USB write protected, cant reformat

[rurikomai]

badly needed help here

my friend used my 8gb flash drive and now it was infected with virus
and she reformat it without telling me...

now its write protected and cant be reformat

can someone help me how to remove the write protected thingy and recover it back?

 

[jumanji]

Try this.

Download Windows Executable (works without installation): HDD Low Level Format Tool ver.4.25

HDDGURU: HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool

Plugin your pendrive, run the executable and low level format it. It fills all the sectors with zero and reinitialises it to the factory condition.



Once the lowlevel format is successfully completed, do a regular format.

I recommend HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. (Run it as administrator)

Download HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3 Free - Windows-based Format Utility for HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB Device - Softpedia

 

[rurikomai]

oh..
i will try this when i get back home...
and give u feedback if it works

:::EDIT:::

both applications not working

 

[rurikomai]

ive tried the links u gave
but both didnt work.

..and also i did try formatting my USB using the DOS command but still it fails.

is there any remedies aside from those links?

 

[jumanji]

Sometimes one may overlook the switch on some pendrives. Check on that.

A pendrive can get write-protected with virus affliction. In this case it should be possible to zerofill it and format it.

A pendrive can also get write-protected when it reaches its end of life. In this case no more reserved sectors are available to map the bad sectors and the pendrive controller makes it write-protected making it impossible to write any files which will only get corrupted. That is the safety mechanism and in this case nothing can be done.

It most probably died on its own volition when it was with your friend and you may be thinking it is because of a virus.

Anyway, you may try to format it in the command window in safe mode - Advanced Options.

You may also check the manufacturer's website for any format/repair Utility. ( Transcend, I know, has one. Do not know about others.)

 

[rurikomai]

ive tried transcend repair but it failed at the middle part..
and in safe mode, it ask for volume label since the usb doesnt have one

 

[Erick Aguilar]

Seems the USB flashdrive got virtually bricked.
Are pendrives too expensive where you live?

 

[jumanji]

ive tried transcend repair but it failed at the middle part.....

That again confirms that the pendrive is dead as a dodo.

 

[Slartybart]

Try running chkdsk on the thumb drive two times, checking if the thumb drive is write protected between executions

1) no boxes ticked
--> still write protected?
2) fix file system box ticked
--> still write protected?

If the problem persists,
open and elevated command prompt
launch Diskpart
lis dis
sel disk #(your thumbdrive)
lis par
sel par #(your thumbdrive)
lis vol #(your thumbdrive)
det vol
att clear readonly
exit
exit


Any change?


Regardless if you fix the R/W state of the thumb drive - it has questionable reliablity and shouldbe replaced. At the very least it should be wiped.


Good luck.