How To Remove Read/Write Protection On A USB Flash Drive with Registry Editor

Lutfij

Titan
Moderator
Often times we come across a couple of our colleagues or friends USB flash drive that isn't accessible or it simply will not allow you to write any files onto it. This tutorial will show how you can simply remove Read/Write protection on your culprit USB flash drive using Windows' Registry Editor.

    ■Open the “Start Menu” by clicking the “Start Button” in the lower left corner of the screen or by tapping the “Windows” key on your keyboard.
    ZR5w0Gn.jpg


    ■Type regedit.
    AfepzBK.jpg


    ■Run it in an elevated command via right click and Run as Administrator.
    4Zx0dFD.jpg


    ■Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies and on the right hand pane you should see an entry or key named WriteProtect
    2xj1Aoi.jpg


    ■Right click on it and select Modify.
    y49oTyJ.jpg


    You'll come across a new window in which the Value Data will either be 0 or 1. 1=Yes, write protect the USB storage device and 0=No, don't write protect the USB storage device.
    ■Since this is set to 1, we should change it to 0
    5ckZrDp.jpg


    ■Click OK and exit Registry editor.
    SujbS4H.jpg


    ■Remove the USB flash device from the USB port.

    ■Plug it back in again.

    You should now be able to resume work and write to your USB flash drive.