2014-09-29 21:22:30

Hello Everyone.
Well yesterday I was using my flash drive and tried to copy some files and the computer said that they couldn't be copied because the drive is write protected. How do I remove this since I can't get access to my files. I searched in the start menu box for write protection but nothing came up please help.

Guitarman.
What has been created in the laws of nature holds true in the laws of magic as well. Where there is light, there is darkness,  and where there is life, there is also death.
Aerodyne: first of the wizard order

2014-09-29 21:51:13

It might be in the drive properties, try moving to the drive's icon in windows explorer or my computer and going to the properties under the context menu.

Rarely there have also been flash drives made with a physical write protect imitating that of a floppy disk. Look for a small switch of some kind on the drive itself if you think this might be the case.

Alternatively maybe Windows just made a mistake and you need to remove and reconnect the flash drive.

cx2
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To live by honour and to honour life, these are our greatest strengths and our best hopes.

2014-09-29 23:18:15

If you can, try copying files from another computer or device onto that flash drive. If it still doesn't work, check the properties of the flash drive, make sure that it isn't write protected. If all else fails, reformat the flash drive.

The glass is neither half empty nor half full. It's just holding half the amount it can potentially hold.

2014-10-16 20:04:45 (edited by Ethin 2014-10-16 20:06:03)

@turtlepower17, reformatting of write protected drives doesn't work because it is write protected, and reformatting is writing a new file system to the drive; thus, I'd recommend what CX2 said in post two, or, if your really urgent about copying files, you'll have to do the following:
1. Open command prompt and type diskpart
2. Type list disk
3. Select the disk that is your USB drive (use This PC, Computer, or My Computer to check the space on the drive to identify it.)
4. Type select disk <disk number>. For instance, select disk 0 selects the internal drive that windows is running on.
Now, type list partition and find the appropriate one.
5. Type select partition <partition number>. This selected partition will be the largest one; the one that you copy files to.
6. Type the following command exactly as I have typed it here:
delete partition override
7. Type exit and go to the drive. Reformat it now.

"On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."    — Charles Babbage.
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2014-10-16 21:46:27

I really wouldn't recommend deleting a partition unless you know there's no other alternative.

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

2014-10-16 22:36:20

Hi Guys.
Thanks for all your help. I think doing this command prompt stuff is what I'll have to do since nothing else seems to work. Thanks again for all your help.

Guitarman.
What has been created in the laws of nature holds true in the laws of magic as well. Where there is light, there is darkness,  and where there is life, there is also death.
Aerodyne: first of the wizard order

2014-10-17 19:51:02

I first need to know, is it a Micro SD card? It has been the same problem with mine, and there are some removable disks or Card readers wich come with right protection. I wouldn't recommend formatting your flash drive if it’s an SD card. If you have a phone which is built-in Micro SD try plugging it into your computer and it will certainly let you copy all your data. So far, I haven’t managed to see a USB flash drive occurring this problem. Hope it helps. Otherwise, if your flash drive is a USB, then try plugging it into another computer which runs another version or edition or windows, such as windows XP or windows 8.
Hope I could help you a little.