problem USB flash drive refuses formatting, due to write protection

[apairofpcs]

My PNY 128GB USB3.0 flash drive ( light grey / dark grey version with a sliding sleeve ) can't be formatted, because it's write protected. The drive doesn't have any data on it. There's a story behind how this occurred.

The drive was in my Lenovo laptop's USB 3.0 port. Before the problem started, when I first checked the drive in My Computer, Properties, I saw 384 KB used space, a typical value on all of my flash drives. At some point, I removed it from the USB port without paying attention to whether it was in use, i.e. the red light inside was flashing. When I realized I made a mistake, I looked at the drive's Properties. It showed 68 KB used space. This worried me. So I immediately did a Quick Format in My Computer. The 384 KB used space entry returned. Feeling I should do a full format after my mishap, I started one. The progress bar stopped at about 1/4" from the right end, and stayed there for an hour before I cancelled the format. I left the drive in the port and did a restart. It took ten minutes for the "Shutting down" window to disappear. When the OS returned to the desktop, I properly removed the drive with the "Safe to remove" icon in System Tray.

Working on my Lenovo laptop today, when I initiated a quick format or full format from My Computer, the warning box "Formatting will erase ALL data" appeared, and I clicked OK. The next box was "The disk is write protected." When I clicked OK in the box and then clicked Close in the Format dialog box, another window appeared stating "Windows can't format! Make sure that the disk is not read-only......" I tried formatting many times, each one failing.

I looked on the internet for a fix, and found a YouTube video from Microsoft titled "How to remove write protection from a USB drive." I followed the instructions.....
Go to Regedit. Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, System, Current Control Set, Control, and look for the key StorageDevicePolicies, and the QWORD (for 64 bit OSs ) WriteProtect with a "0" setting. Neither was present, and the video stated they have to be generated. I did this, and restarted as the video stated. No change. The drive continued to remain write protected. I followed the video's procedure on my desktop pc after it failed on the Lenovo. Same result. I haven't been able to remove write protection from the drive by any means, on either pc!

The drive is visible in Device Manager, Disk drives, and the General tab states "The device is working properly."

When I click on the drive in My Computer, a box appears stating "This drive does not contain a recognized file system."

The drive is visible in Computer Management, Disk Management, with a 119.2 GB RAW Healthy ( Primary Partition ) description. Format is shaded grey when I right click the drive. The only actions available are Open, Explore and Properties. I'm at an impasse, requesting advice from this forum.

 

[Stereodude]

Does it have a write protect switch on it per chance?

 

[Striker]

Have you tried any third party format utilities? I don't know of any specifically but I'm sure they're out there. You might have better success with a linux bootable cd and use linux format. Again, sorry I can't be more specific, it's not my area of expertise but it is where I would look if I had your issue.

 

[apairofpcs]

Does it have a write protect switch on it per chance?

No write protect switch anywhere!

 

[apairofpcs]

Have you tried any third party format utilities? I don't know of any specifically but I'm sure they're out there. You might have better success with a linux bootable cd and use linux format. Again, sorry I can't be more specific, it's not my area of expertise but it is where I would look if I had your issue.

I'll look. Remember that my dilemma is the drive was write protected by some process unknown to me, which means first I have to remove the write protection before I do any format.

 

[Howell]

My SanDisk claimed it was in write protect and there was a program to change it. End the end it needed an rma.

 

[apairofpcs]

My SanDisk claimed it was in write protect and there was a program to change it. End the end it needed an rma.

Was it SanDisk who claimed there was a program to remove the write protection? If so, why did that fail, thereby requiring you to send it back for warranty service?

How does a flash drive get to be read-only?

 

[Striker]

I'll look. Remember that my dilemma is the drive was write protected by some process unknown to me, which means first I have to remove the write protection before I do any format.

I understand that, I'm hoping that another utility might be able to properly override or ignore that for you.

 

[apairofpcs]

I understand that, I'm hoping that another utility might be able to properly override or ignore that for you.

You'll be the first to know if I find such a program.

I'm currently running a full error scan on the drive, using the HD Tune program. When the drive was working properly, it took about 20 min. to complete the scan. So far, it's taken 30 min. to scan 1/5 of the drive. It looks like it's stop and go movement. I'll report if I have any bad blocks, in which case the manufacturer will have to be involved.

 

[Bozo]

Have you tried Partition Wizard? I used the free version at work to fix and format hard drives.

 

[Stereodude]

I'm currently running a full error scan on the drive, using the HD Tune program. When the drive was working properly, it took about 20 min. to complete the scan. So far, it's taken 30 min. to scan 1/5 of the drive. It looks like it's stop and go movement. I'll report if I have any bad blocks, in which case the manufacturer will have to be involved.

I'd get the manufacturer involved even if it doesn't find any bad blocks. It has a warranty and it's not working. If nothing can fix it, I'd definitely contact them to make use of the warranty. They may have a utility that can fix it, if not let them replace it.

 

[apairofpcs]

Have you tried Partition Wizard? I used the free version at work to fix and format hard drives.

Not yet. It may be a waste of time though. Read my next post.....

 

[apairofpcs]

I just completed a full error scan using HD Tune. The attached png file will show the results. How can a high 21.2% of the drive have damaged blocks, all of them in one area of the drive? The "position" equals the capacity, and I've seen 122,020 MB somewhere else. It should read just shy of 128,000 MB after formatting losses.

If the results are accurate, meaning physical damage, then there's nothing I can't do except get a replacement from PNY.

I just remembered that I bought the drive over a year ago, and they offer a one year warranty on parts and labor. I may have inherited a paperweight!

 

[apairofpcs]

I'd get the manufacturer involved even if it doesn't find any bad blocks. It has a warranty and it's not working. If nothing can fix it, I'd definitely contact them to make use of the warranty. They may have a utility that can fix it, if not let them replace it.

Unless somebody on the forum can dispute the catastrophic findings of the HD Tune scan, this project has reached the end of the road.....without customer satisfaction!

 

[apairofpcs]

Good news to offset the bad news. I found the invoice from my drive purchase. It was on Apr. 26, 2015.

Stereodude.....The drive is no longer recognized by the OS, although it can be seen in My Computer. It has 0 bytes full, used and free capacities. It's DOA. PNY, here I come.....

 

[Howell]

Was it SanDisk who claimed there was a program to remove the write protection? If so, why did that fail, thereby requiring you to send it back for warranty service?

How does a flash drive get to be read-only?

It was a 3rd party utility I don't remember the name of and I wasted several days of research and testing with. My working theory now is to get the manufacturer involved as early as possible so that whatever troubleshooting they may lead you through is also leading toward an rma.

Sandisk did not require me to do as much as I did and in the end was broken.

 

[apairofpcs]

It was a 3rd party utility I don't remember the name of and I wasted several days of research and testing with. My working theory now is to get the manufacturer involved as early as possible so that whatever troubleshooting they may lead you through is also leading toward an rma.

Sandisk did not require me to do as much as I did and in the end was broken.

If the issue of warranty replacement for any consumer product was less aggravating, I wouldn't attempt to a fix a device that's still under warranty. In this case, I have no choice other than to deal with PNY.

Let's see if my two calls to tech. support this morning will get me a response today. Many manufacturers purposely put obstacles before a customer who requests warranty service, hoping to wear down the customer and give up without the replacement. I'm not one of those who give up, though.

 

[Mercutio]

A flash drive is usually cheap enough to be considered disposable. Even the 128GB USB 3 drives I carry are only worth about $25 these days.

 

[Howell]

If the issue of warranty replacement for any consumer product was less aggravating, I wouldn't attempt to a fix a device that's still under warranty. In this case, I have no choice other than to deal with PNY.

Let's see if my two calls to tech. support this morning will get me a response today. Many manufacturers purposely put obstacles before a customer who requests warranty service, hoping to wear down the customer and give up without the replacement. I'm not one of those who give up, though.

The SanDisk process was really easy. Except for taking a picture of the serial number on the black and blowing it up 10 times so I could read it.

 

[apairofpcs]

A flash drive is usually cheap enough to be considered disposable. Even the 128GB USB 3 drives I carry are only worth about $25 these days.

If your statement represents an offer to replace my drive, because it's usually cheap enough to be considered disposable, I gratefully ACCEPT your offer. If not, I'll have to continue waiting for the idiots at PNY who didn't return either of my calls from early this morning. They claim that I'll be connected to a LIVE operator after I press "0" for further assistance, but then I'm asked to leave a message so a technician can call me back "as soon as possible."

 

[apairofpcs]

The SanDisk process was really easy. Except for taking a picture of the serial number on the black and blowing it up 10 times so I could read it.

As you can see, the PNY process is really "difficult." The reason I didn't go directly to their website and request an RMA no., is that I was hoping that a tech support rep. would accept all of the evidence I compiled demonstrating that the drive is dead, instead of having to send it back for replacement. PNY isn't as advanced as SanDisk. There aren't any markings on the drive except "PNY 128GB." SanDisk has many markings on their drives. I have one SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 32GB drive with model and serial numbers. My Lexar S25 128 GB USB 3.0 drive also has all the proper markings.

So much for Buy American..... This from their website "PNY is proud to have products assembled in the USA."

 

[LunarMist]

A flash drive is usually cheap enough to be considered disposable. Even the 128GB USB 3 drives I carry are only worth about $25 these days.

Yes, unless it's a really fast one like the SanDisk Extreme Pro. It might be worth sending this one in, though I probably wouldn't.

 

[apairofpcs]

Finally, PNY called back on Tue. morning, and said I have to send back the drive for evaluation, despite all the evidence from my pc's OS and diagnostic programs that the drive is dead. I forwarded the rep. the order confirmation email I received from the place of purchase. I received the RMA instructions email late on Tue., so I couldn't mail them the drive. It's already packed and ready to drop off in a local P.O. drop box this morning.

I think I'm done here regarding this caper. Thank you for your advice.