# My PNY 16 GB flash drive is stuck as write protected.



## Nyakitty (Feb 1, 2013)

Whenever I try to do pretty much anything with my flash drive, I get the message "The disk is write protected." I've been scouring the internet trying to find a way to fix this, but none of the fixes I have found so far have worked.

So before anyone suggests anything, here are the fixes I have already tried:


Flipping a switch - there is no switch on my flash drive.

Formatting the flash drive - I get the "The disk is write protected." error whenever I try this.

Checking the flash drive for errors - I get the "The disk is write protected." error.

Going into my flash drives properties and turning off write protection - write protection does not show up under my flash drives properties.

Going into regedit, finding my StorageDevicePolicies, and setting WriteProtect to 0 - regedit claims WriteProtect is already set to 0.

cmd prompt: diskpart-> list disk -> select disk 1 -> attributes disk clear readonly - I get the message "Disk attributes cleared successfully." However, nothing happens; I still get the error "The disk is write protected." whenever I try to do anything.

cmd prompt: diskpart -> list disk -> select disk 1 -> clean - "DiskPart has encountered an error: The media is write protected."

Using the "Usb Format.exe" - it can't find my flash drive.

So does anyone know any possible fixes I haven't tried yet? I'm willing to download programs to fix it if I need to.


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## ajkane (Dec 8, 2011)

You need to make a low level format of the flash drive. Download this and format your flash drive with it.


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## Nyakitty (Feb 1, 2013)

ajkane said:


> You need to make a low level format of the flash drive. Download this and format your flash drive with it.


That didn't work. Whenever I try to format with that program I just get a bunch of errors like this "1/31/2013 9:37:03 PM Format Error occurred at offset 159,318,016: 19 - The media is write protected".

Also I suppose I should add, I have a 4 GB sandisk that works fine. So it's just this 16 GB PNY flash drive that isn't wanting to work. :\


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## mtzlplex (Aug 5, 2002)

Just something to try. See if you can get some info on that flash drive to see how it is functioning. See if you can run this freeware found here on it http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/H2testw.shtml


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## Nyakitty (Feb 1, 2013)

mtzlplex said:


> Just something to try. See if you can get some info on that flash drive to see how it is functioning. See if you can run this freeware found here on it http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/H2testw.shtml


I got this message when I tried using it:

Error creating file 'I:\1.h2w'.
(The media is write protected. Code 19)
Warning: Only 7884 of 15583 MByte tested.
Writing speed: 0.00 KByte/s
H2testw v1.4


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## mtzlplex (Aug 5, 2002)

The only other thing I got is to try a different format tool. Sometimes this tool will work when others won`t. Freeware found here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool.shtml


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## Nyakitty (Feb 1, 2013)

mtzlplex said:


> The only other thing I got is to try a different format tool. Sometimes this tool will work when others won`t. Freeware found here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool.shtml


That program says "Device Media is write-protected". Barely even got to use the thing, but it's starting to look like I'll have to spend money to get a new one already. 

Definitely not getting another PNY if I do. Had my 4 GB sandisk for years and never had problems like this. >.>


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## ajkane (Dec 8, 2011)

Where did you get the flash drive? If you got it on ebay it could be a fake.


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## Nyakitty (Feb 1, 2013)

ajkane said:


> Where did you get the flash drive? If you got it on ebay it could be a fake.


I got it from walmart and it was working for a while, so it should be real. It is a little frustrating that it didn't even last three months, though.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Nyakitty said:


> I got it from walmart and it was working for a while, so it should be real. It is a little frustrating that it didn't even last three months, though.


Return/exchange/warranty it, it's broken.


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## ajkane (Dec 8, 2011)

Triple6 said:


> Return/exchange/warranty it, it's broken.


Yes! Contact PNY they have good customer service. They'll probably give you a new one.


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