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Solved: How To Fix Usb Write Protected Error On Windows 10

Isaac Lee is the lead tech blogger for Vtech Insider. With over 10 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics and emerging technologies, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge to help readers make informed purchasing decisions.

What To Know

  • This error is due to a protection feature built-in by manufacturers to prevent viruses and malware from modifying the file system of the USB.
  • There are a few tricks you can use to remove the write protection on your USB flash device.
  • A USB flash drive is a type of removable storage media that is commonly used to store and transfer data.

Have you ever encountered the annoying problem of a USB flash drive that is write protected? It’s frustrating because you can’t save anything to it or delete anything. In this quick guide, I’ll show you two ways to remove write protection from your USB drive.

How To Fix Usb Write Protected

In today’s world, USB flash devices are an integral part of our daily routine. We use them to store our valuable data, but many times, users face the USB write protected error while writing new files or modifying existing ones.

This error is due to a protection feature built-in by manufacturers to prevent viruses and malware from modifying the file system of the USB. However, this feature can become a nuisance when you want to write new data.

But don’t worry! There are a few tricks you can use to remove the write protection on your USB flash device.

1. Check the USB Drive

Before proceeding, ensure that you have tried writing new files to the USB. Sometimes, this error occurs due to insufficient memory space.

2. Enable USB Write Protection

If your computer’s USB write protection is enabled, it will not let you write new data. To disable it, follow these steps:

a. Press Windows + R, type “regedit” in the Run dialogue box, and press Enter.

b. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlStorageDevicePolicies.

c. On the right-side panel, find the WriteProtect value.

d. If the value is set to 1, your USB write protection is enabled. Right-click on the WriteProtect value and select Modify.

e. Set the value to 0, then click OK.

f. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

3. Format the USB Drive

Formatting the USB flash device will erase all its contents, so only do this if you are sure you have a backup.

a. Connect the USB flash device to your computer.

b. Open This PC or My Computer.

c. Right-click on the USB flash device and select Format.

d. Choose FAT32 or NTFS as the file system.

e. Click Start to format the drive.

f. After formatting, try writing new data to the USB flash device.

How Do I Remove Write Protection From A Usb Drive?

  • 1. Use a different computer: Sometimes, the issue might be with the computer itself, so using a different computer could solve the problem.
  • 2. Format the USB drive: Try formatting the USB drive using Disk Management.
  • 3. Change drive letter: Change the letter of the USB drive in Disk Management.
  • 4. Remove write protection using CMD: Use CMD to remove the write protection from the USB drive.
  • 5. Use a different USB port: Try connecting the USB drive to a different USB port on your computer.

How Do I Fix A Write-protected Usb Drive In Windows 10?

A USB flash drive is a type of removable storage media that is commonly used to store and transfer data. One common problem with USB flash drives is that they can become write-protected, which means that they cannot be modified or deleted. This can be a frustrating problem, but there are a few things you can do to fix it.

1. Check if the drive is write-protected:

* Press Windows key + R, type “cmd” in the Run dialog box, and press Enter.

* In the Command Prompt window, type “attrib -r -s -h *.*” and press Enter.

* If the drive is write-protected, you will get a message saying “The volume is write protected.”

2. Remove the write-protection:

* In the Command Prompt window, type “diskpart” and press Enter.

* Type “list disk” and press Enter.

* Type “select disk n” (n is the number of your USB flash drive) and press Enter.

* Type “attributes disk clear readonly” and press Enter.

* Type “exit” and press Enter.

3. Format the drive:

* Press Windows key + E, right-click on the USB flash drive, and select “Format.”

How Do I Remove Write Protection From A Usb Drive In Windows 7?

To remove write protection from a USB drive in Windows 7, follow these steps:

1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.

2. Open Windows Explorer and locate the USB drive.

3. Right-click on the USB drive and select “Properties.”

4. In the Properties window, click on the “Security” tab.

5. Click on the “Edit” button.

6. In the “Permissions for Removable Disk” window, click on the “Add” button.

7. Select the “Everyone” group, and then click on the “Allow” checkbox for “Full Control” permissions.

8. Click on the “Apply” button.

9. Click on the “OK” button.

10. Click on the “OK” button to close the Properties window.

By following these steps, you can remove write protection from your USB drive in Windows 7.

How Do I Fix A Write-protected Usb Drive In Mac?

To fix a write-protected USB drive on a Mac, you can try the following steps:

1. Check if the USB drive is write-protected: Look for a physical switch on the USB drive. It may be set to “lock” or “read-only” mode, which restricts write access to the drive.

2. Format the drive: Connect the USB drive to your Mac, then open Disk Utility (located in Applications > Utilities). Select the USB drive from the list of drives on the left side of the window, then click the “Erase” button. Choose a format (such as Mac OS Extended or MS-DOS (FAT)) and a name, then click “Erase” to format the drive.

3. Remove write-protection from the drive: If the drive is write-protected but doesn’t have a physical switch, you can try using a terminal command to remove the write-protection. Open a terminal window (located in Applications > Utilities), then type the following command and press Enter:

“`

diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX

Replace “diskX” with the number of your USB drive.

How Do I Remove Write Protection From A Usb Drive In Ubuntu?

To remove write protection from a USB drive in Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Use the “lsblk” command to identify the device name of the USB drive.

3. Use the “sudo umount /dev/” command to unmount the drive.

4. Use the “sudo mount -o remount,rw /dev/ /media/” command to remount the drive as read-write.

5. You can now safely write to the USB drive.

Note: Replace “” and “” with the appropriate values for your USB drive.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, fixing a write-protected USB can be a frustrating experience, but it’s essential to remember that it’s not impossible. By following these simple tips, you should be able to bypass the write protection and get your USB working again in no time. Just remember to back up your data before attempting any repairs, and only use reputable sources for any software or tools you may need.

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Isaac Lee

Isaac Lee is the lead tech blogger for Vtech Insider. With over 10 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics and emerging technologies, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge to help readers make informed purchasing decisions.

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