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Thread ID: 125381 2012-06-24 02:14:00 USB flash drive write protected? dugimodo (138) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1283643 2012-06-24 02:14:00 I have a Kingston DT ultimate G2 32GB USB3.0 flash drive which I use quite a bit. Today I had some trouble ejecting it, and tried about 3 times before the safe to remove message finally came up.
Now it is apparently write protected and I can't write to it or format it but I can still read the one file that's on there.

I've tried formatting from windows, from safe mode command prompt, tried chkdsk /f from both as well, plugged it in and ejected it a few times, tried another PC (both running 64bit windows 7), looked in the registry to see if the system had write protect enabled for flash devices..... None of it worked, I just get the write protected error message. Also downloaded a HP formatting utility but it fails also.

Anyone know how to fix this? and no the drive does not have a write protect switch on it.
dugimodo (138)
1283644 2012-06-24 04:36:00 Being 32GB and USB 3.0 I can understand your desire to get it back. You will no doubt have googled but did you see this? en.kioskea.net linw (53)
1283645 2012-06-24 04:40:00 Or have you tried formatting from Disk management or from the command prompt? linw (53)
1283646 2012-06-24 08:06:00 yeah tried all that, still no go :( dugimodo (138)
1283647 2012-06-24 08:17:00 Have you tried right clicking the drive and click properties and uncheck read only(i think:)) stratex5 (16685)
1283648 2012-06-24 08:40:00 Have you tried right clicking the drive and click properties and uncheck read only(i think:))
That works for files, not for usb sticks.
Nick G (16709)
1283649 2012-06-24 09:21:00 Have you tried right clicking the drive and click properties and uncheck read only(i think:))

Yeah about 10 seconds after the first error, and as Nick says USB drives don't have the option. I played around in the security and permissions settings but no joy there either.
dugimodo (138)
1283650 2012-06-25 02:37:00 Ok tried a few more things and still no joy :( this may turn into a recommend a new flash drive thread.
Tried clearing the readonly attribute with diskpart which claimed to suceed but changed nothing, tried it on an XP machine, tried easus partition manager, E-mailed kingston and am waiting for a reply, might try linux next.
dugimodo (138)
1283651 2012-06-25 02:57:00 as root

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX bs=1M

Then make a new filesystem on it.

If that doesn't work then it is probably stuffed at a hardware level.
fred_fish (15241)
1283652 2012-06-25 02:57:00 Try this (www.techrepublic.com) and this (www.tomshardware.com) Nick G (16709)
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