How to format a write-protected USB flash drive or memory card

Some memory cards and USB pen drives have write protectionswitches, which allows you to prevent files from being deleted, or any new files being written to the device. It also prevents the drive or card from being formatted.

Here are a couple of methods you can try to format the driveand remove the write protection. Bear in mind that there is no guarantee that they will work for you: your drive or memory card may be corrupt or broken and no utility or low-level formatting tool will make it work again. The only solution in this case is to buy a new drive.

How can I format a write-protected USB flash drive or 
memory card?

1. Click Star then Type: regedit

2. Navigate to the following key.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

3. Double-click on the WriteProtect value in the right-hand pane of Regedit.exe
4. Change the Value data from 1 to 0 and click OK to save the change.
5. Close Regedit and restart your computer.
6. Connect your USB drive again, and you should find it is no longer write protected.