Removing write protection from a flash drive?

[ffutures]

One of my USB flash drives has suddenly decided that it's write protected - can't seem to change this from my PC, the iBook, or the linux netbook, can't format it, can't do anything with it.

Any suggestions before I bin it?

Comments

[murphys-lawyer.livejournal.com]

Try a low-level format? There are some programs out there that happily ignore the software command set by the write-protect slider on a USB drive.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

There is no write protect slider, but I'll see if I can find a program that can erase it.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

This is a bit of a stretch, but it within the scale of thing I've seen in consumer electronics.

I wonder if the chipset supports a r/w switch, and the idiots that designed the chip left the pin on the chip to select readonly as open circuit. (Best practice used to be to connect to ground or Vcc through a small eg 1K resisitor)

If charge accumulates on the pin then it may 'change state' - at least from the perspective of the circuit inside the IC.

Solution - brush an earthed wire over all the IC contacts (with the stick unplugged) .


You never know it might work. But obviously you have to disassemble the stick. Alternatively you could leave it for a couple of week and hope it fixes itself.

Usb Key

[webcopier.livejournal.com]

right click my computer goto manage then select disk manement add a drive letter to your usb key then your done