Hard Drive needs format/copy protection error

dckizior · Nov 16, 2013

I can't copy files off my hard drive. Everytime, in windows xp, I try to copy files to an external drive I get the message "copy protection error".
I pulled the drive out and ran it as an external to another pc. While windows was trying to read the drive I got the a message saying that its not formatted. I ran findamount and was unable to discover any partitions.
Next I downloaded a copy of Linux to a flash drive. when I tried to read the hard drive it says SMART is not supported.
I put the drive drive back into my pc and it boots just fine, but I still cant copy files off the drive.
This whole ordeal has been giving me a headache since I have my wedding photography biz on it. Does anyone have any other ideas?

noidea_77 · Nov 16, 2013

That sounds like you are using some sort of copy protection / encryption for the files. Can you display the file with a viewer and store a copy the the external disk?

dckizior · Nov 16, 2013

I am wondering if its a virus. I am not using encryption and windows is not asking for a password. The drive is formatted NTFS. When I boot the OS from this drive I have complete functionality except that I can't copy anything off, but I can copy files to the hard drive.

noidea_77 · Nov 16, 2013

But you have a virus scanner running? And a backup? Since you have your wedding photography biz on it? Try this: http://www.mcafee.com/au/downloads/free-tools/stinger.aspx

dckizior · Nov 19, 2013

No luck.

fzabkar · Nov 19, 2013

Some USB bridge firmware is configured with 4KB sectors. If yours is one of these, then that would explain the "not formatted" message.

Perhaps your external drive(s) are set as readonly in your original XP system? Can you copy a file from your external drive to another folder on the same drive?

dckizior · Nov 22, 2013

No. It gives me the error message "This disk is write protected. remove the write protection or try another disk."

fzabkar · Nov 22, 2013

If all USB mass storage devices are write protected, then perhaps there is a registry setting that is responsible for this behaviour.

http://www.ghacks.net/2011/03/18/how-to-enable-write-protection-of-usb-devices-under-windows/

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