How to Remove Write Protection from a Corrupted Pendrive and Format It

When you encounter a pen drive with an unusual amount of space and cannot format it using the Command Prompt (CMD) or Diskpart, you may struggle to recover your data. However, it is possible to resolve this issue by removing write protection and formatting the drive. This guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions, including the use of third-party software and alternative file systems.

Understanding Write Protection and Its Effects

Write protection is a feature that prevents any changes or modifications to the contents of a pen drive. Once enabled, write protection makes it impossible to format or modify the drive, which can lead to issues such as data corruption and unavailability of space. In the scenario of trying to create a bootable Arch OS on a pen drive, if the drive becomes corrupted and shows more space than usual, write protection might have been inadvertently activated, causing a malfunction.

Why is It Difficult to Format Using CMD or Diskpart?

The typical method of formatting a pen drive using cmd or diskpart fails due to write protection. These tools need administrative permissions and access to writable sectors. When a pen drive is write-protected, it resists any commands that aim to modify its contents or alter its partition table, thereby preventing successful formatting.

Why is There Unusual Amount of Space?

If a pen drive shows more space than it should, it might be due to various reasons. One common issue is that the partition table might be corrupted or incorrectly formatted, causing the operating system to misinterpret the drive's capacity. Additionally, data fragmentation or leftover partitions could also contribute to this problem, making it more challenging to format the drive using standard tools.

Steps to Remove Write Protection

To remove write protection and format the pen drive successfully, follow these steps:

Check if Write Protection is Enabled: Before attempting any modifications, make sure that write protection is indeed enabled. You can check this in the drive's properties under 'Attributes' or 'Security' tab.Use Third-Party Software: Third-party software like EaseUS Partition Master, MiniTool Partition Wizard, or AOMEI Partition Assistant can help you remove write protection. These tools are more powerful and flexible than built-in Windows utilities.Format the Drive with Alternative File Systems: After removing write protection, you can use different file systems like NTFS or FAT32 for formatting. These are more common and universally compatible, which might help resolve issues that arise from other file systems.

Alternative File Systems and Their Benefits

Formatting your pen drive with NTFS or FAT32 can be beneficial due to:

NTFS: Supports larger file sizes and better performance on larger drives. Incorporates advanced features such as compression and encryption, which can be useful for both efficiency and security purposes.FAT32: Is widely supported across different operating systems and devices, making it a good choice for universal compatibility. Can handle larger file sizes than FAT16 but is still more extensive in features compared to newer file systems.

Conclusion

While it might seem challenging to remove write protection and format a corrupted pen drive, this is definitely achievable with the right tools and methods. By using third-party software to remove write protection and choosing compatible file systems, you can restore your pen drive to full functionality and regain access to your critical data. Always ensure to back up important data regularly to avoid such unforeseen issues in the future.