How to remove my protected data

A write-protected flash drive is a device that has been locked to prevent any changes or modifications to its contents. To reformat a write-protected flash drive, you will need to remove the write protection before proceeding with the reformatting process. Here are a few steps you can try:

1. Check the flash drive for a physical switch: Some flash drives have a physical switch on the side or bottom that can be used to enable or disable write protection. Check your flash drive for a switch and make sure it is not in the locked position.
2. Use diskpart command: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator and type "diskpart", press enter. Then type "list disk" to list all the disks and find the disk number of the flash drive. Type "select disk x" (x is the disk number of the flash drive), then type "attributes disk clear readonly" to remove write protection.
3. Use Registry Editor: If the above steps didn't work, you can try editing the registry to remove the write protection. Open the Registry Editor by typing "regedit" in the Start menu search bar. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies and look for the key WriteProtect. If it exists, set its value to 0.
4. Format the drive: Once the write protection has been removed, you can reformat the flash drive by going to the Windows Disk Management tool or by using the "Format" option in the "Computer" or "This PC" window.

Note: Be aware that reformatting will erase all the data on the flash drive, make sure you have a backup of the important data before proceeding with the reformatting process.

Remove write protection from Sandisk pen drive with write protection removal software. Double-click on the WriteProtect value in the right-hand pane of Regedit.exe. Change the Value data from 1 to 0 and click OK to save the change. Close Regedit and restart your computer.

Open up a command prompt as administrator
Type diskpart and press Enter
Type list disk, and you'll get a listing of all drives on your machine.
Type select disk # to select a disk. You can use the Size column to identify which one it is.
Type attributes disk clear readonly - change your USB's properties so that it is no longer read-only.

To remove write protection:
Open Start Menu >> Run, type regedit and press Enter. This will open the registry editor.
Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

Double click the key WriteProtect in the right pane and set the value to 0
In the Data Value Box, press OK
Exit Registry, restart your computer and then re-connect your memory card to your computer.

Run diagnostics on the drive it may be failing. If it's ok you can try to reformat it from Windows Disk Management.

Or if you need to recover data for remote data recovery and do-it-yourself data recovery see http://FreeDataRecovery.us

Files on a flash drive can be corrupted if it is not removed from the USB port properly.
Before removing the flash drive click on the Safely Remove Hardware icon and then click on the flash drive you want to remove and then remove the flash drive when the computer message says it is Safe to remove.
To restore the flash drive you need to format the flash drive, but you will lose the data stored on the flash drive.
If you need the data on the flash drive these WEB sites may help: -
Data and Digital Photo Recovery
www.artplus.hr/adapps/eng/dpr.htm
www.CardRecovery.com

1. Download this tool:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4040651/LLFTOOL.EXE

2. Format

(WARNING: After running this low level format tool,
the whole USB flash disk surface will be fully erased.
Therefore, data restoration will be impossible after using this utility!)

hi Not only your pendirve your computer system is also affected by virus . please check your pendrive with any other computer .before you connected open your pendrive format your pendrive with any other computer. if it will not work you have go for any new pendirve. bye

The memory cards also have a write protection switch to protect data from being deleted or overwritten, just like a floppy disk

Remove Jet Flash Write Protection Insert the mini CD that came with the USB Flash disk. Start JF Utility.exe in the JF Utility directory. If it complains that the disk is write protected, choose "Continue" Choose "Partition" Answer "Yes" to losing all your data (Since this becomes a problem usually after formating the disk in WinXP or Win9x, you will most probably not have any data on there in any case) Choose "Public Area Only (Single Partition)", Then "OK", Then "OK" again. Unplug the device, reinsert device, and voila!- no more dark secret areas or write protection on your disk!