How to Format a Write Protected Disk

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  1. killer bee
    Posts : 406
    windows7 Ultimate SP1 x32bit
    Thread Starter
       New #21

    Layback Bear said:
    A format does not wipe a drive clean. Their are some virus ect. that can be activated once you start using that drive again even after a format.
    No after i format my pen i full scan my PC and pen using Kaspersky 2011
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  3. bill1821
    Posts : 33
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       New #22

    Layback Bear said:
    A format does not wipe a drive clean. Their are some virus ect. that can be activated once you start using that drive again even after a format.

    Never heard that one before- more info?
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  4. Layback Bear
    Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       New #23

    Hard drives use a FAT (File allocation table)NTFS (New Technology File System) to "map out" where the data is stored.
    If you do a quick format, then all that happens is that the "map" is removed. The data is still there, its just that the Operating System doesn't know where to find it. There for if a virus,torjen ect is still there and some of them can be reactivated. The left over data is wrote over when you add more data. I hope this helps.
    Last edited by Layback Bear; 26 Apr 2011 at 11:53.
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  6. NickRudd
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 home
       New #24

    Can this work for a CD/DVD?


    1. I do not have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
    2. Can this work for a CD/DVD
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  7. djfourmoney
    Posts : 18
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit
       New #25

    NickRudd said:
    1. I do not have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
    2. Can this work for a CD/DVD
    You mean you can't delete files on physical media?

    Get out your favorite flavor of Linux and have at it. Linux ignores Windows typical file restrictions and wiping data from any type of media should be fairly easy when Windows for some reason doesn't let you.

    Personally I use Mint 12 loaded onto a flash drive.
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  8. NickRudd
    Posts : 2
    Windows 7 home
       New #26

    djfourmoney said:
    NickRudd said:
    1. I do not have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
    2. Can this work for a CD/DVD
    You mean you can't delete files on physical media?

    Get out your favorite flavor of Linux and have at it. Linux ignores Windows typical file restrictions and wiping data from any type of media should be fairly easy when Windows for some reason doesn't let you.

    Personally I use Mint 12 loaded onto a flash drive.
    I already have Ubuntu, will that work?
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  10. jamie1789
    Posts : 1
    windows 7 64 professional
       New #27

    I have had the same problem and somewhat found a solution to using it again. I have a 32gb micro sd card that i cannot format on windows 7 and have tried all the solutions above except the linux one which I will try soon. I put my sd card into my galaxy s3, formatted it in that and it works. When I wish to transfer files onto it though it has to be in the galaxy s3 and cannot be in a card reader connected to windows. When plugged into windows i still cannot format it or copy or delete files.
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