# Can't Format Write Protected USB Drive



## 0S1R1S (Dec 7, 2005)

Hi there, I am having trouble formatting a 16GB USB Flash Drive. I receive the "write protected media" message for every method I have tried. There is NO physical lock/unlock switch on the drive.

Things I have tried so far that have NOT worked:

Right clicking the drive from My Computer > Format
Formatting from Computer Management
Using GParted on a Linux Live Disk.
Windows Setup CD
HDD Low Level Format Tool
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool
Edit Registry (StorageDevicePolicies=0)

I have been sifting through the web but have not found any suggestions that I haven't already tried and I'm running out of patience and ideas. Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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## mattv8 (Dec 28, 2010)

It's probably formatted in FAT rather than NTFS for windows, (vis-versa if you're a mac user). Just try the drive in a mac and see if that opens it. If it does, use the mac to format it into NTFS


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## 0S1R1S (Dec 7, 2005)

Hmm, I don't use, or know anyone who uses a mac. But the current file system is NTFS.


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## mattv8 (Dec 28, 2010)

Ah ok that complicates things a bit. (The only reason i thought it might be in FAT is bc i bought a HD from the store and it came store formatted for macs without me knowing it).

Did you try going to command prompt and typing "diskpart"? 

Quote from another forum: "Type the letter of the usb drive in, then see if there is an option to clear configuration or volume clear, somewhere in there you should be able to set the permissions."


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## 0S1R1S (Dec 7, 2005)

I can access the drive letter in the command window, but when I type 'list disk' in Diskpart it only lists my internal HDD..

Correction, I can view it by typing List Volume, but that's as far as I got so far.


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## 0S1R1S (Dec 7, 2005)

I also tried Boot and Nuke this morning, but it shows up as '????' and will not allow any changes to be made to it.


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## mattv8 (Dec 28, 2010)

Could it just be a faulty drive? Did you just get it?


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