July 25, 2008 05:40pm pdt

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	[x] Attachment Details

How do I remove write protection on a usb stick?

Zone: Computer Hard Drives

Tags: write, remove, protection, usb

i get the "write protection" message when I try to copy to or drag and drop to this device. Never happened to me before. What is wrong and how do I fix it?

Thanks in advance,
Donnie616

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9.4

Question Stats

Zone: Storage

Question Asked By: Donnie616

Solution Provided By: nobus

Participating Experts: 3

Solution Grade: A

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Open Discussion

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Comment by nobus

thanks for the nice wording Donnie, and for the feedback - How i know ? i just started here 3 years ago, and learned while doing

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Comment by Alehead1

This appears to be a common error on USB sticks that may have been pulled from the system without being deactivated beforehand. The problem is that a write protect flag is somehow set, the data are still readable, but no reformat or file delete operations are possible. The accepted solution is not a solution at all, the first link is a Sony application purely for their hardware, and the second URL links merely to payware that is designed to make it easier to remove hardware such as USB drives... It does not in any way repair the USB drive...

The drive is write protected, and I need some way of "unprotecting" the drive... some sites talk of low level formatting...

Andrew

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Comment by nobus

alehead1 -->please comment on something you know
"the first link is a Sony application purely for their hardware" = wrong, it works on many, though i cannot say on all, since i could not test that - it recovered some for me already (none sony)
if you want to ask a question, don't do it in another people's thread; open your own

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Comment by Alehead1

I don't know what you are implying with your statement "please comment on something you know". I know for certain that your first link works with only a limited number of devices, mostly Sony (funny that). And I know for certain that the second application you link to only provides me with a means perhaps of avoiding this problem a little more easily than the standard Windows hardware deactivation routine. It certainly does nothing to SOLVE the write protected USB drive issue...

The first link IS a Sony application purely for their hardware. The fact that it works with other hardware implies some hardware similarities, or interoperability. The FACT remains: it is software for the Sony GIGA Panel. As this is definitely not a general solution to the problem, it should NOT be marked as the accepted solution to this issue. Of course, you must be thanked for posting your experience, but your link to the second software application has an air of marketing... it made me think that you are somehow related or involved with the software...

Furthermore, I did not post a question, I merely stated that I have the same issue as the original poster, and a further piece of information, with respect to low level formatting of the device... I also found the fact that your contribution being marked as the accepted solution is misleading...

Andrew

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Comment by nobus

>> I also found the fact that your contribution being marked as the accepted solution is misleading...
<< that is the asker's decision, not yours or mine
your comment on the sony link is kicking in open doors, since it is a sony software; i also stated : you can try it, it has helped me before, and the other link is something that can be useful - anything wrong with that ?
and how does your comment help the asker? what is this whole site about ....

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