Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: summer22108 on June 25, 2009, 03:10:40 AM

Title: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 25, 2009, 03:10:40 AM
Hi,

I recently purchases a 16GB usb stick from hong kong (on ebay). If I try to put anything on it then it tells me it needs to be formatted. Fine. If I try to format it, it tells me it is write-protected. I have not been able to access it at all since I got it. I have contacted the seller who sent me a reply in some kind of Chinese (really helpful).

There is no switch on it and it does not have a brand name on it. I hope I have provided enough info for someone to be able to help me.

Thanks in advance.  :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: ireland-1 on June 25, 2009, 04:25:17 AM
Hello, first of all,

www.google.ie -> language tools -> copy and paste e-mail into it and google will translate.

Second of all,

"My Computer" -> right click memory stick -> properties -> and their should a tab (probably advanced) -> this can enable and disable write protection
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 25, 2009, 04:42:19 AM
Thanks. The translation from the seller essentially says i can send it back to them for a refund.

If I click on properties there is NO information. It does not have the capacity or anything. I'm thinking it must be a dud one?? Perhaps I should just chalk it up to experience?
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: ireland-1 on June 25, 2009, 04:43:21 AM
send it back
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: 2x3i5x on June 25, 2009, 10:44:29 AM
Hi,

I recently purchases a 16GB usb stick from hong kong (on ebay). If I try to put anything on it then it tells me it needs to be formatted. Fine. If I try to format it, it tells me it is write-protected. I have not been able to access it at all since I got it. I have contacted the seller who sent me a reply in some kind of Chinese (really helpful).

There is no switch on it and it does not have a brand name on it. I hope I have provided enough info for someone to be able to help me.

Thanks in advance.  :)

You have the reply in some kind of chinese, if it's Mandarin chinese then I can probably tell you what it says (I can speak Mandarin ....  :))
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: ireland-1 on June 25, 2009, 10:48:26 AM
She has used google translator, and it says that she can send it back for a refund
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: 2x3i5x on June 25, 2009, 11:03:53 AM
don't buy those no name brand of usb sticks. I bought a no name brand once (was good price only if was working) but the stick always got stuck a 1gb, even though it was a 8gb stick. After initial 1gb of files I stuck on it, rest would just be saved as garbled junk that wouldn't open or are invalid files.

And it was new too, or at least it was still in the plastic retail box that I had to cut open to get the product out.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: ireland-1 on June 25, 2009, 11:15:39 AM
it sounds like a bad connection.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 11:25:18 AM
Quote
it sounds like a bad connection.

It sounds like shoddy workmanship and manufacturing.  That's very common with non brand manufacturers or farmed work.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: ireland-1 on June 25, 2009, 11:55:49 AM
exactly, a bad connection can only happen by poor workmanship
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 11:57:35 AM
It's usually below standard materials.

Had one cup of coffee, forgot to include that sentence.... I can come up with excuses all day long :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 25, 2009, 04:27:34 PM
Ok, thanks everyone for your comments.

You live and learn. I thought it was a bargain. Clearly you do get what you pay for! :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 04:28:52 PM
Quote
Clearly you do get what you pay for!

Yes, I learned that along time ago.  Wow I feel old today.  Hang on, there's some kids on the lawn...
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 25, 2009, 04:30:12 PM
LOL - I know what you mean!
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: patio on June 26, 2009, 06:14:49 AM
There are a ton of counterfiet USB flash dribes on eBay....

Disclaimer: This in no way is a deragatory comment slamming eBay; any of it's employees; subsidiaries users and or the guy who cleans the rest rooms.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 02:34:55 PM
Quote
Disclaimer: This in no way is a deragatory comment slamming eBay; any of it's employees; subsidiaries users and or the guy who cleans the rest rooms.

It's the idiots selling the stuff.  It's also risky purchasing software on eBay.
I purchased a software suite from someone, they had a picture of the retail package, but that wasn't what I recieved.  I was not about to put the disk that arrived in my computer.  It makes a handy coaster though.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: 2x3i5x on June 26, 2009, 02:57:11 PM
but you look at the seller's ratings don't you?
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 03:31:24 PM
That doesn't always mean anything, they can be fudged.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: 2x3i5x on June 26, 2009, 04:18:23 PM
That doesn't always mean anything, they can be fudged.

can be but higher ratings usually mean you get the good stuff or you'll get your money back if they screwed up on you  :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 04:24:31 PM
Not really.  They can get friends and other shady types to do fake deals with them and bump the ratings.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 26, 2009, 04:39:18 PM
Yes, I checked out the seller's rating. 99.3% with over 500 transactions. There were hundreds of positive comments about the same USB stick. Guess i just got a bad one! :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 04:40:47 PM
That's a pretty high number for them to fudge.  It's either real or they were very persistent.  I'm going to go with the former though.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: summer22108 on June 26, 2009, 04:42:07 PM
I agree, they did say i could send it back, but can I be bothered to send it to China???
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 04:44:12 PM
You would have a *censored* of a time with customs.  Just because the package originated there doesn't mean you won't have to deal with them.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: 2x3i5x on June 26, 2009, 04:47:02 PM
I agree, they did say i could send it back, but can I be bothered to send it to China???

Maybe you could ask them to just simply refund you your money? A seller with that kind of rating, I'd trust would get that done for you  :)
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: Quantos on June 26, 2009, 04:51:02 PM
Actually, they may even be able to deal with Chinese Customs for you.  If you tell them that you would like to send it back and what your concerns are, they may be able to set it up.  Or like 2x3i5x says they may just say forget it and provide the refund.
Title: Re: Usb stick is write protected??
Post by: patio on June 26, 2009, 06:23:53 PM
The ratings mean about as much as the 16G you were supposed to get on the flash drive...