Majorgeeks usb stick is write protected remove write protection​

To address the challenge of removing write protection from a Majorgeeks USB stick, it is essential to understand the underlying causes of write protection and the effective methods for resolving this issue. Write protection is a security feature that prevents modification, deletion, or formatting of data on a USB stick. While it is helpful for protecting important data from accidental loss or alteration, it can be problematic if you need to make changes to the drive. 

USB drives, such as those available through Majorgeeks, are highly versatile tools that enable users to store, transfer, and back up a variety of data. However, there are situations where you may encounter the frustrating issue of a write-protected USB drive. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including hardware limitations, software conflicts, or improper settings. The write protection prevents you from modifying the contents of the USB stick, making it unusable for tasks like file transfers, formatting, or updates.

Before diving into the solutions, it is crucial to understand the different factors that could lead to write protection being activated on your USB stick. These factors include:

Physical write protection switch: Some USB drives have a physical switch on the device itself that can be toggled to enable or disable write protection.

Registry settings: In some cases, a setting in the Windows registry can enable write protection on a USB drive.

Group Policy settings: For users on a network, Group Policy settings may enforce write protection on removable drives.

Drive corruption: Write protection may be activated automatically by the system if it detects corruption or errors on the USB stick.

Virus or malware infection: Malicious software can sometimes place write protection on USB drives as a means of preventing modification.

By diagnosing the underlying cause, you can determine which solution will work best for your situation. This guide will explore all the methods and tools available to remove write protection and restore the functionality of your Majorgeeks USB stick.

Method 1: Checking for a Physical Write Protection Switch

Many USB sticks feature a physical write protection switch that prevents you from making changes to the data on the drive. While this feature is rare, it is a simple first step to check for and resolve the issue.

Inspect the USB Stick: Look around the USB stick for a small slider switch. It is typically located along the side of the drive and may be labeled “Lock” or “Write Protect.”

Move the Switch: If you find a switch, ensure that it is not in the “Lock” or “Write Protect” position. Slide it to the “Unlock” or “Normal” position.

Test the USB Drive: After adjusting the switch, try accessing the USB stick again. If the write protection was caused by the switch, you should now be able to modify the files on the USB drive.

If no physical switch is present, proceed to the next method.

Method 2: Using the Windows Diskpart Command

Windows provides a built-in tool called Diskpart that can help manage disk partitions, including removing write protection. If your USB stick is write-protected due to software settings, you can use Diskpart to remove the protection.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

Press Win + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.

If you see only “PowerShell”, type cmd in the search box and right-click to “Run as administrator”.

Launch Diskpart:

In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

diskpart

List the Available Disks:

Type the following command and press Enter:

list disk

This will display all the connected drives. Identify your USB stick by its size.

Select the USB Drive:

Type the following command, replacing X with the number of your USB drive:

bash

select disk X

Press Enter.

Remove the Write Protection:

Type the following command to remove the write protection:

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attributes disk clear readonly

Press Enter. This command should disable the write protection on the selected USB drive.

Exit Diskpart:

After completing the above steps, type exit and press Enter to close Diskpart.

You can now check if the write protection is removed by attempting to modify the USB drive.

Method 3: Modifying the Windows Registry

If the write protection persists, it may be due to registry settings that enforce the write protection on removable drives. In this case, you can modify the Windows registry to remove the write protection.

Open the Registry Editor:

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click “Yes” to grant permission.

Navigate to the USB Registry Key:

In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

If the StorageDevicePolicies key does not exist, you can create it by right-clicking on Control, selecting “New” > “Key”, and naming it StorageDevicePolicies.

Edit the WriteProtect Value:

In the StorageDevicePolicies key, look for a value named WriteProtect.

If it exists, double-click on it and change the value data to 0.

If it does not exist, right-click in the right pane, select “New” > “DWORD (32-bit) Value”, name it WriteProtect, and set its value to 0.

Restart Your Computer:

Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Test the USB Drive:

After rebooting, try to modify or format your Majorgeeks USB stick to check if the write protection has been removed.

Method 4: Checking Group Policy Settings

In a corporate or organizational environment, the write protection on USB drives may be enforced via Group Policy. If your computer is part of a network, it is possible that a Group Policy has been applied to disable write access to external drives.

Open the Local Group Policy Editor:

Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. This will open the Local Group Policy Editor.

Note: This method is only available for Windows Pro and Enterprise editions. If you’re using Windows Home, you may need to upgrade or use other methods.

Navigate to the Removable Storage Policies:

In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to:

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Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Removable Storage Access

Modify the Write Protection Policy:

In the right pane, find the policy called “All Removable Storage: Deny write access.”

Double-click on it and select “Disabled” or “Not Configured” to allow write access to removable storage.

Apply the Changes:

Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

Restart Your Computer:

Restart your computer and check if the USB stick is now writable.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Software

If none of the above methods work, you may consider using third-party software tools that specialize in managing USB drives and removing write protection. Some popular tools include:

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool: This tool is designed to format USB drives and may help remove write protection.

EaseUS Partition Master: This comprehensive partition management software can help with formatting and managing partitions on your USB stick.

USB Write Protection Removal Tools: Several tools are available specifically to remove write protection from USB drives.

These third-party utilities often provide additional options for diagnosing and fixing write protection issues, especially if the cause is due to drive corruption or malfunction.

Method 6: Formatting the USB Stick

If write protection persists even after trying all the software methods, formatting the USB stick may be necessary. However, keep in mind that formatting will erase all the data on the drive, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding.

Open File Explorer and locate your USB stick.

Right-click on the USB Drive and select “Format.”

Choose the File System (e.g., FAT32 or exFAT) and uncheck “Quick Format” to perform a full format.

Click “Start” to begin the formatting process.

After formatting, the write protection should be removed.