{"id":7808,"date":"2016-04-06T00:39:49","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T16:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/?p=7808"},"modified":"2025-12-17T14:48:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T06:48:58","slug":"solved-how-to-fix-a-write-protected-usb-thumb-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/solved-how-to-fix-a-write-protected-usb-thumb-drive\/","title":{"rendered":"Solved! How to fix a write protected USB thumb drive"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today I got a USB 4GB flash disk from a colleague requesting for my help to delete some files in it.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the files couldn&#8217;t be deleted because the thumb drive is write protected.<\/p>\n<p>With permission\u00a0from my colleague, I was allowed to format the thumb drive just to recover the disk space and to make it usable again. However, the format process failed with the error stating that the <strong>disk is write-protected<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class='code-block code-block-1' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7371812982681123\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7371812982681123\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"4279787798\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n<p>And so I began trying\u00a0to remove the write <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"nofollow\"   style=\"color:#1e73be;\" href=\"https:\/\/bitdefender.f9tmep.net\/Y9nGGP\">protection<\/a> problem by trying the following methods:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Edited the registry<\/li>\n<li>Using diskpart to remove the read-only<\/li>\n<li>Formatting using Windows or Linux machine<\/li>\n<li>Removed read-only permissions from drive properties<\/li>\n<li>Third-party tools like HP USB Disk format tool<\/li>\n<li>Setting advanced sharing to have permissions with full control<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Basically all the above methods failed to work and took a total of 4\u00a0hours to troubleshoot.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>In the end, this <strong>write-protected USB solution<\/strong> worked for me and I hope it will solve your problem\u00a0too.<\/p>\n<p>But <strong>be warned<\/strong>, this method will <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">*<\/span>\u00a0<strong>delete and format the content of your USB <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">*<\/span><\/strong>, so ensure to copy your files to somewhere safe before trying this. This is assuming you can even see and access your files.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Step 1: Find your USB&#8217;s VID and PID<\/strong>\u00a0using Chip Genius\u00a0v4. Once downloaded, unzip and run ChipGenius_v4_19_0319.exe<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Get_VID_and_PID.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7810\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7810 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Get_VID_and_PID.png\" alt=\"Get_VID_and_PID\" width=\"491\" height=\"296\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Get_VID_and_PID.png 491w, https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Get_VID_and_PID-300x181.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 491px) 100vw, 491px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 491px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 491\/296;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 2: Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/flashboot.ru\/iflash\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Flashboot<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to search for your USB&#8217;s VID and PID.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Based on the result, you can verify what&#8217;s your usb&#8217;s memory chip. For the screenshot above, it&#8217;s the following\u00a0SC908SN\/AU6989SN [E512] -F\/W D82B.<\/p>\n<p>See if there are any available utils. If not, proceed to the next step.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 3: With the Chip details<\/strong>, Google [Chip Number] +\u00a0Tool, so for e.g. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=au6989+tool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AU6989 Tool<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Flashdrive-repair.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7811\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7811 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Flashdrive-repair.png\" alt=\"Flashdrive-repair\" width=\"585\" height=\"289\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Flashdrive-repair.png 585w, https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Flashdrive-repair-300x148.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 585px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 585\/289;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Click on the link which contains your chip details with Flash Drive Repair.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Step 4: On the page, there will be instructions on how to install and fix your USB. Be warned that there are way too many ads on this page which might confuse you on which link to click on.The <strong>correct download link<\/strong>\u00a0looks like this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Download_Link.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7812\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7812 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Download_Link.png\" alt=\"Download_Link\" width=\"370\" height=\"155\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Download_Link.png 370w, https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Download_Link-300x126.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 370px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 370\/155;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Step 5: Once downloaded, you can proceed to <strong>launch the tool<\/strong> which should detect your thumb drive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class='code-block code-block-2' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-7371812982681123\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-7371812982681123\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"5373377611\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n<p>Assuming you have downloaded the correct tool to flash your corrupted usb disk, this method should fix and render your disk usable again.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Alcor-Flash-Drive-Repair-Write-Protected.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7813\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7813 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Alcor-Flash-Drive-Repair-Write-Protected.png\" alt=\"Alcor Flash Drive Repair Write Protected\" width=\"794\" height=\"634\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Alcor-Flash-Drive-Repair-Write-Protected.png 794w, https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Alcor-Flash-Drive-Repair-Write-Protected-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Alcor-Flash-Drive-Repair-Write-Protected-768x613.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 794px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 794\/634;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Once my disk was detected, I clicked on Start for the tool to begin fixing and formatting my thumb drive.<\/p>\n<p>When completed, my USB disk works\u00a0normally again.<\/p>\n<p>I hope this helps anyone encountering the same problem.<\/p>\n<!-- Begin PayPal Donations by https:\/\/www.tipsandtricks-hq.com\/paypal-donations-widgets-plugin -->\n\n<form action=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/cgi-bin\/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_blank\">\n    <div class=\"paypal-donations\">\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"cmd\" value=\"_donations\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"bn\" value=\"TipsandTricks_SP\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"business\" value=\"wengyee@wareprise.com\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_name\" value=\"For helping to fix my USB\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"rm\" value=\"0\" \/>\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"currency_code\" value=\"USD\" \/>\n        <input type=\"image\" style=\"cursor: pointer;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/buy-me-coffee-large.jpg\" name=\"submit\" alt=\"PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online.\" \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.paypalobjects.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1\/1;\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/form>\n<!-- End PayPal Donations -->\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today I got a USB 4GB flash disk from a colleague requesting for my help to delete some files in it. Unfortunately, the files couldn&#8217;t be deleted because the thumb drive is write protected. With permission\u00a0from my colleague, I was allowed to format the thumb drive just to recover the disk space and to make [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Solved! How to fix a write protected USB thumb drive - Software for Enterprise","description":"Today I got a USB 4GB flash disk from a colleague requesting for my help to delete some files in it. Unfortunately, the files couldn't be deleted because the th"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disaster-recovery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7808\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.softwareforenterprise.us\/hub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}