Solution to remove Write Protection from USB Pen Drive

This seems to be the problem of most of us these days and some of our readers who wanted to know the methods how they can remove the Write Protected error from their USB drives like Pen Drives and memory cards.

What is Write Protected error and why it happens?
In the Write Protected error, we can’t write or copy any data in our flash drives and even can’t format the drive.
There are many reasons that cause this problem, let’s see solutions of them.
Solutions:
•    First of all try to locate a small switch (if any, that you may have not noticed) at some place on the drive or memory card reader. This is the prime reason for this error. If there is one, switch it to the other side to turn the protection off.
•    Yes I know this problem is also occurring these days without this switch but not to worry. Just download this helpful software from here and run it to execute a “low-level format” on the drive. This software is quite handy and may take few attempts to actually remove the error.
•    The problem can also be caused by some virus activity so just get it scanned by some updated good anti virus which may solve your problem.
•    BUT if none of the methods listed above solves your problem then your pen drive might have gone corrupted, so just get it replaced.
Hope any of the methods listed above solves your problem.
Update 1:
After the low level format, you may need to “Partition the drive“. Dont worry, partitioning a pen drive means allocating it its File System and Cluster Size that was lost after the Low Level Format.
For that:

1. Run diskmgmt.msc in Run.
2. In the disk management window, select the pen drive, right click on it and click on Format.
3. Now choose the File System and Allocation Unit Size and do not check the boxes below.

Click OK and the drive will be reusable after this.
Update 2 (Better Solution):
Follow the steps in this post and just put the value 0 (zero) in step 5.
This will surely solve your problem now.
Update 3 (Solution Working):
Thanks to one of our readers Jim, who let us know about the tool called Neo 9, using which we can easily this write protection problem.
For transcend drive users, try the tool at this link, it has been found to work.
http://www.transcendusa.com/support/dlcenter/ORT_Software.asp?Link=OnLineRecovery.exe

Katana v1 (Kyuzo) – Portable Multi-Boot Security Suite

The Katana: Portable Multi-Boot Security Suite is designed to fulfill many of your computer security needs. The idea behind this tool is to bring together many of the best security distributions and applications to run from one USB Flash Drive. Instead of keeping track of dozens of CDs and DVDs loaded with your favorite security tools, you can keep them all conveniently in your pocket.

Katana includes distributions which focus on Penetration Testing, Auditing, Password Cracking, Forensics and Honey Pots. Katana comes with over 100 portable Windows applications, such as Wireshark, HiJackThis, Unstoppable Copier, Firefox, and OllyDBG. It also includes the following distributions:

* Backtrack 4 pre
* the Ultimate Boot CD
* Ophcrack Live
* Damn Small Linux
* the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows
* Got Root? Slax
* Organizational Systems Wireless Auditor (OSWA) Assistant
* Damn Vulnerable Linux

Katana is also highly customizable. You can modify Katana by adding or removing distributions and portable apps with ease. You can add functionality to distributions like the Ultimate Boot CD, Got Root? Slax and UBCD4Win. You can also load your personal scripts and documents to keep them conveniently with
you on your flash drive to use in concert with the provided tools.

You can download Katana v1 here:

http://gextrade.thegoodhacker.com/katana/katana-v1.rar
Katana