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External HDD "Media Write Protected" (W7)

APrettyCoolWalrus
By APrettyCoolWalrus
in Storage Devices
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I have a WD 500GB external HDD that I would like to use. I tried to format it in Disk Management but Windows says that it is "Media Write Protected." What do I do?

8c67eb38bdbcad6700862de391062adf.png

 

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I think the drive is RIPerino, no formatting tools are successful. Thanks for the help though!

 

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All the parts are here, just need to get customized cords to connect the motherboard to the front panel.

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~snip~

 

 

Hey APrettyCoolWalrus,
 
What is the drive's model that you are using? Does it happen to be hardware-encrypted? 
 
If you don't have anything important on that drive, you can simply perform a "write zeros" action to completely wipe the drive. I would suggest using WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tool to do so. The quick one should be sufficient enough. Here's a link: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=
 
If that doesn't seem to help, you can work with the diskpart function in the cmd. enter "list disk" and you should see there the external drive. Once you're sure which disk is yours, type "select disk X", replacing X with the number of the disk. (For example, type select disk 2 if disk 2 is the write-protected device). Type "attributes disk clear readonly" and press enter. The command attributes disk clear readonly should remove any write protection on the disk if it exists. Type the command exactly as shown. "readonly" is one word.
 
If this still doesn't work, try adjusting the registry. Open the registry editor (type regedit into the search field). Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. This folder can be found in the Computer section of the registry editor, in the left frame. Click the arrow next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to expand the folder. Inside the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, find and open the SYSTEM folder, then CurrentControlSet, then Control. Finally, scroll down until you find the StorageDevicePolicies folder. 
If that folder does not exist, then you will need to create one before continuing. Right-click in the blank space in the Control folder. Select New, and then Key. Label it StorageDevicePolicies without spaces. 
Double click on the "WriteProtect" key in the StorageDevicePolicies folder. Change the “Value data” field from 1 to 0. Press OK.
If you created a new StorageDevicePolicies folder open the new StorageDevicePolicies folder, then right-click in a blank space. Select New, and then DWORD (32-bit) value. Name the new file WriteProtect. Double-click WriteProtect to open it, and put 0 in the value field. Press OK. You must type each entry exactly, including capitalization, otherwise the key will not work. 
A simple reboot is required and you should be good to go. 
 
Thanks @mikat for mentioning, I have trouble getting notifications from mentions so feel free to PM me if you need my help :)
 
Captain_WD.

If this helped you, like and choose it as best answer - you might help someone else with the same issue. ^_^
WDC Representative, http://www.wdc.com/ 

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then install the official linustechtips browser plugin, it has a number with how many notifications you have :D super handy!

 

I do have it and I get all notifications from quotes, likes, comments, status updates and PMs... I simply don't get notified whenever someone tags me for some reason :) I've talked to the mods and there appears to be a problem with my nickname :) That's why I tell people to approach me via a PM if they need me :)

 

Captain_WD.

If this helped you, like and choose it as best answer - you might help someone else with the same issue. ^_^
WDC Representative, http://www.wdc.com/ 

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Hey APrettyCoolWalrus,
 
What is the drive's model that you are using? Does it happen to be hardware-encrypted? 
 
If you don't have anything important on that drive, you can simply perform a "write zeros" action to completely wipe the drive. I would suggest using WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tool to do so. The quick one should be sufficient enough. Here's a link: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=
 
If that doesn't seem to help, you can work with the diskpart function in the cmd. enter "list disk" and you should see there the external drive. Once you're sure which disk is yours, type "select disk X", replacing X with the number of the disk. (For example, type select disk 2 if disk 2 is the write-protected device). Type "attributes disk clear readonly" and press enter. The command attributes disk clear readonly should remove any write protection on the disk if it exists. Type the command exactly as shown. "readonly" is one word.
 
If this still doesn't work, try adjusting the registry. Open the registry editor (type regedit into the search field). Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. This folder can be found in the Computer section of the registry editor, in the left frame. Click the arrow next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to expand the folder. Inside the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, find and open the SYSTEM folder, then CurrentControlSet, then Control. Finally, scroll down until you find the StorageDevicePolicies folder. 
If that folder does not exist, then you will need to create one before continuing. Right-click in the blank space in the Control folder. Select New, and then Key. Label it StorageDevicePolicies without spaces. 
Double click on the "WriteProtect" key in the StorageDevicePolicies folder. Change the “Value data” field from 1 to 0. Press OK.
If you created a new StorageDevicePolicies folder open the new StorageDevicePolicies folder, then right-click in a blank space. Select New, and then DWORD (32-bit) value. Name the new file WriteProtect. Double-click WriteProtect to open it, and put 0 in the value field. Press OK. You must type each entry exactly, including capitalization, otherwise the key will not work. 
A simple reboot is required and you should be good to go. 
 
Thanks @mikat for mentioning, I have trouble getting notifications from mentions so feel free to PM me if you need my help :)
 
Captain_WD.

 

Sorry that it's taken me so long to get back, this is the drive:http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=214〈=en

The link you sent doesn't seem to work. Whenever I type "listdisk" cmd says that it doesn't recognize "list." I then tried "diskpart" but after I press that I can no longer type commands in cmd.

 

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i5 4670k, GTX 970, 12GB 1600, 120GB SSD, 240GB SDD, 1TB HDD, CM Storm Quickfire TK, G502, VG248QE, ATH M40x, Fractal R4

Spoiler

i5 4278U, Intel Iris Graphics, 8GB 1600, 128GB SSD, 2560x1600 IPS display, Mid-2014 Model

Spoiler

All the parts are here, just need to get customized cords to connect the motherboard to the front panel.

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Sorry that it's taken me so long to get back, this is the drive:http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=214〈=en

The link you sent doesn't seem to work. Whenever I type "listdisk" cmd says that it doesn't recognize "list." I then tried "diskpart" but after I press that I can no longer type commands in cmd.

 

Apologies for the broken link, this one should work: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=810〈=en
 
Try performing "writing zeros" and see if it fixes the drive. Again, this function will completely wipe the drive and any data that is on there will be deleted.
 
Captain_WD.

If this helped you, like and choose it as best answer - you might help someone else with the same issue. ^_^
WDC Representative, http://www.wdc.com/ 

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Do you mean initialize or format? You need to initialize the disk and add partitions before formatting. Right click on the left grey box that says Disk 2, select Initialize Disk and select scheme, MBR/GPT if available. Once initialized right click on unallocated box and create partition(s) then format the partition(s).

 

If for some reason it is in readonly then Close the "Disk Management" if open.

 

Open a "command prompt" run "as administrator".

 

Enter "diskpart"

 

You should get a prompt "DISKPART>"

 

Enter "sel dis 2"

 

Enter "att dis clear readonly"

 

Close the command prompt and open "Disk Management" again.

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