When writing a file to a memory card, you may encounter a write protection problem. The user sees the message “The disk is write-protected” on the screen.

Let's figure out in what ways you can solve the problem.

Switch

Many SD cards have a special switch to remove protection. If you are using a microSD card, the switch will be on the adapter.

Slide it up or down to remove the protection. If there is no switch on the card, use the following tips.

Virus check

A universal way for all occasions. Scan your memory card for viruses. Use built-in Windows 10 Defender or any other.

Right-click on the memory card in Explorer and select the desired item. We have a standard Defender, so we will check the card using Windows Defender.

Registry

We go into the registry editor: the key combination Win + R and the command regedit... you will read more. how to enter the editor in different ways.

In the editor, follow the path indicated in the screenshot. In the Control section, we are interested in the StorageDevicePolicies folder. If you don't find it there, create it: right-click on the section Control - New - Section.

In StorageDevicePolicies, right-click on an empty space and create a DWORD parameter. Choose 32 or 64 bits depending on the bitness of your system.

Double-click the left mouse button on the created parameter and set the value to 0. Click OK, close the editor and restart the computer.

Diskpart

Let's try to unlock the memory card with the Diskpart utility. To do this, run the command line as administrator. Read how to do it.

In the command line, you need to write several commands one by one:

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk N
• disk clear readonly

At the stage list disk you need to remember the number under which the memory card is displayed. At the stage of selecting a disk ( select disk) you need to write a number instead of the letter N.

Team disk clear readonly will allow us to remove the read-only attribute from the memory card - and unlock it.

Group Policy Editor

Another option to remove write protection is to configure the Group Policy settings. We go into the editor in one of the ways described.

In the "Computer Configuration" section, open the "Administrative Templates" tab, go to the "System" section and then to the "Access to Removable Storage Devices" folder.

We find in the list the parameter "Removable drives: deny reading".

Click on the parameter twice with the left mouse button. We set the value "Disabled".

We do the same with the "... disable recording" parameter.

Formatting the memory card

It is better to use third-party programs to format the card rather than the built-in Windows tools. Use one of the programs - HP Disk Format Tool, HDD Low Level Format, SD Memory Card Formatter and others.

The latter can be downloaded from the official website (https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/). Select an operating system and agree to the terms of using the utility.

After starting the program, select the card (Select card) in the window and set the formatting mode to Overwrite format.

Summing up

One way to remove write protection from a card must be working. Try everything in turn. Although it happens that none of the advice helps. Perhaps the point is in the memory card itself - it is old, out of order and can no longer work adequately.

Miniature USB flash drives are our reliable electronic custodians of 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 that is controlled by a microcontroller. The controller microcircuit 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 long enough, but limited. The number of overwriting data on a USB flash drive ranges from five to ten thousand cycles.

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

Protecting information on flash drives

To ensure the safety of storing confidential information and prevent viruses from entering flash media, various protection methods are used. It:

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

This review provides several options for removing protection with mechanical and software blocking of a flash drive.

As part of this article, we will also consider the possible causes of failures in the operation of a flash drive or software that cause a ban on overwriting, as well as ways to eliminate such malfunctions.

Malfunctions of flash drives associated with system messages that the disk is write-protected

Blocking a flash drive from overwriting can be caused by:

• By special actions of the user to protect confidential information during mechanical blocking and encryption of data;
• By software write inhibit installed in the operating system;
• Hardware settings of a personal computer that prohibit writing to USB devices;
• By limiting rewrite cycles when the flash drive has exhausted its resources. In this case, Flash is placed in read-only mode;
• Disk overflow and lack of free space for data recording;
• 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 to correctly recognize 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 to access the disk;
• Using flash drives in devices with various types of operating and hardware systems. For example, after watching movies on a TV and recording video data from it, the flash is not detected or 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 microcircuits and microcontroller (including failures of its program);

• Low-quality manufacturing when buying "fakes" of leading brands;
• With thermal and electrical influences. For example, with discharges of static electricity and overheating;
• Mechanical damage as a result of fractures, 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 against 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), allowing or disabling recording. Usually, it is located on the side of the media and is marked with a lock icon.

To remove the mechanical blocking, it is necessary to move the lever in the opposite direction.

Software ways to unlock flash media using standard Windows tools

Removing Overwrite Protection Using Windows Registry Editor

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

The 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 a backup in case of system failures.

There are three options to enter the Registry Editor:

Using the software utility "Run". For this:

After the registry editor has been launched, namely, the following window has opened

you need to find the registry branch

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\ SYSTEM \\ CurrentControlSet \\ Control \\

Color: # 008000; "\u003e Control and then the StorageDevicePolicies subsection, if any, and on the right side of the program interface pay attention to the WriteProtect (Reg_Dword) binary parameter, 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 disk.

To remove protection, you must:

• double-click on the WriteProtect (Reg_Dword) parameter;
• manually change its value from (1) to (0);
• confirm changes with 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 flash drive overwrite protection 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 run as a regular user or administrator.

To remove the 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 CLI:

Running Command Prompt in Windows 7

Using the software utility "Run".

For this:

Via Search in the Start Menu. For this:

Running Command Prompt in Windows 8

Running Command Prompt in Windows 10

Similarly, you can find the console application " Command line (cmd)"Via the Start menu and launch it via the context menu" As administrator»

Any of the above methods will open the next console window.

Using the text command interface, do the following:

Removing Overwrite Protection Using Local Group Policy Editor

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

Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console snap-in available in a 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 parameters of a personal computer,
• establish 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 drives, 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 must go to the following console tabs:

Software methods for unlocking flash media using special software

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

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

Choosing software to restore the performance of Flash media

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

All well-known manufacturers of USB Flash develop special utilities for their products that restore the operability of devices and correct possible defects. Such programs can be found on the official websites and downloaded.

When choosing software for a particular Flash device model, it is advisable to know such values \u200b\u200bas:

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

If the determination of the model (Product) and manufacturer (Vendor) does not cause special difficulties, then to find other information, you will need to use third-party programs or built-in operating system tools.

In order to find out the VID and PID of a USB device through the built-in tools of the system, 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 controller models. You can download ChipGenius for free from the developer's official website at this link.

Below is the ChipGenius interface with a sample report of scanning a 32GB USB Flash device and defining values \u200b\u200bsuch 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 USB flash drive scan report

When the necessary parameters are set, then with the help of special sites with extensive databases of known flash drives (for example, http://flashboot.ru/iflash/), it is easy to find a utility to restore them or even "flash" the controller.

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

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

AlcorMP

AlcorMP is a flash drive recovery program with controllers manufactured by Alcor. It allows you not only to remove protection from a flash drive, but also to restore its performance, "flashing" the controller and create protected partitions on the disk.

When using AlcorMP, all data on the USB drive is permanently erased by formatting.

Therefore, if the data on the media is important to you, then try to recover deleted files from the flash drive first. 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 the executable file AlcorMP.exe as administrator and then connect the USB flash drive.

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

Optionally, you can configure the utility for deep analysis of flash memory. To do this, go to Settings (Setup S) and set the scan speed value.

To start formatting, press Start (Start A) and wait for the process of removing the attributes from the flash. Depending on the volume, speed of the medium, the state of the memory, 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 operation 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 freeware program designed to format any type of flash media. With its help, you can partially restore inoperative flash drives and format disks even in cases where this is not possible with the standard means of the operating system. You can download the Russian version of the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool for free on the official website.

The utility's functionality allows you to unlock any USB device, select a file system (NTFS, FAT32), a quick format option, assign a label to a disk, enable data compression for NTFS.

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

The program does not require installation. After downloading, the executable file HPUSBDisk.exe is launched (as administrator) from the archive, a disk is selected, the necessary values \u200b\u200bfor the file system, label and formatting method are set, and the Start button is pressed. At the end of the process - closing the Close interface and checking the unlocking of the flash drive

JetFlash Recovery Tool

JetFlash Recovery Tool is a program designed to recover flash drives manufactured 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 blocks of writing at high data processing speed;
• Unlocking in case of impossibility of recording;
• Recognition of media with a RAW file system with a damaged structure;
• Formatting with the ability to pre-save data.

Download the JetFlash Recovery Tool from the developer's official website at this link.

After downloading the program, you need to run the JetFlash Recovery Tool.exe application file as administrator and wait for the installation to be installed on the hard disk

Then run the JFRecoveryTool.exe executable file to download the application, connect a non-working or locked USB flash drive and click Start. At the end of the work, check the normalization of the media state

Apacer Repair

Apacer Repair is a small program designed specifically for flash media by Apacer Technology Inc. With it, you can make quick formatting if other options did not help, as well as repair USB Flash. As a result of program processing, you can remove overwrite protection and correct errors in memory blocks.

You can download the Apacer Repair utility for free from the developer's official website at 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 starts with a warning: "" ( This will destroy all data on the USB stick, do you want to continue?)

Pressing the Format button starts quick formatting. A successful wipe operation will remove the write protection from the flash drive.

Other reasons for blocking from overwriting USB devices and how to fix them

Viruses blocked a USB flash drive for writing

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

The term viruses includes such types of malware as Trojans, downloaders - droppers, phishing sites, worms, spambots, spiders, etc.

These programs are able to create their own copies and be introduced through communication channels into systems, boot sectors of computers. They bring a lot of trouble to users by stealing confidential information and disrupting entire computer systems.

According to statistics, the most common cause of USB media malfunctions is malware or viruses.

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

Many viruses are designed to block access to a flash drive and prohibit any operations to change data on it in order to "protect themselves" from forced deletion or movement.

For example, such a common virus as Autorun writes itself to the computer's system file Autorun.inf, which allows applications to be launched from removable media. When connecting a flash drive, Autorun copies files of the type: Autorun.exe **, Autorun.inf __ and others. The signs of infection with this virus are as follows:

• The USB disk does not open at all, or when trying to access 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 the inability to access the file;
• task Manager and Registry Editor do not start;
• there is a hidden RECYCLER folder on the USB flash drive, which contains the virus executable file.

To fight against viruses of this type, special Anti-Autorun programs have been developed.

In cases of infection of a flash drive with a virus that blocks any action associated with changing information, you must do the following:

1. Install anti-virus software on your computer.
2. When connecting a USB disk, perform a thorough scan with the installed anti-virus with updated databases. It is advisable to check the flash with several programs.
3. If possible, format the USB flash drive using the built-in tools of the operating system or additional utilities described in this article.
4. If it is impossible to format in normal mode, try to perform this operation in the safe boot mode of the operating system (diagnostic mode, using only the main files and drivers). Why reboot the system while holding down the F8 key and select " Safe mode».
5. It is imperative to check the hard drives of a personal computer for viruses in order not to spread them to other removable drives in the future.

Check for disk fullness and remove protection from files to be copied to disk

To check for free disk space, do the following:

Physical damage to the USB stick

The reason for blocking the flash drive for writing may be mechanical damage.

It usually occurs in the following cases:

• when buying low-quality goods ("fakes");
• when exposed to high temperatures and overheating of parts of the device;
• electrostatic discharge;
• as a result of faults, cracks in the electronics board, chips, scratches and impacts when falling, when the main elements are damaged: a memory chip and a microcontroller;
• improper storage conditions (for example, a humid environment) and violations of operating rules;
• voltage surges when power is applied to the elements of the carrier;
• limited service life while reducing data write-erase cycles;
• loosening the usb connector (interface)

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

Faulty or disconnected USB ports on the PC

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

To check for a port fault:

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

Thus, you can eliminate the possibility of problems with USB ports when you receive messages that the disk is write protected.

Prohibiting writing to flash devices when software and hardware disconnect USB ports

To restrict access to connected removable media (flash drives, portable hard drives, phones, etc.) or even prohibit their use, administrators of computer systems disable USB ports. The purpose of these measures is to prevent theft of valuable information or infecting 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 are caught in 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 written in a special chip on the motherboard of the system unit. It is intended for the initial start-up of a computer, testing its main components, performing I / O functions, storing information about the hardware components of the PC and their settings.

   To disable USB ports:

   • enter the BIOS by holding one of the following keys: Del, F2, F10, Esc, F8;
   • find all values \u200b\u200bassociated with the USB Controller (or Legacy USB Support) and set them to Enabled;
   • press the F10 key to confirm the changes in the settings;
   • to restart a computer.
   
   
2. Using the registry editor.

   This method is convenient in that, unlike the previous one, such USB devices as keyboard, mouse, printers, scanners are not disconnected, but only flash drives.

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

   To disable ports through the editor, you must:

   
   
3. In device manager. For this:
   
4. Uninstall (remove) USB controller drivers.
5. Using special software to establish access levels and prohibit users from connecting USB devices. For example, Microsoft Fix It 50061 and USB Drive Disabler perform these functions.
6. Disconnecting USB from the computer's motherboard. In this case, you can disable only the ports on the front and top of the system case by disconnecting the adapter cables that go 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 by PC users.

Thus, by checking all the options for disconnecting USB ports, you can exclude the possibility of blocking flash media for overwriting.

Microcontroller software failures and flash memory wear

Each flash drive includes a controller microcircuit intended for communication between flash memory and a computer. The controller is controlled by the firmware, a part of which is written in the chip. This program is responsible for the memory parameters, the operation of the translator, contains the values \u200b\u200bof product identifiers and the so-called write inhibit flags.

In cases of improper operation, unsafe removal of the media during running recording and movement processes, power jumps, a software failure of the controller occurs. One of the signs of such a malfunction is the blocking of the device for recording information.

Blocking of the device can also occur due to the wear of the memory chip, in which bad blocks appear and the overwrite cycle threshold is exceeded. In this case, the microcontroller marks the blocks as unused, blocks the flash for writing, goes into data protection mode to prevent further destruction of the NAND memory.

To eliminate software failures, the microcontroller should be reprogrammed ("reflash") 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 locked for overwriting, there is no access to it, an undefined RAW file structure is displayed in the properties of the USB disk, and a system message is displayed stating that the disk needs to be formatted.

In these cases, it is necessary:

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

The selection of utilities for recovering 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 have not led to the desired results and the data stored in memory is not important for the user, it is best to perform a low-level formatting of the flash (Low Level Format), which will fix the damaged memory.

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

The Low Level Format process completely deletes data from device memory and cannot be recovered. This action is carried out in order to block the damaged sections of the USB Flash, which will not be recorded during further operation, as well as to prevent theft of confidential information.

The most popular program for carrying out the process of low-level formatting of USB devices is HDD Low Level Format Tool. It allows you to resize your drive. Works with removable drives via USB and Firewire interfaces. During the erase process, the partition table, boot sectors (if any), manufacturer data, and each data byte are cleared. The program is shareware.

The free version (free) has limitations on formatting speed, and there is no access to program updates.

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

Choose one of the options for using the program:

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

Outcome

In this article, we examined in detail the possible causes of flash drive malfunctions that cause a ban on overwriting. Were listed the main measures to eliminate such problems.

In some cases, in case of serious mechanical damage and software failures of Flash USB, users are advised to contact the 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 remained inoperative, then you should think about buying a new one.

In order for the acquired flash drive to serve for a long time and be a reliable carrier of important information, you must adhere to the simple rules for using Flash USB:

1. do not subject them to mechanical shock;
2. isolate from moisture, high temperature and exposure to electromagnetic fields;
3. remove only using "Safely Remove Hardware";
4. periodically defragment a memory area;
5. check for errors using the chkdsk system utility (scanning and correcting data errors);
6. be sure to use antivirus software and keep it up to date to protect against virus infection.

There are situations when, when trying to upload a file to a USB flash drive or memory card, Windows displays a message that the disk is write-protected.

This is one of the most common problems that can appear during the operation of flash drives. Often occurs when using your removable media with great regularity with multiple rewriting cycles. However, this also happens with recently purchased flash drives. Means the impossibility of adding, copying any files. How to save the situation in this case?

There are several reasons for the message: hardware or programmatic recording bans, limit by the number of rewriting information, overflow disk, incorrect formatting, damage sectors of a disk memory chip or a control microcontroller, harmful software, problems with device drivers, incorrect recognition of the flash drive by the system. Therefore, there is no one universal solution.

This manual will show you several ways to remove protection from a flash drive.

Remove write protection through the registry

First of all, make sure that you file is not protected from the record, after which to solve the problem, you should go to the registry editor. Launch the window Execute (Win + R), where we enter the word “ regedit».

In the registry section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and we go through the directory tree as follows:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \\ SYSTEM \\ CurrentControlSet \\ Control.

The parameter we are interested in there is StorageDevicePolicies.

Set the write protection value to zeroas shown in the picture. This can solve the banning problem. Save, extract removable media and reboot a computer.

However, this parameter may not be present in the registry. Then his need to create - in the appropriate section, right-click Create a, select parameter DWORD (depending on the bitness of the Windows used) and name StorageDevicePolicies.

Give a name to the parameter WriteProtect and set the value to zero. Perform the steps described earlier (save, eject media, reboot) and check if the problem is gone.

Using the command line

The next troubleshooting method involves using the shell as an admin. In the button Start select the appropriate field with the right mouse button.

We write there the word “ Diskpart", Then" list disk».

And we look what number disk from our flash drive. In my case, this is disk 2. We write “ select"And number which you see.

After that we enter the command: attributes disk clear readonly and exit.

Thus, the read-only option is removed from the flash drive. We are trying to rewrite something on a USB flash drive, if this did not help out, go to the next point.

Unblocking with Group Policy

Should use group policy editor... We launch it in the same window Execute.

We follow the conductor " Computer configuration» - « Administrative Templates» - « System» - « Access to removable storage devices». Disable write inhibit function for removable drives. That is, switch the property to the status " Disabled».

After that, when you try to write, your disc will not give errors. Otherwise, it may well be that the flash drive is simply faulty.

If the sd card is write protected

In a similar situation with a memory card, there is another option locked write-protect lever.

In some sd cards, and there are such flash drives, there is a possibility hardware lock records. The switch is usually located on the side of the device. There you will find an inscription Lock and a closed or open padlock icon.

Move the lever to the opposite position and mechanical protection removed. To re-block, do the opposite. As you can see, everything is quite simple.

If the previous tips didn't help you try format own removable media, if this action is not prohibited.

If you are using a Transend flash drive or memory card, you can use Transcend's proprietary JetFlash Online Recovery software to restore the recording to the disk.

Companies such as Silicon Power, Adata, Kingston and others have similar programs. Find out if such software exists on the website of the manufacturer of your removable media. Usually their use is not difficult and all actions are intuitive.

You now have many working methods in your arsenal to solve this problem.

Reading time: 45 min

Using the drive for editing information on it does not always proceed successfully, sometimes flash drive is not formatted write-protected... Formatting and any other manipulations associated with changing information on the media will be blocked, and the flash drive turns into a regular CD / DVD disc. The problem has been known for a long time, so the solutions have already been worked out and are reliable.

Note that the only worthy application of the protection of a flash drive from writing is its protection against viruses that, without the user's knowledge, migrate through the system and infect new areas.

The flash drive is not formatted: what to do?

The very first step in solving the situation when the flash drive is not formatted by Windows is to check the physical condition of the drive. Some flash drives have a lock with a movable latch, the same applies to microSD cards. The toggle switch can be located on one of the edges of the carrier. To eliminate the prohibition for recording, it is necessary to move the lock to the Open or Lock position, this is done with something hard or with a fingernail, since the toggle switch is small enough.

Most likely, the lock was turned on by accident, so before connecting the drive further, you should check that it was installed correctly.

Another common problem is software write blocking, which is set at the microcontroller level of the drive. For normal operation, you need to unlock the USB flash drive, which can be done with the built-in Windows tools.

The flash drive is not formatted - the disk is write protected. Unlocking via registry

The more common reason a USB stick won't format is in the software realm. To remove the ban, you need to perform some manipulations with the registry.

1. Press Win + R and enter regedit in the window that opens, the editor will be called with administrator rights;

1. Then you need to go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE branch and select the SYSTEM folder;
2. The CurrentControlSet - Control section contains the required StorageDevicePolicies folder. In some systems, the item may be absent, in this case you just have to create it by clicking on "Edit", activate "Create" and select the "Section" item. It is important to name the folder exactly StorageDevicePolicies;
3. Further in the selected section (in the window on the right), you need to right-click and "Create", then select "DWORD (32-bit) parameter" and name WriteProtect;
4. Next, double-click to open the created parameter and check the value, it should be 0, if a unit is set, you need to replace it and save the changes;

1. At the end, you need to close the registry, remove the drive and reboot the PC. After reconnecting, everything will work correctly.

Removing protection with Diskpart

The next way to format a USB flash drive if it is not formatting is to use the Diskpart command function. This interpreter is used to configure and obtain information about sections.

In our case, you need to use it like this:

1. Click on "Start";
2. Enter the combination cmd into the search bar;
3. PKM on the result and run with higher rights;
4. Then enter diskpart in the console and press enter;
5. Then enter list disk and press Enter. Here you need to determine the number of the drive with which we will interact, that is, the flash drive. The easiest way to determine the desired partition is to look at a size that is slightly smaller than the volume indicated on the flash drive;

1. Now you need to select a disk using the select disk 2 command, where the number is indicated by the individual, just identified;
2. To clear an attribute that blocks writing, enter the command "attributes disk clear readonly";
3. Then the flash drive needs to be formatted using the standard "clean" command;
4. You need to create a partition using the "create partition primary" command;
5. At the end, you should install the standard NTFS / FAT file system, which is performed by the command "format fs \u003d ntfs", for editing in FAT you need to replace ntfs with fat in the command.

Removing protection using the Group Policy Editor

An alternative method for solving the problem with unavailable formatting is as follows:

1. You must press the combination Win + R and enter the name of the service gpedit.msc, then Enter;
2. Next, you need to open a branch called "Computer Configuration";
3. Then select "Administrative Templates";
4. Then open the "System" category;
5. The ultimate goal is "Access to removable devices";
6. It is necessary to deactivate the parameter "Removable disks: Deny recording", to do this, double-click on the option and set the Disable position in the new window on the left.

Additional options

If the problem was not fixed by one of the listed methods, it is worth trying to find the software of the official manufacturer, it is likely that it has some specific function. It is not difficult to do this simply by going to the website of the product manufacturer.

Some users confuse the situation of a protected drive and a separate file. Probably, the problem is not in the flash drive itself, but some separate file is blocking formatting. It is worth taking a closer look at the error window, if a specific file is indicated there, you need to remove protection from it. Performing an action is quite simple - right-click on it and select "Properties", then click on the "Security" tab and deselect the "Read Only" item.

Important! Before formatting, you need to correctly install the file system into which the flash drive will be transferred. The most common types are FAT and NTFS, in the first case the volume of the drive will not exceed 4 GB, regardless of its actual size, and in the second case the set volume will be supported.

After all, you need to choose fast or full formatting, the first option is faster and less likely to show errors, and the second is better.

Sometimes it is not possible to fix the problem at all, since the flash drive simply cannot be used anymore due to the fact that the resource is exhausted. Each device has a limited number of rewriting cycles, when this resource is exhausted, the flash drive automatically becomes read-only.

If you still have questions on the topic "How to format a USB flash drive if it is write-protected?", You can ask them in the comment

Memory cards have long been widely used on a variety of devices, allowing you to additionally get the several gigabytes of memory you need. However, in the process of use, you can encounter such an unpleasant problem as write protection, which causes considerable inconvenience to users. What to do in this case? Fortunately, this problem can be easily solved. All it takes is a little patience and following the instructions. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how to remove protection and format the memory card. Let's figure it out. Go!

Users ask questions about how to remove the protection of the memory card and format it if necessary

It's worth starting with the fact that some memory cards have a special switch with which you can enable or disable the write protection mode. Be sure to pay attention to this point.

The system utility Diskpart will help you solve the problem. Run Command Prompt with administrator rights. This can be done through the "Start" menu or through the "Run" window (use the key combination Win + R and enter cmd).

Commands are entered sequentially

After the command line window appears in front of you, write the following commands to format the micro SD flash drive:

select disk 0 (replace “0” with the number corresponding to the microSD card, the necessary information will be displayed after entering the command “list disk”)

attributes disk clear readonly

create partition primary

format fs \u003d ntfs (or specify fat32 after the "\u003d" sign, it all depends on which file system you want to format the SD card, some cameras may not support NTFS)

assign letter \u003d X (X is the letter that will be assigned to the flash drive)

After formatting is complete, you can assign a drive letter

In the event that formatting in this way failed, try another option, namely to do it through the Group Policy Editor.

To go to the Group Policy Editor, open the Run window by pressing the Win + R key combination, and then write in the input field (without quotes) "gpedit.msc". In the window that opens, go to the "Computer configuration" section, then open the "Administrative templates" folder. In it you will find the "System" directory. Navigate to the Access Removable Storage folder in this section.

Find the required policy setting

In the list on the right, find the line "Removable drives Deny writing". Double click on it with the left mouse button and select the "Disabled" mode. Click "OK" to confirm the changes. Then you need to follow the same steps in the "User Configuration" section. The further path consists of folders with exactly the same names. When you get to the desired item, disable it.

The procedure in other sections is the same.

After following all the instructions above, you can format your microSD flash drive without any problems. If the operation fails again, this may mean that the memory card is faulty and you should think about purchasing a new one.

Now you know how to unlock a micro SD flash drive in order to format it. This is very simple and takes only a few minutes. Even if you are a novice user, this operation will not cause you any difficulties. Write in the comments if the article helped you to understand the situation and ask any questions of interest on the topic considered.