Write Protected Disk

Hi Guys,

First of all Happy New Year to you all.

My old home desktop has gone me crazy. It started with someone with infected pen-drive plugging in it. The thing that happened after it --> Whenever I try to copy anything into any pen drive/external HDD, it started to show the message :

"Cannot copy <filename>: The disk is write protected.

Remove the write-protection or use another disk"

I have tried with a half a dozen pen-drives and external HDD like: Transcend 16 GB, Kingston 1 GB, etc... but I can't copy any file from my desktop to them.

I tried copying files from my laptop to them and it worked fine. But the issue remains with the desktop. I tries searching internet about this issue. Most forums suggest that there's a notch/switch to remove write protected-ness, but all my pen-drives do not have anything like that.

I suspect a malware or virus, so I ran Spybot S&D and Avast scans but this problem persists.


Pls. help me out.....

p.s. : how do you quote things in threads ?

To quote things..

you can either use the quote button...or by typing [quote]text that you want to quote [/quote.] without the dot..

As for the disc issue...check the Disk Managment and the properties of the drive...usually every pen drive will be assigned the same drive letter unless changed in Disk Manager.

Place to start...oh and I am assuming you are using XP???

MLF

Many thanks for the reply.

Yes, I'm using Windows XP. The Disk Manager shows healthy status of the pen-drive. I tried to change the drive letter but doesn't work. In the properties option, I have:

1. General
2. Autoplay
3. Tools
4. Hardware
5. Sharing

Under tools, I tried error checking with automatically fix file system errors but it refuses to run saying the disk is write protected.

I can't understand why only this desktop is suffering the problem. Whereas all other desktops and laptops are being able to copy files easily into pen-drive.

Hey.. I just discovered that this desktop is also having problem in burning CD/ DVD... when I try to copy files through the CD/DVD Drive in Explorer... It says that an error occured:

Quote:

---

PROBLEM COPYING (dialog box heading)

Winsows encountered a problem when trying to copy this folder. What do you want windows to do?

<file name with folder preview>

buttons: Retry, Skip and Cancel

<tick box> Repeat my answer each time this occurs

---

I also tried unstoppable copier (the white cat thing), and it too didn't worked.

There is a Reg hack to make USB storage devices read only, you may what to check to see if the key got created. Instructions on the key are here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/3812

Cheers

Bingo.. it was the registry thing that stopped copying. All I did was went to regedit:

Quote:

---

Key Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies

and set the value to 0

---

Thanks DjM. Thanks morganlefay.

Cheers

Thanks for letting us know what fixed it....

I wonder what set the bit in the first place??

MLF

If it was a virus/malware, it'll probably reset the bit back to 1 the next time you reboot or something.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by morganlefay

I wonder what set the bit in the first place??

MLF

---

My bet is the malware morgan. You don't just just set the value, you have to create the dword first and then set the value. If it were me, unless you plan on using this feature, I would delete the dword.

Cheers

Guys.. I had just begun to think its all over... but I'm still facing problem burning CD/DVD from the same desktop. If I drag and drop (or copy and paste) any file into the CD Drive in the Explorer I get the same message. Also burning fails in Nero (I even tried Ashampoo).

The message is the same:

Quote:

---

PROBLEM COPYING (dialog box heading)

Winsows encountered a problem when trying to copy this folder. What do you want windows to do?

<file name with folder preview>

buttons: Retry, Skip and Cancel

<tick box> Repeat my answer each time this occurs

---

Please help !

Please take a look at this and check your settings:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ptember16.mspx

Also, I seem to recall that Windows XP doesn't support drag and drop for DVDs? you need burning software.

Dear nihil,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the option of CD Burning appears on the properties tab of CD Drive as suggested in the microsoft website give.

My desktop pc used to copy files while I dragged and dropped earlier. Just after which a pop-up used to appear in the bottom right corner saying you've files waiting to be written on disk.

Also apart from drag and drop, I've also tried using Ahead Nero and Ashampoo softwares but they don't burn anything on the disk. I also did tried copying and pasting too apart from dragging and dropping.

Hi there,

Quote:

---

My desktop pc used to copy files while I dragged and dropped earlier.

---

How much "earlier"? I am thinking that the USB problem and this might not be related at all. You just happened to notice them at the same time?

Most importantly, when did you install Nero?

If I recall correctly, when you install Nero it automatically disables the Windows IMAPI burning service to avoid conflicts. You have to use the Nero equivalent of D & D which is InCD. This would require you to format the CD first.

I have no idea what effect adding Ashampoo to the mixture will have, but it probably doesn't help so I would uninstall that one first.

Then disable the Windows CD burning option and try using Nero.

Other things to look at:

1. Did you ever discover the name of the malware that infected you? If so, please check to see what it actually does.

2. Is there anything in the Event Viewer relating to this problem?

3. Is the CD/DVD drive letter the same?

4. Try using different media and burn at a slow speed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nihil

Please take a look at this and check your settings:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ptember16.mspx

Also, I seem to recall that Windows XP doesn't support drag and drop for DVDs? you need burning software.

---

Thank you...Thank you. I gotten beaten up by a fortune 1000 corp and snobby customers for this issue in the past. Shlt happens everytime a corp ax'es someone who originally created the Windblow images. Since corp was clueless and I was contracting, I threw in freeware burning software. Hung up on anyone bltching about registration.

Quote:

---

Since corp was clueless and I was contracting, I threw in freeware burning software. Hung up on anyone bltching about registration.

---

Why is it that that sounds horribly familiar? :D

Have you ever tried to explain the concept of open source and freeware to a senior executive?

It is like teaching a pig how to sing................... It wastes your time, and frequently annoys the pig :lildevil:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nihil

Why is it that that sounds horribly familiar? :D

Have you ever tried to explain the concept of open source and freeware to a senior executive?

It is like teaching a pig how to sing................... It wastes your time, and frequently annoys the pig :lildevil:

---

You seen this road before :). Corp wants their flawed in-house Window image repaired and solutions provided to the end user without using 3rd-party freeware or unlicensed software. Yet the high-lever IT folks ignore the situation and let you play "superman" to save the day.

Telling lusers that corp image isn't exactly like your copy of windows at home is considered an insult. They don't like being "sandboxed" or being told what they can or cannot do. Often it's the same folks complaining, complaining about nothing. I walk over users not user walk over me -- IT should be considered godly. I was once been authorized to walk over IT managers and report directly to the CIO because of situations like this. Makes great stories to entertain a IT interviewer. They relate to you and even chuckle with you. Got'em. Tells them you stick to corp policy no matter what and when to smile to corp complainers aka favoritism.

Yes,

Quote:

---

Corp wants their flawed in-house Window image repaired and solutions provided to the end user without using 3rd-party freeware or unlicensed software. Yet the high-lever IT folks ignore the situation and let you play "superman" to save the day.

---

On of the problems I have frequently encountered is that senior IT people are notoriously bad at preparing budgets. That means when something unexpected crops up there isn't the money for it. Hell, I once had to modify some virus code to distribute software because they wouldn't give me the money for a proper remote deployment tool.:rolleyes:

Another thing is that the high level execs frequently show a reckless disregard for the structure and delegated responsibilities within their departments. Basically, I mean that the top jobs are taken, so the next level down (who are usually the ones with the knowledge and hands on responsibility) have to move out to move up. If there is only one person with the knowledge then this can cause real problems like with the corporate desktop image and with individual applications support.

Personally, I have no problems with using open source and freeware and would quite cheerfully use a fully functional evaluation copy of licensed software.

After all, if the software proves useful the corp might just buy it *cough* *cough*

Quote:

---

Telling lusers that corp image isn't exactly like your copy of windows at home is considered an insult. They don't like being "sandboxed" or being told what they can or cannot do. Often it's the same folks complaining, complaining about nothing.

---

About the only place I haven't come across that is when I was working in the armaments industry. I had 5 machines: 2 for the network, 2 stand alone ones for development and one stand alone for legacy systems support. We also had "reference machines" to test for new software and upgrade compatibility. Everything was locked down, and nobody dared to complain:lildevil:

In "normal" environments the average user has no idea of security, regulatory compliance, systems stability or anything else much.

Quote:

---

IT should be considered godly

---

Well I wouldn't put it quite that strongly :halo: but I take your point. Would you employ a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant or an architect and then ignore their advice? It happens far too frequently in IT in my experience.