Sometimes it happens that the computer categorically refuses to write any data to the USB-drive and gives a message that the disk is write-protected. This, of course, is unpleasant. Therefore, you need to know how to remove protection from a flash drive so that you can record various information on it. It is worth noting immediately that there are several ways to deal with this problem. But the reasons for the occurrence of such an error are different. Therefore, you must first identify the cause of the problem, and then proceed to solve it. In the meantime, we will list options for solving the problem.
We deal with a mechanical switch
The fact is that flash drives can have mechanical switches that turn on the write prohibition mode. In the case of USB-drives, everything is simpler, since there are not many such models. However, they are found. Therefore, in some cases, you can remove the write protection from a USB flash drive by simply moving the switch to a different position. However, there are also situations where the switch simply broke and physically cannot move to another position. In this case, you will have to disassemble the drive or (most likely) replace it with a new one.
Mechanical switch in microSD
All microSD flash drives have such a switch. Therefore, most often the problems with writing to these drives is connected with the switch. It will be enough to move the slider to another position - and everything will work. To remove the protection from a flash drive locked in this way is a couple of trifles. However, the problem is not always in the switch. Otherwise, this element would simply not exist. Now it's time to make out other ways to remove write protection. Some of them are complex, others are simpler. But even a beginner will understand them with good instructions.
Read-Only Drive File System
This also happens often. Probably, during the previous recording to this drive, someone set the read-only attributes in the drive properties. Naturally, now nothing can be written on it. It turned out a protected flash drive. To remove protection in this case is also quite simple. You just need to have a computer with the Windows operating system on hand. Although a PC with Linux is also suitable. However, we will consider the option with a computer on an operating system from Microsoft.
We expose new attributes
Open "My Computer" by first inserting a USB flash drive into the appropriate port. Next, right-click on the name of the drive and select "Properties" in the drop-down menu. The attributes of the drive appear in the first window. Uncheck the item "Read only", click "Apply" and "OK". After that, the flash drive should work fine. In the same way, you can remove the protection from the micro-flash drive. Of course, if that is the problem.
Something is wrong with Windows
If everything is fine on another computer, but your flash drive refuses to work normally, then this means that there is write protection on the drive. Therefore, copying files to a removable disk is not performed. How to remove protection from a flash drive in this case? There is a way, though extraordinary. To do this, you will have to turn to the registry of the operating system. Everything that at least somehow affects its performance is recorded there. And there you can edit it. First, run the "Run" component using the "Win + R" keyboard shortcut. In the command line, register "regedit" and click "OK." The registry editor will start. We need him.
We work with the registry "Windows"
Now we follow the path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ StorageDevicePolicies". In the StorageDevicePolicies section there will be a key (DWORD) called WriteProtect. You need to open it. There will be put the value "1". That is why the system refuses to write data to a removable disk. How to remove protection from a USB flash drive? Very simple: write in the key instead of "1" the number "0", which means "No". After that, you will need to restart your computer or laptop. As soon as the OS is finished loading, you can try again to write something to the drive. Everything should work out. But if it didn’t work out, then the problem is different.
It is worth noting that working with the registry of the operating system is with a certain amount of caution. Unknowingly, one can do such a thing that the system will not start at all. Then, problems with the flash drive will also add troubles with Windows. Will have to completely reinstall the OS. And it takes a lot of time. Yes and not so simple as it seems. Therefore, everything must be done extremely carefully.
We work with the command line of the operating system
This option is slightly different from the previous one. The fact is that not the registry is used here, but the DiskPart system utility, which allows you to perform low-level configuration of partitions, hard drives and drives. This method is a little more complicated, but it can guarantee to remove the protection from the USB flash drive if the problem with the drive is caused by a software error. So, we launch the "Run" component using the "Win + R" keys and assign in the line "cmd". Click OK. It is important to remember that you should run the console exclusively on behalf of the administrator. Otherwise, nothing will come of it.
At the command prompt, first enter "DiskPart" and press "Enter". This action will launch the console utility for working with disks. Next, enter "list disk". A list of disks available in the operating system appears. The drive should be labeled "Disk 3". But there may be another number. The main thing is to remember it. Now you should enter the command "disk clear ReadOnly" and press "Enter". This action will remove from the flash drive all possible attributes that can only interfere with normal recording to the drive. Close the command line and restart the computer.
Problem with flash file system format
Often, writing to the drive becomes impossible due to damage to the file system of the flash drive. Therefore, a message appears stating that the disk is protected. How to remove protection from a flash drive in this case? Unfortunately, nothing but formatting will help here. But this will destroy all the data that is on the drive. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you back them up. And only after that you can start formatting. This process can be performed on any operating system. "Windows", "Linux" and "MacOS" can easily cope with this task. But probably only MacOS will have a problem with formatting in NTFS. However, this is not critical. We will analyze formatting using the Windows operating system as an example.
We format
We start "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer" (depending on the version of the OS) and look for the drive. You must right-click on it and select "Format" from the menu that appears. Then, in the window that appears, select the formatting options. It’s better to uncheck “Quick formatting”, as this is a very superficial process and it will not solve the problems. After all this, click on the "OK" button. The formatting process will begin, which can take quite a while (depending on the size of the drive). After formatting, you need to try to write some information to the USB flash drive. If this does not work out, you will have to look for another way to remove the protection from the flash drive.
Checking the drive for viruses
Oddly enough, but the actions of viruses is the most common problem. They can interfere with writing data to a USB flash drive. In this case, it is possible to remove protection from removable media, but not the fact that all the files on it will remain safe and sound, since the anti-virus product will definitely want to delete infected objects. But that's better than nothing. So, click in the "Explorer" of the operating system on the name of the drive with the right mouse button and select the item "Check for viruses ..." in the drop-down menu. A full-time antivirus program will start immediately and a deep drive scan will begin. All detected threats will be immediately eliminated or quarantined (depending on the antivirus). After that, you should remove the flash drive, then insert it into the port again and try to write something to it. If it turns out, the problem is resolved.
Checking for free space
No matter how trite it may sound, but very often there is simply not enough space for recording on the drive. And the user can simply lose sight of this fact. How to remove write protection on a micro-flash drive in this case? Yes, very simple. First, go to Windows Explorer and look for a drive there. Right-click on it and select properties. A diagram will immediately appear with the ratio of free space and occupied volume. If you see that there is no free space, then the reason for the impossibility of recording is precisely this. The solution is simple: you need to delete unnecessary files from a flash drive. And it’s better to completely clean it completely. Only then will it be possible to write something to this drive.
Using specialized utilities
Often, manufacturers of USB-drives supply with a flash drive programs to configure them. Do not neglect them. These utilities are “sharpened” specifically for flash drives of specific manufacturers and can manage them at the hardware level. Companies such as Transcend, Sony, Kingston, and other brands often supply their products with software products. We can say this: if they already can’t cope with the problem, then nothing else will help. It remains only to purchase a new drive.
Conclusion
So, we examined the question of how to remove protection from a flash drive. The first step is to find out why the files refuse to write to the drive. If this is impossible to do, then it’s worth going to the “scientific poke method” and going through all the above methods. One of them will definitely help. However, if this did not happen, then the mechanical switch really broke in the drive. It’s not worth repairing the flash drive yourself, because you can completely lose it. Better to give to knowledgeable people. And even easier - get a new one. All the same, the old sense will be gone. But do not despair. In 80% of cases, the problem with writing files to the drive has purely software roots. And it can also be solved with the help of programs or the capabilities of the operating system. The main thing is to do everything according to the instructions.