Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: 2Shane on August 22, 2005, 10:54:35 AM

Title: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 22, 2005, 10:54:35 AM
HI all, I have a U beaute MMC flash based mp3 player.

The last unit I had had defective earphone jacks, and so I removed the sandisk card, and sent the player back for replacement.

The replacement came back, and when I stuck the card into it,  I tried to overwrite / delete the old tracks, and also to copy new tracks onto it.

However, the bloody thing spat back at me "Cannot delete / overwrite / format / etc. because the drive is now write protected.

I have searched through about 120 posts on the subject, and tried everything I can think of, etc., and there are lots of sites saying "remove the write protection" but none of them actually say how to do it....

There is NO clear "turn write protection off" anywhere in XP and there is as far as I can tell, no DOS commands etc., to force the disk to be overwritten / brought back into service.


It seems to be enough of a common problem with thumb drives, cameras and such like to produce many posts, but no clear, concise and working solutions.

Any one who actually knows how to crack the "write-protected" function for a flash drive?


Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2k dummy on August 22, 2005, 01:11:56 PM
I don't mess with pen drives but...... If the drive is present in MY Computer, right click and select properties. If the read only attribute is checked, uncheck it and "apply". From DOS you should be able to use the attrib command. attrib -r *.* after changing to the drive.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 22, 2005, 11:20:44 PM
EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (said in a low scottish accented growl)

Ok .... XP, computer management, disk management, properties.

No "read only" attribute in PROPERTIES, only "Share this folder on Network" + "Allow network users to change my files" - both checked.

Jump into "Command Prompt"  CD D: attrib -r, a pop up says: "THE DISK CANNOT BE WRITTEN TO BECAUSE IT IS WRITE PROTECTED. PLEASE REMOVE WRITE PROTECTION FROM THE VOLUME IN DRIVE D:." [cancel / try again / continue]

I hit any of the three commands and it comes back in dos:

D:\attrib -r

Unable to change attribute - D:\001 (file name).mp3
Unable to change attribute - D:\002 (file name).mp3
Unable to change attribute - D:\003 (file name).mp3

etc.

So I have tried all this and similar before... and I am honestly STUCK.

It won't format, delete, overwrite, respond to DOS commands.

There may be an issue with the card it's self, it may be a matter of having formatted the card as a FAT32 instead of a FAT filing system (we live and learn???) cause the former MP3 player was playing up and or a whole heap of causes...

But it's a 512M Kingston MMC card, reading as 483 Meg FAT32....



I might have a crack at throwing the card into a camera, or  hooking the MP3 player up to a different computer.

No good - same thing in the laptop, might try a friends camera....

Dunno... I shall send the substance of this formum off to Kingston and the MP3 player dealer, and see what they have to say about it.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 23, 2005, 09:34:34 AM
I think this might be it....

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/326549/?


You Cannot View or Change the Read-Only or System Attribute of Folders
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID      :      326549
Last Review      :      June 2, 2005
Revision      :      5.2
This article was previously published under Q326549
For a Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, and Windows 95 version of this article, see 256614 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256614/EN-US/).
SYMPTOMS
You may experience any of the following symptoms:
•      You cannot view or change the Read-only or System attributes of a folder by using the Properties dialog box for the folder. For example, you may experience the following symptoms:
•      When you view the General tab of a folder's Properties dialog box, the Read-only check box is not available, and there is no check box to change the System attribute.
•      You click to clear or click to select the Read-only check box on the General tab of a folder's Properties dialog box. When you click OK or Apply, you receive the following message:
Confirm Attribute Changes
You have chosen to make the following attribute changes:
unset read-only
Do you want to apply this change to this folder only, or do you want to apply it to all subfolders and files as well?
If you click Apply changes to this folder only, the Read-only attribute is changed for all the files in the folder, but the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder, its subfolders, or any files in its subfolders. If you click Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files, the Read-only attribute is changed for all files in the folder and all files in the subfolders, but the Read-only attribute is not changed for the folder or its subfolders.
•      Some programs may display error messages when you try to save files to a folder with the Read-only or System attribute. As a result, these programs may not be able to save files to the folder.
CAUSE
Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and accessories, and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a folder with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only and System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether the folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result, Windows Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a network share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of that share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process can take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data and render nothing or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the folder, but no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by using Windows Explorer.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 23, 2005, 09:35:09 AM
WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, use the Attrib command at a command prompt (Cmd.exe) to view or remove the Read-only or System attributes of folders. Type attrib /? at the command prompt to view the syntax for the Attrib command.

Warning If you remove the Read-only or System attribute from a folder, it may appear as a ordinary folder and some customizations may be lost. For example, Windows customizes the Fonts folder and provides a special folder view that permits you to hide variations, such as bold and italic. It also permits you to change the folder's view settings in ways that are specific to fonts. If you remove the Read-only and System attributes of the Fonts folder, these customized view settings are not available. For folders that you have customized by using the Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box, the folder icon and other other customizations may be lost when you remove the Read-only attribute.

If a program cannot save files to a folder with the Read-only attribute, such as My Documents, change the Read-only attribute to System by using the Attrib command at a command prompt.

For example, to change the Read-only attribute to System for the C:\Test folder, use the following command:
attrib -r +s c:\test
Note that some programs may not operate correctly with folders that have the System attribute set. To remove both the Read-only and System attributes from the C:\Test folder, use the following command:
attrib -r -s c:\test
STATUS
This behavior is by design.
MORE INFORMATION
Windows stores file and folder attributes in the file system with the file and folder name, extension, date and time stamps, and other information. The Read-only check box for folders is not available because it does not apply to the folder. You can use this check box to set the Read-only attribute for files in the folder. However, you cannot use Windows Explorer to determine if a folder has the Read-only and System attributes set. To determine the attributes that are set on a folder, or to change these attributes, you must use the Attrib command from a command prompt.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 23, 2005, 09:51:03 AM
Umm no actually the previous split posting doesn't work cause the constipated flash drive neither accepts nor responds to the attrib command in DOS.... - this might work.

MS Article ID      :256614 (read up on it yourself)

SYMPTOMS
You may be unable to remove the Read-Only attribute from a folder using Windows Explorer. In addition, some programs may display error messages when you try to save files to the folder.

NOTE: Some programs do not operate correctly with folders that have the System attribute configured.
1.      Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
2.      Locate the following registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer
3.      On the Edit menu, point to New, click DWORD Value, and then type the following registry value name:UseSystemForSystemFolders
4.      Right-click the new value, and then click Modify.
5.      Type 1, and then click OK.
6.      Quit Registry Editor.
7.      After you make this change to the registry, you must change the Read-Only attribute for all affected folders by using the attrib command at a command prompt (Command.com or Cmd.exe). Type attrib /? at the command prompt to view the syntax for the attrib command. For example, to change the Read-Only attribute to System for the C:\Test folder, use the following command: attrib -r +s c:\test


I am going to log off and test it...... and the clock strikes 3am... (again)
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2k dummy on August 23, 2005, 04:33:39 PM
Result?
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Raptor on August 23, 2005, 04:36:42 PM
Quote
Result?


Dummy2K,

Quote
I looked for "Dummy2K" in the user database and was unable to find any mention of him registering or creating an account, unless he attempted to create an account under a different name I don't believe he registered. The activation e-mails are automatically sent out and should not encounter any type of issues, unless our e-mail server is down. Some users however do have SPAM filters or verification programs enabled, unfortunately we cannot verify our e-mails so users must have these disabled, otherwise they will not receive a notification.
 
If you run into him again you can always have him e-mail [email protected] and I'll see if I can do anything further for him.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2k dummy on August 23, 2005, 05:40:20 PM
Dislexia not withstanding, he looked for the wrong name. ;D However, I will email him. Thanks Raptor.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Raptor on August 24, 2005, 05:41:19 AM
No, I must have given him the wrong name. I thought you were called Dummy2K. Actually, this is the first time I see your name as "2k Dummy"
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2k dummy on August 24, 2005, 05:48:48 AM
I was joking about the dislexia. Hopefully, you were not offended.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Raptor on August 24, 2005, 06:04:56 AM
Me? Offended? Not possible.


[size=10]I need a hug now[/size]
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 24, 2005, 08:03:07 PM
Hmm the Microsoft work around - for XP does not address the issue, the work around for 2000 does address the issue - but it doesn't work.

I contacted the teck / support / inquiries people at Sandisk - and they have been suspiciously quiet - and after a couple of emails to them, they have NOT replied.

As generally unscrupulious as MS are in releasing bad (aquired) software, there is some really good stuff they have done and occasionally I have run across some really good support / tech services, to fix up the BUGS in their software, while avoiding getting ripped off in the process (which I usually had to fight for).

So I sent this email to assorted depts in Sandisk and MS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, I have a U beaute MMC based mp3 player. I have a Sandisk 512MB MMC in it and yes the card is unlocked. One of my fathers sent it over from Canada - brand new, in the pack, about 2 months ago.

The last MP3 player I had, had defective earphone jacks, and so I removed the Sandisk card, put that on the shelves and sent the player back for replacement.

The replacement came back, and when I stuck the card into it,  I tried to overwrite / delete the old tracks, and also to copy new tracks onto it.

However, the bloody thing spat back at me "Cannot delete / overwrite / format / etc. because the drive is now write protected.

And after trying everything I can think of, etc., I searched through about 120 posts on 120 websites on the subject, there are lots of people and sites saying "remove the write protection" but none of them actually say how to do it....

There is NO clear "turn write protection off" anywhere in XP and there is as far as I can tell, no DOS commands etc., to force the disk to be overwritten / brought back into service.
 
It seems to be enough of a common problem with flash disks in cameras and USB drives and such like to produce many posts, but no clear, concise and working solutions.

And I can't find anyone who actually knows how to crack the "write-protected" function for a flash drive? (online or elsewhere).


This is some of the stuff I have done to crack the "write protected" issue.


It won't format, delete, overwrite, cut, paste, or respond to any the XP GUI commands or DOS commands.

There may be an issue with the card it's self, it may be a matter of having formatted the card as a FAT32 instead of a FAT filing system (we live and learn???) cause the former MP3 player was playing up and or a whole heap of causes...

But it's a 512M Kingston MMC card, reading as 483 Meg FAT32....

And I have tried.... XP, computer management, disk management, properties.

No "read only" attribute in PROPERTIES, only "Share this folder on Network" + "Allow network users to change my files" - both checked.

Jump into "Command Prompt"  CD D: attrib -r, a pop up says: "THE DISK CANNOT BE WRITTEN TO BECAUSE IT IS WRITE PROTECTED. PLEASE REMOVE WRITE PROTECTION FROM THE VOLUME IN DRIVE D:." [cancel / try again / continue]

I hit any of the three commands and it comes back in dos:

D:\attrib -r

Unable to change attribute - D:\001 (file name).mp3
Unable to change attribute - D:\002 (file name).mp3
Unable to change attribute - D:\003 (file name).mp3

etc.

So I have tried all this and similar before... in the XP GIU and in XP DOS and I am honestly STUCK.


It player plays just fine tho.....

I had a crack at hooking the MP3 player into a different computer - same problem.

Any ideas on the subject?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A twat as MS sent this reply:


Dear Shane

I have not received a response from you and therefore will be closing and archiving the case at this point in time.

It was my pleasure to work with you on your Windows Update issue. Should you require any further assistance in relation to this case please feel free to reopen it.

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Assisted Support.

Kind regards,
Sunny Cheok
Microsoft Australia & New Zealand Technical Support
http://support.microsoft.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which is quite an interesting thing to say - "Response? what response?"

Slap that mans head for imbecielity...

So I told him so.

Better upload this.... stay Tuned for part 2.

Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: merlin_2 on August 24, 2005, 08:19:38 PM
Fell asleep due to boredom............yawn......... ???
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 24, 2005, 08:32:19 PM
Hmmm so much for "stupid" service from Microsoft...

It just really *censored*'s me how "software" decideds to make it's own attributes as "Acrhived" and then set it's self as "READ ONLY" and "write protected".....

And hence "un-deletable", "un-erasable", "un-formatable (/u)" and "un-alterable" in any form......

The attributes can't be altered, no commands in the XP GUI or DOS work...

But there is something in this, that is both thrilling and engaging.

I am going to crack this..... no matter what.

I get the feeling that it's something to do with a) the formatting to fat 32, b) registry settings on protected files and c) a combination of read only and write protected settings and) the way XP defines flash drives or recognises them as hard drives...

Something in that lot holds the key to cracking the "locked up" flash cards issue.

Perhaps I should tell the clowns in Microsoft, that I might go to open source software - Oh wait a minute, I have to just download another 210 security patches and software updates... and yeah the folks at Sandisk?, I might just ask thier competitors at Kingston or some other flash card maker, what crap service the Sandisk people are giving to their customers, in respect to a KNOWN FAULT with FLASH CARDS, and while asking for their help, resolve to only buy the most helpful companies flash cards in the future.

Yeah, be a winner, get rid of the losers.......

I shall ask around for some more expert help, and when it and or an illumination comes, or I have more time to reseach it, I shall post it here.

Mean, as a pussywhipped *censored* - while I have housework to do.....


Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 24, 2005, 09:39:04 PM
Well the SANDISK site is so bloody insane... having to play 72 questions and of course the compulsary "fill out all sections" of the online forms.... most of which is entirely unnecessary or utterly pointless.....

So having to go through all the crap, of creating an E Account, of filling out several forms over 4 or 5 web pages...

Who ever the twat was that set up that site and condones it's pure inbecility and the building of stone walls between having an issue and asking soem one about it, well they need their heads kicked.

Note: With Tech support / *censored* trips like that, Do not NOT buying SANDISK products ever again....

So I have asked Kingston tech support, I shall persue this through Microstupids rank and file idiot depts some more.. just different ones...

Off to the MS data base....
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 24, 2005, 10:18:01 PM
This is good, but also as oft happens, they don't tell you how to alter it under Admin settings......

Will go see.



"Access Denied" Error Message When You Try to Delete a File
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID      :      298345
Last Review      :      October 30, 2003
Revision      :      1.0
This article was previously published under Q298345
SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to delete a file, you may receive the following error message:
Cannot delete filename: Access is denied.

Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.
However, the disk is neither full nor write-protected and the file is not in use by anyone else.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if you do not have the permissions necessary to delete the file under the NTFS file system.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, ask the administrator to grant the necessary permissions.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Raptor on August 25, 2005, 06:25:33 AM
Are you a relative of Mac?
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2k dummy on August 25, 2005, 07:13:18 AM
Since it is shared on the network, is it probable that the thing is locked as a network resource and considered in use by windows? It might be worth a try to remove it as a network resource before trying to access it locally. I'm grabbing at straws, but you never know when you will draw the long one.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 25, 2005, 08:34:41 AM
Quote
Since it is shared on the network, is it probable that the thing is locked as a network resource and considered in use by windows? It might be worth a try to remove it as a network resource before trying to access it locally. I'm grabbing at straws, but you never know when you will draw the long one.



Well funnulee enough, one of the more obscure messages in one of the may variations of trying to resolve it, was that it did say "this doo dah is being used by another program, quit the other program and try again" - but there was nothing (folders, programs etc)  actually linked to it and running it or anything in it.

And in amongst some satanic possessions of myself and the PC, (Who???) I did make some more super tight arsed restrictions in access and use - partly cause I was setting the machine up for the largely computer illiterate girl friend who I did not want to hear say "Oooo was that bad?" and partly to keep the meesianic leigons of doomful prophecy at bay.


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Was it in Admin settings, MS firewall, Outpost, Spybot.... Ummmmmm

Any ideas on how altering network access settings could "lock out / in use" a flash drive? Where do you feel would be a good place to check and what do you think I should be altering or attending too?

Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 25, 2005, 10:25:59 AM
Hmm I came across this, and I have tried to install it.. but I have to shut down all my invasion killing software.. so it can install - it's a TAD oversensitive to any pauses in the instalation process....

Perhaps this might help.





Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager (Standard)
Quick Info

File Name:
           

UFDSetupWizard.msi

Version:
           

1.0.0

Date Published:
           

4/5/2005

Language:
           

English

Download Size:
           

650 KB

Estimated Download Time:
           

2 min @ 56K

Overview
USB flash drives are compact and easy-to-use devices that are similar in use to your computer hard drive. USB flash drives slip into your pocket, conveniently around your neck or on a keychain for ultimate portable storage. USB flash drives in 2005 can hold up to 4 gigs of data, which is over 1700 three-minute songs (66 hours) recorded as MP3s or about three times the content of a standard compact disc. If you share a computer, USB flash drives are a great way to store personal information. USB Flash Drives are also a great option for saving information and share it with others. When you have many things to save and share but you have a limited number of USB Flash Drives, you will need to backup the information and restore it when needed. This is where the Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager application can help you. The Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager will help you backup and restore presentation, pictures, songs and applications from and to USB Flash Drive devices and take them with you. The application can also help you to classify and name USB Flash Drives images (for instance "My network configuration" or "The pictures for my grandma") and lets you see this name whenever the USB Flash Drive is plugged into the computer.

Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager is available for Windows XP only.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 25, 2005, 10:41:39 AM
Quote
Since it is shared on the network, is it probable that the thing is locked as a network resource and considered in use by windows? It might be worth a try to remove it as a network resource before trying to access it locally. I'm grabbing at straws, but you never know when you will draw the long one.



Yeah I think you might have something there..... I am gonna look at it... I am going to ask a few pointed questions too.

It's a bit of a curley one, cause I have my system set up pretty tight against crapware and everthing, that I might have to do lots of obscure poking around to find both ends of the string...... Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

(my Brane Hurts)

Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on August 26, 2005, 07:05:00 AM
Yeah, usually the remove / delete / format commands in the XP GUI and in DOS, all say the drive is write protected ( when it's not ), and when I do some odd commands in DOS  or the GIU, like RMDIR, the return is that "the process cannot access the  file because it is being used by another process" - when in fact it's only being accessed in DOS from the command prompt.

Ummm anyone know how to find out what else may be covertly hooking into the file/s I am trying to delete / format, erase etc?
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on September 03, 2005, 06:01:59 AM
Hmmm the Sandisk people (who are pretty slack in replying - unless you play 72 questions in a personality profile - or search their entire data base for the issue that their MMC cards don't have Duhhh ), said that the card is probably defective....

Microscoff has despite several emails to a number of different entry points, has done NOTHING about the possible locking in of the card as a network component.......

Sooooooooo I figgured that I have spent WAY too much time in trying to solve this matter, and I might simply stick the card  in an envelope, send it back to my father type person, cause he has the receipt... and get him to exchange it......

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

10 out of 10 for me for doing my best to fix it.

2 out of 10 for the Sandisk folks, for setting up an -im-possible + Q&A system...

0 out of 10 for Microscoff people for providing such a completely insane way of getting anything done and either providing 1 of the most stupidist off tap responses or 5 other non replies.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I rarely ever say this... but either the card is really partly defective, or Sandisk and MS are crap service providers...
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Fed on September 03, 2005, 06:27:16 AM
Assuming you didn't change anything on your computer the only thing that could have changed is the mp3 player while it was out of your hands.
Have you given it a good look at, maybe try & peek inside it?
Can you try a different card in it?
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: Mac on September 03, 2005, 02:24:15 PM
Quote
Are you a relative of Mac?


I don't have any relatives.

Loners never do.
Title: Re: How 2 FORCE Write Protection off Flash Drive
Post by: 2Shane on September 03, 2005, 02:53:37 PM
Yeah - maybe it could be the reader, tho, when the previous reader / mp3 player with the misaligned jacks was replaced, the guy tested the replacement - even so far as writing to and reading from the card....

Not my card tho....

Uhh will check it out in a new reader / writer soon... then I will either be relieved or winge a little more.....