Erase a write protected usb

[charlie3]

I have a write protected usb memory stick and i cant use it because its write protected, for some reason????? i cant even format it!!, it has no valuable data on it and can be wiped, i just want to be able to use it.

Charlie

 

[Dom]

Go to Computer, and right click on your USB drive and click on 'Properties'. Once there go to the 'Security' tab (top of window). Below 'Permissions for authenticated users' there is an 'Advanced' button. Click on it. On the 'Owners' tab, there should be an 'Edit' button. Now, select your username in the bottom box, and make sure the checkbox at the bottom is checked. Click on okay, then once it has changed ownership, click on Ok on all 'Properties' windows. You should now have full control of your USB memory stick.

 

[Zen00]

Right click on the USB drive in My Computer, go to Properties, then click on the Security tab. Make sure the box for Writes Allowed is checked, if not, log into an admin account and enable it for users.

Otherwise, right click and format.

 

[charlie3]

cant, this is what my window looks like, and i cant format it either, trust me ive tried. The data on the disk can be deleted if need be.

 

[charlie3]

i have an admin account aswell

 

[hattrik21]

What if you right click My Computer | Manage | Disk management. Here right click on the dirve and choose delete volume. Once deleted, right click and choose New volume I think and create a new space. Then format it.

 

[Tepid]

What kind of thumb drive is it?
Brand/Model?

If it is locked by Firmware, then there is nothing you can do but use whatever software that locked it to unlock it.

 

[Jacee]

From your computer Right click on the thumbdrive .... in the dropdown list does it say "Format"?

 

[charlie3]

cant use disk management either delete volume is blacked out.

my friend gave me it and said he couldn't get them to work and if they don't work just throw them away. they don't have a make on them or a model.

 

[charlie3]

jacee, i do have format in the menu

 

[Tepid]

Then they are either bad (most likely)
or what I posted above in post 7

 

[Ch@n]

Any tries from safe mode?

 

[charlie3]

safe mode returns no results either?? im confused

 

[Tews]

Try taking ownership of the pendrive then format it...

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html?ltr=T

 

[logicearth]

The problem is the USB stick not Windows and you will not fix it from Windows.
Does the USB stick have a (physical) lock switch? If not it probably means the stick is broken.

 

[WindowsStar]

Have you tried the following:

1. Plug in your USB Flash Drive
2. Open a command prompt as administrator (Right click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”
3. Find the drive number of your USB Drive by typing the following into the Command Prompt window:
   diskpart
   list disk
   The number of your USB drive will listed. You’ll need this for the next step. I’ll assume that the USB flash drive is disk 1.

Format the drive by typing the next instructions into the same window. Replace the number “1” with the number of your disk below.
select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=FAT32
assign
exit

 

[charlie3]

can take ownership do i need to restart??? after adding the keys
looks like the pic

is my usb disk 1 for sure, i dont want to f**k things up, look at the pic

 

[Jonathan_King]

Try a third-party partition manager, like this one: Partition Magic Alternative - Partition Wizard is a magic partition software for Winidows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008 Server and Windows 7.

 

[charlie3]

tryed didnt show up

 

[WindowsStar]

I would say if you cannot see it with the software JK suggested and you cannot see it with DISKPART by looking at your pictures; then the USB drive may be defective. - I am out of ideas anyone else??