options do not help, as well as USB Flash repair. As a result of software processing, it is possible to remove overwrite protection and correct errors in memory blocks.

You can download the Apacer Repair utility for free from the developer’s official website using this link.

After downloading the program and connecting the flash drive to the USB connector, launch the utility and follow the instructions on the screen.

Disk formatting begins with a warning: "" ( This will destroy all data on the flash drive, do you want to continue?)

When you click the Format button, quick formatting begins. A successful cleaning operation will remove write protection from the flash drive.

Other reasons why USB devices are blocked from being overwritten and how to eliminate them

Viruses blocked the flash drive from writing

Computer viruses are harmful software, which disrupts the operation of operating systems, the file structure, deletes information, blocks media, and unauthorized encrypts data.

The term viruses includes such types of malicious programs as Trojans, downloaders - droppers, phishing sites, worms, spam bots, spiders, etc.

These programs are capable of creating their own copies and being implemented through communication channels into systems and boot sectors of computers. They bring a lot of trouble to users, stealing confidential information and disrupting the work of entire computer systems.

According to statistics, the most common cause Malfunctions of USB media are caused by malware or viruses.

When connecting external media to an unprotected computer, there is a high probability of infection, i.e. copying viruses to flash media.

Many viruses are created with the goal of blocking access to a flash drive and prohibiting any operations to change data on it in order to “protect yourself” from forced deletion or movement.

For example, such a common virus as Autorun is recorded in system file computer Autorun.inf, which allows applications to be launched from removable media. When you connect a flash drive, Autorun copies files like: Autorun.exe**, Autorun.inf__ and others onto it. Signs of infection with this virus are as follows:

• The USB drive does not open at all, or when you try to access it, it suddenly appears in another Explorer window;
• it is impossible to delete or open suspicious files, and the system may display a message about write protection or impossibility of accessing the file;
• Task Manager and Registry Editor do not start;
• available on the flash drive hidden folder RECYCLER, which contains the executable file of the virus.

To combat viruses of this type, they have been developed special programs Anti-Autorun.

In cases where a flash drive is infected with a virus that blocks any action related to changing information, you must do the following:

1. Install antivirus software on your computer.
2. When connected USB disk perform a thorough scan installed antivirus with updated databases. It is advisable to check the flash using several programs.
3. If possible, format the flash drive using the built-in operating system tools or additional utilities described in this article.
4. If formatting is impossible in normal mode, try to perform this operation in safe mode loading the operating system (diagnostic mode, using only basic files and drivers). Why reboot the system by holding down the F8 key and selecting “ Safe mode».
5. Be sure to check the hard drives of your personal computer for viruses so as not to spread them to other removable drives in the future.

Checking for disk fullness and removing protection from files intended to be copied to disk

To check the availability of free disk space, you must do the following:

Physical damage to the flash drive

The reason flash media is blocked for writing may be mechanical damage.

It usually occurs in the following cases:

• when purchasing low-quality goods (“counterfeits”);
• when exposed to high temperatures and overheating of parts of the device;
• electrostatic discharge;
• as a result of breaks, cracks in the electronics board, chips, scratches and impacts from falls, when the main elements are damaged: memory chip and microcontroller;
• improper storage conditions (for example, a humid environment) and violations of operating rules;
• voltage surges when power is supplied to the media elements;
• limited service life with reduced data recording and erasing cycles;
• loosening the USB connector (interface)

If the integrity of the memory chip is not damaged due to physical damage, the data can be saved or restored. Such operations are carried out by specialists in service centers.

Malfunction or disconnection of PC USB ports

Sometimes the reason why write protection appears on a USB flash drive may be a malfunction or disconnection of the USB ports of a computer, laptop or other device by software or technical means.

To check for a port problem:

• insert the disk drive into another USB port;
• connect other USB devices to the connector. For example, a camera mobile phone, printer, tablet. If the devices are not recognized by the personal computer, are read in jumps with significant interruptions, and system messages about connection errors pop up, then the USB port is not working.

This way, you can eliminate the possibility of problems with the USB ports when messages appear that the disk is write-protected

Prohibiting recording to flash devices when USB ports are disabled in software or hardware

To limit access to connected removable media (flash drives, portable hard drives, phones, etc.) or even prohibit their use, computer system administrators disable USB ports. The purpose of such measures is to prevent the theft of valuable information or infection of computers with malware and spyware through flash drives. This causes system messages about the prohibition of writing to the memory of Flash devices. If you find yourself in front of such a computer, then you need to enable the USB port.

There are several ways to disable (enable) USB ports:

1. Via BIOS.

   This is a small program recorded in a special chip on the motherboard of the system unit. It is designed to initially start a computer, test its main components, perform input/output functions, and store information about PC hardware components and their settings.

   To disable USB ports need to:

   • enter the BIOS by holding one of the following keys: Del, F2, F10, Esc, F8;
   • find all values ​​related to USB Controller (or Legacy USB Support) and set them to Enabled;
   • press the F10 key to confirm changes in the settings;
   • to restart a computer.
   
   
2. Using the Registry Editor.

   This method is convenient because, unlike the previous one, USB devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, scanners are not disconnected, but only flash drives.

   This article has already discussed the process of loading the Registry Editor as a standard operating system utility.

   To disable ports through the editor you need to:

   
   
3. In Device Manager. For this:
   
4. Uninstalling (removing) USB controller drivers.
5. Using special software to set access levels and prohibit users from connecting USB devices. For example, these functions perform Microsoft programs Fix It 50061 and USB Drive Disabler.
6. Disconnecting USB from motherboard computer. In this case, you can only disable the ports on the front and top of the system unit by disconnecting the adapter cables going to the motherboard.
7. You can also allow/deny access to removable storage devices using the Group Policy Editor. This method was discussed above in the article.
8. In the reverse order, you can check and connect all controllers and USB ports, allowing access to them for personal computer users.

Thus, by checking all options for disabling USB ports, you can eliminate the possibility of flash drives being blocked for rewriting.

Microcontroller software failures and flash memory wear

Each flash media includes a controller chip designed to connect flash memory and the computer. The controller is controlled by firmware, part of which is written on the chip. This program is responsible for memory parameters, the operation of the translator, contains the values ​​of product identifiers and the so-called write prohibition flags.

In cases of improper operation, unsafe removal of media during running recording and moving processes, power surges, software glitch controller. One of the signs of such a malfunction is that the device is blocked from recording information.

Blocking of the device can also occur due to wear of the memory chip, in which defective (Bad) blocks appear and the threshold of rewrite cycles is exceeded. In this case, the microcontroller marks the blocks as unused, blocks the flash from being written, and goes into data protection mode to prevent further destruction of the NAND memory.

To eliminate software failures, you should reprogram (“reflash”) the microcontroller using special software. Firmware programs are selected in accordance with the controller model and flash media identifiers (VID and PID). More details about the selection of such software were described above in the article.

Flash drive file system errors

Damage to the internal structure of the file system is a violation of the order of storing and naming data in the memory of a flash drive. Logic errors can be caused by unsafe removal of the device from the USB connector, power surges, viruses, memory wear and other reasons. As a result of such failures, the disk is blocked for overwriting, there is no access to it, and an undefined value is displayed in the properties of the USB disk. file structure RAW and a system message appears indicating that the disk needs to be formatted.

In these cases it is necessary:

• using special software tailored to a specific flash device model, try to recover valuable information;
• perform a high-level format that will restore the file system.

The selection of utilities for restoring and formatting Flash USB was described above in the article.

Low-level formatting - as one of the ways to restore the functionality of a locked flash drive

If attempts to recover information on a locked USB device did not lead to the desired results and the data stored in memory is not important to the user, it is best to perform low-level flash formatting (Low Level Format), which will correct the damaged memory.

Low Level Format is a basic layout in the data storage area with recording of control information, which is usually carried out at device manufacturing plants and remains unchanged. However, there are a number of programs whose capabilities allow users to carry out low-level formatting themselves.

The Low Level Format process completely deletes data from device memory and it is no longer possible to restore it. This action is carried out in order to block damaged areas of the USB Flash, which will not be recorded during further use, as well as to prevent the theft of confidential information.

The most popular program for carrying out the process low level formatting USB devices – HDD Low Level Format Tool. It allows you to change the size of the drive. Works with removable drives via USB and Firewire interfaces. The wipe process clears the partition table, boot sectors (if any), manufacturer data, and every byte of data. The program is shareware.

The free version has limitations on formatting speed and does not have access to program updates.

After downloading the program, you need to install it following the recommendations on the screen.

Select one of the options for using the program:

Since low-level formatting deletes all bytes of information, to resume working with the device, you need to perform high-level formatting using the usual standard operating system tools, having decided on the file system of the flash drive.

Results

This article examined in detail the possible causes of flash drive malfunctions that prevent rewriting. The main measures to eliminate such problems were listed.

In some cases, with serious mechanical damage and software Flash crashes USB, users are advised to contact service centers. Specialists use highly specialized software on special equipment to restore and repair USB devices.

If all the methods listed in the article did not help to “save” the flash device, and it remains inoperative, then you should think about buying a new one.

So that the purchased flash drive will last a long time and be a reliable carrier important information, you must follow simple rules for using Flash USB:

1. do not expose them to mechanical shocks;
2. isolate from moisture, high temperature and exposure to electromagnetic fields;
3. remove only using “Safely Remove Hardware”;
4. periodically defragment the memory area;
5. check for errors using the chkdsk system utility (scanning and correcting data errors);
6. Be sure to use anti-virus software and keep it updated to protect against virus infection.

Writing files to a removable drive is the simplest operation on personal computer, which millions of users perform daily. But not all users understand the true reasons for such an error. In this article we will look at the causes of the error and how to resolve it.

Causes of the “Disk is write-protected” error. Why is the microsd card write protected?

The verbatim text of the notification looks like this: “The disk is write-protected. You need to remove the protection or use a different disk." The appearance of this message is quite logical if the operating system does not have the ability to write to the disk - for one of the reasons it is prohibited.

The causes of failures may be software or hardware. Software and hardware failures occur both in the computer OS and in the file system of the drive. But before deciding what to do, you need to understand the reasons for this phenomenon.

Basic ways to protect a flash drive (memory card) or disk from being written to

Methods for protecting information on a flash drive, as well as types of failures, can be divided into two groups: hardware and system.
One of the options for hardware protection is a mechanical switch on the drive body in the “lock” position.

System protection is a set of programs and utilities specifically designed to ensure data security. For example, the lock is set to Windows registry or blocking recording by group policy.

The easiest way to remove protection from a flash drive is Total commander

Total Commander- one of the oldest Windows managers, but is still popular with users because it has good functionality and easy to use. You can remove protection in TC using the following algorithm:

• Open "Configuration".
• Open the “File Operations” tab.
• Choose " automatic method copying."

Hardware method. Windows Command Line – Diskpart

Important: You must run the command line as an administrator.

To remove protection using the command line, you need to follow the following algorithm:

1. Go to the Start menu.
2. Find the “Command Prompt” application (the command line can also be launched using the Win + R key combination).
3. Enter Diskpart into the command and press the “Enter” key at the command line, thereby launching the disk manager application on the system.
4. Enter Attributes disk clear readonly into the command and press the “Enter” key, thereby disabling the “read-only” mode.
5. Enter Clean in the command and press the “Enter” key, thereby deleting all partitions and volumes of the disk.
6. Enter Create Partition Primary in the command and press the “Enter” key, thereby creating the primary disk partition from scratch.

The ability to write to a flash drive is often blocked by numerous malware, entering the computer system through other external media connected to the device or the Internet.

To find and eliminate them, you need to download an antivirus, for example Dr.Web CureIt, and scan the system for malicious code.

Mechanical protection. Switch for recording modes on a flash card

Some flash drives are equipped with special write protection mechanisms. They are located on the device body, on the outside. The device looks like a small switch.

Important: These switches are more common on SD cards, but also on some USB models they exist too.

To activate the ability to write to a disc, just move the switch slider to the desired “OnLock” position.

Windows Tools. Setting up Group Policy (gpedit.msc)

How do I remove protections that have been installed as a result of Local Group Policy settings? This restriction is removed using the following algorithm of actions:

1. Activate Windows keys + R command prompt.
2. Enter in search bar command Gredit.msc, click OK.
3. In the new window, go to the tabs: Configuration>Administrative Templates>System>Access to removable storage devices.
4. Go to the “Disable reading” line.
5. Double-click on the line.
6. In the new window, activate “Apply”>OK.

Registry editor. Removing write protection using regedit

Registry Editor - standard program, built in modern system Windows. The application edits registry keys, sets new default settings, and restores files from backup copies.

To remove protection using the editor, you need to follow the following algorithm:

1. Log in to the registry editor program by activating the Win+R keys.
2. Type Redegit in the search bar and click OK.
3. Find one of the registry branches called: HKey Local Machine
4. Select the System branch from the drop-down list.
5. From the list that drops down under this branch, select Current Control Set, then Control
6. From the list of subsections, select StorageDevicePolicies
7. In the program interface, check the WhiteProtect parameter
8. Change the parameter value from 1 to 0.
9. Close the editor and reboot the OS.

What to do if the disk is write-protected and the flash drive cannot be formatted - Low-level formatting

If the above attempts to remove protection do not bring results, then you should use the method of low-level formatting of the drive to clear and re-create all tables of the file system of the flash card. At the same time, you need to remember that in this case the recorded data will be lost, but the damaged disk memory will be restored. Full formatting will block damaged USB areas and the system will not be able to write data to them in the future.

The Low Level Format Tool program is suitable for this operation. The application clears the partition table, boot sectors, and even manufacturer data - all down to the last byte. Available on the Internet free version program, but it works slower than its paid counterpart.

Not typical causes of the “Disk is write-protected” error

The reasons why writing to a disk is blocked can be divided into common and atypical, more rare ones. The second group includes file system errors, wear and tear or physical damage to the flash drive, microcontroller failures, and USB port malfunctions.

— Fatal errors in the file system of the flash card
If the sequence of storing and naming information in the drive's memory is violated, the structure of the file system is damaged. Logical errors occur after incorrect removal of the flash drive from the connector, memory wear, power surges and other processes. The disk is blocked, and the system reports the need to format it. To correct the situation you need:

• Try to recover data using software suitable for this media.
• Perform a high-level format with file system recovery.

Physical damage to the media is caused by manufacturing defects, cracks, overheating in motherboards and microcircuits. Physical damage is also caused by violations of operating and storage conditions, power surges, and loosening of USB connectors.

— Microcontroller failures or complete wear of the flash drive
Flash memory and the computer “communicate” with each other using a controller chip built into the external drive. The controller is controlled by a microprogram written into the chip. Sometimes, in case of unsafe removal of the flash drive or horse races electric current, a controller software failure occurs. A clear sign of such a malfunction: write blocking. Also, blocking occurs due to wear of the memory chip, exceeding the threshold of rewrite cycles. The system goes into information protection mode to stop the process of memory destruction. Reflashing the microcontroller using special programs will help eliminate failures.

It is rare for a USB port to turn off spontaneously on a computer, but this error still happens. To check if the port is working properly, you must first try connecting other devices to it. If the port sees the smartphone, keyboard and other devices unstable or completely refuses to notice them, then it does not function. If the user sees a system message about the disk being write protected, it is not related to a malfunction of the USB ports. But the administrator can disable them intentionally to protect data from downloading. How to remove write protection from a flash drive if the port is disabled?
In this case, you need to enable USB using the following procedure:

1. Enter the BIOS by holding down the F2 or F10 keys.
2. Find values ​​for USB Controller.
3. Set the Enabled parameter for these values.
4. Confirm the changes by activating the F10 key.
5. Restart your PC.

How to remove protection from excel sheet

If the Excel sheet is not editable, the application toolbar is inactive, and the user does not have access to most functions. When you try to make changes, the program will display a message stating that the sheet is protected. To unlock the sheet, you will need the following steps:

1. Click on the “File” item.
2. Activating the “Unprotect” link in a new window.
3. Enter your password. Without knowing the password, you cannot remove the protection.

IN old version In Excel, to remove the lock you need:

1. Activate the “Service” item.
2. Select the “Protection” tab from the list.
3. Activate the “Unprotect Sheet” command.
4. Enter your password.

Programs for eliminating recording errors and formatting protected flash drives

Manufacturers of flash drives understand that the performance of their products various reasons glitches can occur, so every well-known brand creates utilities to fix them. Useful programs available on manufacturers' websites. For example, the program for Kingston is called Kingston Format Utility, Transcend is called JetFlash Recovery. The programs are freely available on the manufacturers' websites.

Hello dear readers! Quite recently I encountered one problem, I wanted to reinstall Windows, I found a sandisk cruzer 8gb flash drive, recorded the image and just took it out of the computer, everything was as usual, I reinstalled Windows and decided to format the flash drive, but when I tried to format it, I got the error “the disk is protected from records. Remove the protection and try again.”, when copying files from a computer to a USB flash drive, I got the error “the disk is write-protected.”

I started looking for the cause of this problem, searching on the Internet what could be the problem with this error, I came to the conclusion that the reasons for the “write protection” error could be the following:

• The file system of the usb drive was broken - this is precisely due to the fact that we ignore the message about “safely removing the device” (because of this, my flash drive broke down, sandisk usb drives become unusable because of this). – In my opinion, this is the most common reason.
• The flash drive was infected with viruses.
• Damage to the USB drive itself. It fell somewhere, got wet and shorted out, or you hit it hard, etc.
• Also, the most common reason is a special switch on the flash card, which protects against unauthorized writing to your usb drive.

So, we have figured out the reasons, now I will describe methods that will help you remove write protection. Before you begin, inspect your flash drive for a switch. If you find such a switch, then move it up or down depending on the model of the flash drive; on usb flash drives there is usually an open lock, if it is not drawn, then logically, just move it in the opposite direction. On flash cards that use adapters, this is usually micro-SD, then move the slider to the very top of the adapter or in the opposite direction from the “Lock” inscription.

How to remove write protection from a SanDisk flash drive

Let me repeat a little, if you have a Sandisk flash drive, and especially a Cruiser model, then you will not be able to restore your flash drive using any method. Unless, of course, it is not a 2016 model, and then it will not be possible to restore it unless you find specialized software on the official website: https://ru.sandisk.com. You will be lucky if your flash drive is still under warranty; if the warranty is over, then feel free to throw it in the trash, like I did.

is a universal utility that fits almost any USB drive and microSD flash cards using adapters. Download the program and run the exe file (the program does not require installation). After launch, the program itself will detect your device. Then simply select the file system type and click the “Start” button. (downloads: 8887)

Advice! If the flash drive has a capacity of up to 4GB, then select the “FAT32” file system; in other cases, select “NTFS”.

How to remove write protection from Transcend, JetFlash and A-DATA flash drives

– a program for removing protection from flash drives from the following manufacturers Transcend, JetFlash and A-DATA. Download the archive with the program, after a simple installation, the program itself will detect the flash drive and press the “Start” button (downloads: 6979)

– this set of programs is specially created for restoring JetFlash usb Transcend. These are online tools from Transcend itself. You can download from the blog or go to the official website of the program download page: http://ru.transcend-info.com/Support/Software-3. (downloads: 1997)

How to remove write protection from an Apacer flash drive and a Phison controller

Apacer Repair – this program Suitable only for Apacer flash drive. Download the program and to remove write protection, simply run it and follow the instructions. (downloads: 2791)

Apacer 8 Repair Utility - A set of eight programs for formatting Apacer Handy Steno flash drive and other models. (downloads: 2459)

AH320_Utility_LFormat
Handy Steno AH320
HS2.0_Utility_FDU1.20
Handy Steno AH123
HS20_LFormat
HS20_RepairTool
Repair_V2.8.1.1

Repair_v2.9.0.4
Handy Steno AH161 plus, Handy Steno AH221
Handy Steno AH222, Handy Steno AH223
Handy Steno AH225, Handy Steno AH321
Handy Steno AH322, Handy Steno AH323
Handy Steno AH326

Repair_v2.9.1.1
Handy Steno AH123, Handy Steno AH124
Handy Steno AH125, Handy Steno AH160
Handy Steno AH220, Handy Steno AH320
Handy Steno HC202, Handy Steno HC212
Handy Steno HA202, Handy Steno HN202
Handy Steno HN212, Handy Steno HT202
Handy Steno HT203 200X, Handy Steno HS120

Repair_v2.9.1.8A
Handy Steno AH522 200X
These flash drives mainly use Phison controllers. Some utilities do not work under Windows 7.

– another program for working with Transcend JetFlash V33, V60 and other flash drives running on the AlcorMP controller. Download the archive, after unpacking, run the file AlcorMP.exe. If your flash drive is based on an AlcorMp controller, then a black inscription will appear in the line under the letter “G”. If the inscription is red or the inscription does not appear at all, then working with this flash drive is impossible. To remove the protection, simply press the “Start (A)” button. After successful completion, the inscription will be displayed in green. (downloads: 2916)

How to recover a flash drive and remove protection from Silicon Power

On this moment I use a flash drive from this company, I have a “Silicon Power Blaze B10 32GB 3.0”, I am very pleased with this flash drive and the speed of its operation. Just like with other flash drives, I had an incident with it: when formatting the flash drive, the light was turned off, after that the computer saw the flash drive and at the same time did not, the flash drive was identified as drive “G”, but when I tried to enter the flash drive, the computer gave the following message “Disk G absent. Insert the disk and try again,” the same thing happened during formatting. How scared I was . But the following program came to my rescue; I found it on the company’s website.

This program is specially created for usb recovery Silicon drives Power, it works perfectly with interfaces 2.0 and 3.0, suitable for any silicon power flash drive. (downloads: 4480)

Important point: All programs must be run as an administrator; this is done for the correct operation of utilities for working with flash drives.

A couple of nuances: Before you start using the programs described above, I recommend doing the following with the flash drive, but if they don’t help, only then start working with the programs. When using the programs, all data from the flash drive will be deleted.

1. Check your USB drive for viruses with various antivirus programs.
2. Change the USB port, it happens that the port may be damaged and not enough energy is supplied to the flash drive from the computer.
3. Check your USB drive for security switches.

Well, that seems to be all the advice that will help you remove protection from a flash drive or restore its functionality.

I hope these tips help you. Thank you for your attention!

Best regards, Dmitry Arsenyev

I apologize for the title, but this is exactly how the question is asked when operating with a USB flash drive or SD card Windows memory reports the error “The disk is write-protected. Remove protection or use another disk" (The disk is write-protected). In this instruction, I will show you several ways to remove protection from a flash drive or memory card and tell you where it comes from.

I note that in different cases the message that the disk is write-protected may appear for various reasons - often due to Windows settings, but sometimes - due to a damaged flash drive. I will touch on all the options and the corresponding methods for removing protection in Windows 10, 8.1 or Windows 7. If something is not entirely clear, then at the bottom of the article there is a video that demonstrates almost all the ways to fix the error.

Another way that can help remove a USB disk error that suddenly shows a writing error is to remove protection on the command line.

To do this, do the following:

1. (In Windows 10, this is easiest to do through search in the taskbar, in Windows 8.1 - using the right-click menu on the Start button, in Windows 7 - through right-clicking on the command line in the Start menu).
2. At the command prompt, enter diskpart and press Enter. Then enter the command list disk and find your flash drive in the list of disks, you will need its number. Enter the following commands in order, pressing Enter after each one.
3. select disk N(where N is the number of the flash drive from the previous step)
4. attributes disk clear readonly
5. exit

Close the Command Prompt, unplug and reconnect the flash drive, then try to do something with the flash drive, such as formatting it or writing down some information, to see if the error goes away.

The disk is write protected - a solution for flash drives Transcend, Kingston, Silicon Power and others

Video instruction

Below is a video on this error, which shows all the methods described above. Perhaps she can help you figure out the problem.

I hope one of the approaches helped you solve the problem. If not, I also recommend checking your flash drive on another computer or laptop: this will allow you to determine whether the write protection is a consequence of the system parameters or whether the drive itself is to blame.

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.

Second type - software protection from entry: 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:

1. Click “Configuration”;
2. After that, click “Settings”;
3. In the menu that appears, go to the “File Operations” tab and check the box: “Auto select method”;
4. Click “Apply”;
5. Click “Ok”;
6. 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 disk is protected from the entry, the “Command Line” (CS) will help you quickly unlock it, but the information on the USB drive will be erased.

Steps:

1. Through “Start”, launch “KS” with extended powers;
2. Then in “KS” type “Diskpart”;
3. Click “Enter”;
4. Type "list disk";
5. Click "Enter";
6. Enter “select disk (here indicate the letter that the removable media is designated in the system, no need to insert parentheses)”;
7. Input;
8. Then execute “attributes disk clear readonly”;
9. Enter "clean";
10. "create partition primary";
11. "formatfs=fat32";
12. Input;
13. "exit";
14. Input;
15. 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:

1. In the search line, type “cmd” or “KS”;
2. Right-click on the search result;
3. 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 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 adjustments, for example, 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:

1. Click “open”;
2. Go to the “attack” tab;
3. Click “start”;
4. Wait until the process completes;
5. 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 context menu, so it’s especially convenient to use it for working with individual files.

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:

1. Select the flash drive.
2. Click “Continue”.
3. Read the information in the first tab of the program menu and go to “Low-level format”.
4. 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).