Write protected USB drive

[Bruinator]

Hi,

 

I am not sure how my USB flash drive received a write protected status as there is no locking switch that i can see, tried formating the drive via windows 10 format and Aesus formatting software and neither worked. Does anyone know of a sure way to format a usb flash drive? If yes, plz let me know.

 

TIA

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Just to be sure, have you checked to see if there is a hardware switch for write protection on the key?

[Bruinator]

Just now, Nick H. said:

Just to be sure, have you checked to see if there is a hardware switch for write protection on the key?

none that i can see.

[+BudMan MVC]

What is the specific key.. Make and model?  If its write protected - no you wouldn't be able to format it.. The whole point of write protection   Protecting from being written too, or overwritten, etc.

[helpifIcan]

Is this one you purchased or one that came from other source. There are USB keys used as security for software and protection of diagnostic work that are hardware writ protected.

[adrynalyne]

I've had usb flash drives give me write protected issues in the past when they should not have. Turns out the drive went bad.

[Bruinator]

6 minutes ago, adrynalyne said:

I've had usb flash drives give me write protected issues in the past when they should not have. Turns out the drive went bad.

That is my guess too.

[sagum]

Sometimes the disk has the readonly attribute set.

Open diskpart from command prompt and type:
 

DISKPART> list disk
DISKPART> select disk #
DISKPART> attributes disk clear readonly