System administrators might want to limit the use of external USB flash drives by making them read only. This can actually be useful in several situations like preventing users from copying local data to the external device or preventing malicious software from spreading on a computer network using those flash drives.
The Windows operating system has a Registry setting that can add USB write protection to a computer system. It is like a switch that can be enabled to make use of the write protection or disabled to allow write processes.
Users who experience problems writing to USB devices might want to take a look at this setting as well if they have the proper rights to do so to see if it is the cause for their difficulties.
Start by opening the run dialog box with the keyboard shortcut [Windows R]. Type [regedit] and hit [enter]. This should open the Windows Registry editor.
Navigate to the following Registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Look at the sub-keys and see if a key named StorageDevicePolicies is listed. If it is skip this paragraph and read the next. If it is not create the key by right-clicking Control and selecting New > Key
See if there is an entry named WriteProtect. It can be easily created if it is not present by right-clicking in the right window and selecting New > DWord from the menu. The following values are allowed for this entry:
- 0 – This will allow write processes on USB Flash Drives
- 1- This will block write processes on USB Flash Drives.
An alternative would be to delete the Registry key WriteProtect completely to enable both read and write processes. A restart or log off is required before the changes take effect.
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Use USB Flash Drives To Lock Windows
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Test USB Flash Drive And Hard Drive Integrity And Size
Spotlight-V100 and Trashes Folders On USB Flash Drives
12 Responses to “USB Flash Drive Write Protection”
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[...] USB Flash Drive Write Protection System administrators might want to limit the use of external USB flash drives by making them read only. This can actually be useful in several situations like preventing users from copying local data to the external device or preventing malicious software from spreading on a computer network using those flash drives. [...]
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[...] USB Flash Drive Write Protection (tags: usb windows) [...]
This is kind of cool for my laptop. It reads data a lot but rarely writes it to removable media.
For what it’s worth, I’ve had some success using a product called ‘MyUSBOnly’ (http://www.myusbonly.com/usb/index.php).
It’s not freeware, but it is fairly inexpensive and gives you the ability to whitelist/blacklist individual USB sticks. By successfully entering a password upon insertion of a memory stick, you don’t have to reboot/logoff with each policy change.
Its very old, i have found more information on this 2 years ago. Ghacks also helped that time.
karthik
karthikeyan.terapad.com
There’s a litte freeware program at http://www.gaijin.at/dlusbwp.php
called USB WriteProtector.
The side is german to be more precise austrian, but easy to browse. The program itself is multilingual.
xiaxia
I Made a tutorial how to fix this problem here for this problem i had aswell
http://www.t3chworks.com/index_writeprotect.html
Thx! for this wonderful tip…
thanks
If the Above doesnt Work Try this, I made a tutorial on how i fixed Mine
http://www.t3chworks.com/index_writeprotect.html
It should work for everyone
Protect from outside by making undeletable write-protected dummy “autorun.inf” file using Naevius USB Protector:
http://www.naevius.com/protect_usb.htm
Protect from outside by making undeletable write-protected dummy “autorun.inf” file using Naevius USB Protector.