Aug 22,2019 • Filed to: USB Recovery • Proven solutions
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Aug 09, 2017 Apple Footer. This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only. Apple may provide or recommend responses as a possible solution based on the information provided; every potential issue may involve several factors not detailed in the conversations captured in an electronic forum and Apple can therefore provide no guarantee as to the. Sep 26, 2018 Need to format an external hard drive for Mac and Windows. Windows PC and Mac use different filesystems. The Windows uses NTFS and Mac uses HFS. They are incompatible with each other. So, if you want to use an external hard drive on both Windows and Mac, you need to format it to a filesystem that is compatible with Windows PC and Mac. Format the drive with Mac computer. Firstly, bear in mind that formatting the drive will erase all content stored on it. Mac computers are capable of formatting any storage device (internal or external) such as HDD/SSD, USB flash drive, and external storage.
“I have been trying to format my pen drive, but every time I do, I get “The Disk is Write Protected” error. How to format a write protected USB on Windows?”
This is one of the most commonly asked questions related to the formatting of USB drives these days. With the advancement in technology, USB drives have also evolved and become more secure. To protect the drive, the system of write protection was introduced, which is still not known by a lot of people. Therefore, if the USB drive you are trying to format is write protected, then you might get a similar error too. Don’t worry – it is quite easy to learn how to format a write protected pendrive on both Windows and Mac. Here’s a detailed guide on the same!
Part 1: What is 'Write Protection' on a USB Drive?
USB or Thumb drives are extensively used to store or transfer data from one source to another. Although, while doing so, they often suffer from numerous privacy and security issues. To resolve this, the concept of “write protection” was introduced. Ideally, when the feature is turned on, then the USB drive is switched to a read-only mode. This means, users can only read data from the USB drive, but can’t write anything on it. Additionally, they can’t delete anything from the USB drive or format it.
If you want to protect your pen drive from a malware attack or you are connecting it to a public computer, then enable the write protected feature. Also, if you have sensitive data on the pen drive that you can’t let go off, then you can turn it on to avoid any accidental data deletion.
Part 2: Causes of 'The Disk is Write Protected' Error
Before we dive into the details and learn how to format a write protected USB, it is important to know its cause. Following are some of the major reasons for getting this prompt while formatting the drive.
- Chances are that you might have turned on the write-protection switch by mistake and forgot to disable it afterward.
- The USB drive can enter the read-only mode via firmware setting or update as well.
- Sometimes, users also get this error when the USB drive is corrupt or has a bad sector.
- A malware or virus can also be one of the reasons for this problem.
- Your system might block the USB drive or a change in its registry can also be an issue.
- If your pen drive is physically damaged, then it can also enable this feature without you noticing.
Part 3: How to Format Write Protected USB
The good thing is that you can easily disable the write protection feature on a USB drive and later format it. To do this, you don’t need any write protected USB format tool at all. All you need to do is follow two simple steps – disabling the write protection feature and formatting the drive.
Step 1: Check and Unlock USB Flash Drive
Firstly, check if the USB drive that you are using is write protected or not. If it is, then simply disable this feature in the following way.
Turn Off the Write-protect Switch Adobe support advisor download mac.
This is the easiest and the quickest solution to disable the write protection feature on a thumb drive. Most of the USB drives have a write protected switch located on the side. By simply sliding the switch, you can turn the feature on/off. Move it in the upward direction (or sideways towards the unlock symbol) to disable this feature. The exact location and movement of the switch might vary among different models.
Step 2: Format A Write Protected USB/Pen Drive
After disabling the write protection feature, you would be able to format the USB drive in the same old way. Though, if you are still facing some issues, then follow these methods to format a write protected USB.
Method 1: Using the Registry Editor (Windows)
The first technique to format write protected USB drive is by using the Registry Editor on Windows. It is a dedicated system utility tool that stores all the vital details and parameters related to Windows settings. To learn how to format write protected USB drive via the Registry Editor, follow these steps.
1. Firstly, launch the Registry Editor tool on your Windows. To do this, you can just press the Windows + R keys on the keyboard. You can also launch the Run prompt and enter the “regedit” command.
2. This will launch the Registry Editor application on the screen. From here, you need to navigate to HKEY_Local_Machine > System > Current Control Set > Control > Storage Device Policies and open the “WriteProtect” file.
3. Avg pc tuneup 2014 key generator download. If you can’t find it, then right-click the “Control” folder and create a new policy by right-clicking it. Name it “StorageDevicePolicies” (without spaces) and create a new DWORD as “WriteProtect”. Make sure the value data field is marked as “0”.
4. In case if the WriteProtect file already exists, then double-click to open it and change the value data to “0”. Just make sure that you are logged-in as an administrator while doing so. Once it is done, you can format the USB drive the usual way.
Method 2: Using Diskpart (Windows)
If you can’t find the write protection switch on your USB drive, then don’t worry. You can manually enable or disable it as well via the Command Prompt. For instance, Windows users can take the assistance of the Diskpart (Disk Partition) utility command to do the same. In order to format a write protected USB drive, simply follow these basic steps.
1. Firstly, connect the USB drive to the system and launch the Command Prompt application from the Start menu. Once it is launched, enter the “Diskpart” command to launch the utility tool.
2. Enter the “list disk” command to view the attached drives. From here, identify the disk identifier from the list.
3. Now, you need to pick your USB drive using the “select” command followed by its identifier.
4. Then, type the “attributes disk clear read only” command, press enter. This will clear the read-only feature from the USB drive.
5. Don’t exit the Command Prompt now as you can also format the USB drive from here. Since the USB drive is already selected, enter the “clean” command to wipe it.
6. Subsequently, enter the command “create partition primary” to create a partition on the drive.
7. In the end, you can use the “format” command to wipe the entire disk and format it in a desired file system. Just type the file system you wish to format it to after the “format” command. For instance, to format the disk to an NTFS system, you can enter “format fs=ntfs”.
Sit back and wait as your USB drive would be formatted to the entered file system. The application will let you know, letting you disconnect the drive or use it the way you like.
Method 3: Using Disk Utility (Mac)
If you have a Mac and you can’t seem to format a write protected USB drive, then don’t worry – you can use its native Disk Utility tool. Therefore, instead of downloading any third-party write protected pen drive format tool or software, you can simply follow these basic steps.
1. Connect your USB drive to your Mac and from the Finder, go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. This will launch the Disk Utility application on the screen with a list of all the attached media on the sidebar. Just go to the left panel and select the connected USB drive.
3. On the right, you can view different options on the toolbar like first aid, partition, info, and more. Click on the “Erase” option from here.
4. A pop-up window will be launched, letting you select the partitioning scheme or file format. From the dropdown list, you can select a compatible file system (like FAT or exFAT) and click on the “Erase” button again.
This will start the formatting of the USB drive in the selected file format. If you wish to use it only on Mac, then you can go with an Apple exclusive file system like HFS+. Though, it is recommended to use a more universal file system like FAT or exFAT to use it on Windows as well.
Part 4: How to Recover Data from a Write-protected USB Flash Drive?
If you have formatted the USB drive accidentally or can’t seem to recover your data from it, then consider using a professional tool. From all the available data recovery tools for USB drives out there, Recoverit would be a go-to option. Developed by Wondershare, the tool runs on every leading Windows and Mac system. It features a user-friendly interface with one of the highest data recovery rates. The application also supports the recovery on all kinds of USB drives. This includes thumb drives from popular brands like SanDisk, Samsung, HP, Sony, Patriot, etc. as well as numerous file systems like NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, and so much more.
Video: How to Recover Lost Data
Even if you have no prior experience of using a data recovery tool, you won’t face any kind of issue using Recoverit. It will also let you preview the extracted data on its interface and select the files you wish to save. Presently, it is compatible with 1000+ different types of files. To use the application, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Select your USB drive location
Install and launch the Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery application on your computer and connect your USB drive to it. From its home, you can view the list of the available sources – internal partitions as well as the connected external media. Select your USB drive from here and click on the “Start” button.
Step 2: Wait for the scan to be over
Sit back and wait for a few minutes as Recoverit would extract all kinds of files from the pen drive. Although you can pause the scan in between, it is recommended to let the process be completed to get the best results.
Step 3: Preview and save your files
Once the process is completed, you can preview the extracted files on the interface. You can preview your photos, videos, documents, etc. In the end, select the content you wish to save and click on the “Recover” button. The interface will let you save the data to any desired location.
This brings us to the end of this extensive guide on how to format a write protected pen drive. I’m sure that after following this step by step tutorial on the same, you would certainly be able to format a write protected USB drive on both Mac and Windows systems. If nothing else would seem to work, then simply take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery. It will help you get back your lost, deleted, or inaccessible data from all sorts of USB drives on Mac or Windows. Since it offers a free version, you can try it on your own without spending anything!
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Oct 29,2019 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
USB drives, pen drives, or thumb drives – no matter what you call them, they all perform the same job related to data storage and management. In a matter of a few years, pen drives have drastically replaced CDs and other storage units. Now, we all use USB drives to transfer our data or maintain its backup. Though, there are times when we wish to format pen drive on Mac. You can do it to erase drive data, troubleshoot a problem, reformat it, and do so much more.
Since Mac gives a one-stop solution to do it all, you won’t face any problem like pen drive not formatting on Mac. To further help you, we have come up with this detailed guide on how to format pen drive on Mac with other related solutions.
Part 1. What is a Pen Drive or Thumb Drive?
Thumb drives (which are also known as USB or flash drives) are extensively used to store data via USB connectivity. As almost all the computers (be it Windows or Mac) have a universal USB slot, it makes the use of flash drives so effortless. You can just plug it into any system and access the stored content in no time. A pen drive can also be used as an installer at times or to maintain a backup of your data.
- You might like to erase all the data present on your pen drive at once.
- Formatting can also help you troubleshoot certain connectivity issues with your flash drive.
- If the USB drive has been infected by a malware, then formatting it can fix the issue at times.
- It can also help you reformat the pen drive and change its file system as well.
- It will let you defragment the drive and make more free space in it.
Part 2. How to Format Pen Drive on Mac
![Format Format](/uploads/1/3/3/9/133939692/345447066.jpg)
Just like Windows, Mac also allows a seamless solution to do pen drive format. To do this, you can take the assistance of Disk Utility, which is a dedicated system component in Mac. It can help you manage system partitions, erase an external unit like a thumb drive, and even repair your disk. Little snitch software update. To learn how to format a pen drive in Mac, you can follow these simple steps:
- Firstly, connect your flash drive to the Mac by inserting it to the correct USB slot. Also, go to Mac’s Finder > Applications > Utilities and launch “Disk Utility” from here.
- As the Disk Utility window would open, you can view the connected pen drive labeled under the “External” devices on the left. Simply select your pen drive to view its storage settings on the right.
- In order to format the pen drive, you need to click on the “Erase” button on its toolbar.
- This will open the following pop-up menu. From here, you can change the name of the pen drive, its format, and scheme. There are different kinds of formats available for thumb drives, which are discussed later in this post.
- Lastly, you can change the scheme for the connected pen drive as well. While GUID and Master Boot support both Windows and Mac, the Apple Partition Map would only run on Mac.
- After making the appropriate selections, just click on the “Erase” button, and wait for the pen drive to be formatted entirely.
That’s it! In the end when you are informed that the thumb drive has been successfully formatted, you can unmount it safely from your Mac.
Let's get the ways of formatting USB to FAT32 together.
Video Tutorial on How to Format a USB Flash Drive on Mac
Part 3. How to Check the Pen Drive Format
A lot of users choose to format pen drive to change its format. If you also have the same requirements, then consider checking the existing pen drive format first. Chances are that it might be of an ideal format beforehand. Here’s how you can check the format of thumb drive on Mac.
- Simply attach the pen drive to your Mac by inserting it into the USB slot.
- Launch Finder once the pen drive is detected by Mac. You can see its dedicated icon on the left panel.
- Select your pen drive from here and right-click to get its context menu. Click on the “Get Info” option to proceed.
- This will display a pop-up with crucial details related to the connected pen drive. Here, you can view the format of the selected USB drive.
While formatting a pen drive, users get an option to change its format. Ideally, Mac supports different pen drive formats for a USB drive that you can pick from, as per your convenience.
- ExFAT: The Extended FAT is one of the most common formats out there. It works smoothly on every major platform like Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, and even Linux.
- FAT: While the File Allocation Table format also supports cross-platform compatibility, it is not as reliable as exFAT. For instance, it supports the maximum file size of 4 GB. Ideally, it is best-suited for systems with FAT32.
- OS X (Journaled): This is the traditional native file format for macOS, which is commonly known as the HFS+ format. Apart from storing data, it can also be used as a Time Machine backup.
- OS X (Case-sensitive, Journaled): This is similar to the previous option, with a case-sensitive feature. Although Mac is not case-sensitive, systems like UNIX are.
- OS X Extended (Journaled, Encrypted): If you want to protect your thumb drive, then go for this option. It is similar to the OS X Journaled version with encryption. That is, users are required to authenticate (via password) to access it.
- OS X Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted): This is an encrypted and case-sensitive version of OS X Journaled.
Part 4. How to Remove History on Mac Firefox
By now, you must be able to reformat thumb drive on Mac without any trouble. If you are finding it hard to access the pen drive content on Mac, then don’t worry. The operating system is pretty user-friendly and will let you access the connected pen drive without any trouble.
- Firstly, make sure that the pen drive has been properly inserted on your Mac’s USB slot. As soon as the pen drive is detected, you will get its shortcut on the desktop. Just double-click it, or right-click and open it.
- Alternatively, you can also access the USB drive content via Finder as well. Go to Mac’s desktop and click on Finder > File > New Finder Window. This will open a new Finder Window on your Mac.
- On the left sidebar, you can see all the shortcuts and partitions. Under the “Devices” or “External” tab, you can see your pen drive’s icon. Just double-click it to open its file system.
- In the end, after when you have finished working with the pen drive, you can unmount it. Select the pen drive’s icon and right-click it to get its context menu. Click on the Eject option to safely remove it.
Part 5. How to Recover Deleted History on Mac
If you are lucky, then you would be able to format pen drive on Mac without facing any setback. Though, chances are that you might get the “Pen Drive Not Formatting” error on Mac as well. Try following these simple yet smart solutions to fix the pen drive not formatting issue on Mac.
• Reinsert the USB drive
If you have not properly inserted the USB drive to Mac, then you might encounter this issue. To fix this, just remove the pen drive and clean the USB slot on your Mac. After a while, insert it once again, and check if it has been detected or not.
• Reinsert the USB drive
If you have not properly inserted the USB drive to Mac, then you might encounter this issue. To fix this, just remove the pen drive and clean the USB slot on your Mac. After a while, insert it once again, and check if it has been detected or not.
• Check the format
Best Drive Format For Mac
Some formats of the pen drive, like NTFS are not supported by Mac. You can go to the thumb drive’s properties to view its format. In case if it has an NTFS format, then you need to use a third-party tool to access it or format the flash drive on Windows instead.
• Fix the USB drive
There might be some problem with the USB drive storage as well. In order to fix this, go to Mac’s Applications and launch Disk Utility on it. Select the connected pen drive and click on the “First Aid” option from its toolbar. This will check the USB storage and would try to fix its file system as well.
• Reset PRAM
The Parameter Random Access Memory on Mac can also lead to the pen drive not formatting issue. Luckily, it can easily be fixed by restarting Mac. Power it off or simply restart it from the Finder. While Mac is restarting, press the Command + Option + P + R keys at the same time to reset its PRAM.
• Update macOS
If your Mac is running on an outdated version, then it might encounter compatibility issues with the connected pen drive. The easiest way to update its drivers and firmware is by upgrading it to a stable version. Just click on the Apple menu on Finder and select “Software Update”. This will make your system look for the recent macOS update that is compatible with it.
Part 6. How to Perform Pen Drive Data Recovery on Mac
Format Drive For Mac And Pc Large Files
Sometimes, users end up formatting a pen drive by mistake as well. If you also have accidentally deleted data on Mac or have formatted a pen drive, then take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery Mac. Developed by Wondershare, it is one of the most advanced and trusted data recovery tools for Mac. The latest update of Recoverit 8.0 has been released that is equipped with tons of high-end features. You can now recover all kinds of data from Mac or a pen drive with a single click.
- Using Recoverit 8.0, you can get back your lost photos, videos, documents, compressed files, and numerous kinds of data easily.
- The application is known to produce exceptional results in less time. It also features a user-friendly and intuitive interface that does not require any prior technical knowledge.
- It supports data recovery on all types of USB drives. This includes pen drives from brands like Kingston, SanDisk, Sony, HP, Samsung, and more. Also, it supports leading file formats like NTFS, HFS, FAT, exFAT, etc.
- The interface will let you preview the extracted data first. Later, users can selectively save their files to a location of their choice.
- Recoverit supports data recovery under every possible scenario like formatted drive, accidental deletion, malware attack, and so on.
If you want to perform pen drive data recovery using Wondershare Recoverit 8.0, then simply follow these basic steps:
Step 1: Connect your USB drive and select it
Firstly, connect your pen drive to your Mac and make sure it is detected by it successfully. Subsequently, launch Wondershare Recoverit 8.0 and pick a location to scan. In this case, it will be the connected USB drive. If you want, you can browse to a specific location as well.
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Step 2: Scan for any lost content
Format Drive For Mac And Pc Compatibility
During the data recovery process, you are expected to wait for it to be completed. The interface will let you know the progress on the screen. Kindly don’t disconnect the pen drive from Mac as of now to get better results.
Step 3: Recover your data
In the end, when the data recovery process is completed, you will be notified. Now, you can preview your photos, videos, and documents on the interface and select the files of your choice. Click on the “Recover” button and save them to a trusted location. It is recommended not to save them back to the USB drive.
Conclusion
By following this informative guide, you would certainly be able to format pen drive on Mac. Apart from that, we have also discussed ways to fix issues like pen drive not formatting as well. Though, if you have accidentally formatted your flash drive, then take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery. Being one of the best data recovery tools, it will certainly help you in an unforeseen data loss scenario. You can download its freely available version and keep it handy to do pen drive data recovery during any unwanted situation.
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