USB Flash drive write protected

[atomcrusher]

I have a 8GB USB flash drive which I have not used for a while now. It has some folders, with files, which I was able to copy to another folder which I created (in Win XP).

I now want to delete all the content on the USB stick. Windows will not allow me to delete any files or folders, as get a message that the device is write-protected. Ok, I thought, I'll just reformat the flash drive to FAT32 ... But Win XP will not allow me to do that, and I get the message "Windows was not able to complete the format" as well as, after trying again, the message "disc is write-protected"

The flash drive does not have any switch to protect against erasing as some drives do.

Anyone know how I can format it and get rid of the "write-protect" it now seems to have?

 

[FrancTheTank]

try a Linux machine, may work

 

[AstroTurf]

try to delete the partition?
if not possible try a linux machine as above.

 

[D3x]

Model number?

 

[Keegan]

I saw this before,
Check if you can change the file system to ntfs, format it, then change it back.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881

Regards

 

[bekdik]

Search for HP Flash drive format and use that to format the drive

 

[ashfaak]

This is what I used last time this happened to me:
http://www.apacer.com/en/support/downloads/Repair_v2.9.1.1.zip
It doesn't matter if your flash drive isn't an Apacer model.

 

[atomcrusher]

Thanks all .. I'll try the mentioned solutions and feed back here on results.

Re: the question above from D3x .. i.e.

Model number?

Only identifier on the flash drive is "8GB Transcend"

 

[atomcrusher]

Search for HP Flash drive format and use that to format the drive

Downloaded / installed that application and tried it .. just get a message ..

"Device Media is Write Protected"

 

[atomcrusher]

This is what I used last time this happened to me:
http://www.apacer.com/en/support/downloads/Repair_v2.9.1.1.zip
It doesn't matter if your flash drive isn't an Apacer model.

tried this too .. get message "Flash Disc not found"

 

[D3x]

Have you tried changing values through the registry?

 

[atomcrusher]

Have you tried changing values through the registry?

@D3x .

I'm 61 years old .. and too frightened to play in the registry unless I get step-by-step instructions

 

[howardb]

Can you try and format the flash disc in another PC? I would go with AstroTurf and try to delete the partition and make a new one. Does the drive show up in Computer Management (press the Windows key and "R" to bring up the Run box and enter: compmgmt.msc )
Click on Storage (Disk Management) and see if the drive is listed.
If listed, right-click on the drive and select Delete Volume - follow the prompts
Then right-click on the drive again and click New Simple Volume and follow the prompts

 

[HeftyCrab]

format it with default settings.like fat32,not ntfs etc. i had the same problem a few days ago with my 16gb verbatim. tried formating. with ntfs and it said windows could not complete format.then i couldnt access it.removed flash.put it back in.formatted with default settings and works again.

 

[atomcrusher]

Can you try and format the flash disc in another PC? I would go with AstroTurf and try to delete the partition and make a new one. Does the drive show up in Computer Management (press the Windows key and "R" to bring up the Run box and enter: compmgmt.msc )
Click on Storage (Disk Management) and see if the drive is listed.
If listed, right-click on the drive and select Delete Volume - follow the prompts
Then right-click on the drive again and click New Simple Volume and follow the prompts

The drive is listed. Re: your suggestion above (in Bold) ... A right-click on the drive does not show the option to "Delete Volume"

I've tried all of the suggestions in the posts above, none seem to help. Many thanks to all for your input, but I guess it's time to dump that Transcend 8GB USB flash drive

Some answers to other's suggestions ..
* It was formatted as FAT32
* I don't have another PC to try it in
* My (ex) laptop, that I had loaded Ubuntu Linux on, gave up the ghost a while ago, so I also can't try reformatting it using Linux

 

[bekdik]

it's time to dump that Transcend 8GB USB flash drive

give it a nice burial