How to Solve a Write-Protected Hard Drive in Windows 11

How to Check Write Protection Status

Using Windows File Explorer

Windows File Explorer is a simple and easy-to-use tool to check the write protection status on your drive.

  1. Open Windows File Explorer.
  2. Right-click on the drive you want to check and select ‘Properties’.
  3. Under the ‘General’ tab, look for the ‘Attributes’ section and check if the option ‘Read-only’ aktif.

Checking BIOS/UEFI Settings

BIOS/UEFI sometimes have settings for write protection, especially for internal drives.

  1. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI by pressing the appropriate key (usually F2, F10, DEL, or ESC) while booting.
  2. Navigate to the Security or Boot menu  and look for options related to Write Protection.
  3. Make sure there are no settings that enable Write Protection on your drive.

Using Command Prompt

Command Prompt allows you to check the write protection status with the diskpart command.

  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
  2. Type diskpart and press Enter.
  3. After logging in to the Diskpart, type list disk and press Enter to display all disks.
  4. Type select disk X (replace X with the relevant disk number) and press Enter.
  5. Type attributes disk and press Enter. It will display the status of atribut disk, including whether the disk is write-protected.

Effective Methods of Removing Write Protection

Using Diskpart

Diskpart is a built-in Windows tool that you can use to manage disks and partitions on your computer.

Detailed Steps Using Diskpart

  1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
  2. Type diskpart and press Enter.
  3. Enter list disk to display all available disks.
  4. Select the desired disk with select disk X (replace X with the relevant disk number).
  5. Type attributes disk clear readonly to remove the write-protected status.

Diskpart Command Example

diskpart
list disk
select disk 1
attributes disk clear readonly

Using Registry Editor

Registry Editor allows you to change registry settings that could affect the Write Protection status of the drive.

Registry Editing Guide

  1. Open Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Windows search box and pressing Enter.
  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.
  3. Find the WriteProtect value  and change the data to 0.

Edit Registry Case Examples

Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
Value: WriteProtect
Data: 0

Using Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor allows you to set group policies that can control Write Protection on the drive.

Steps to Use Group Policy Editor

  1. Open Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc in the Windows search box and pressing Enter.
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Removable Storage Access.
  3. Find and change the All  Removable Storage classes: Deny all access setting to Disabled.

Group Policy Editor Use Case Study

Path: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Removable Storage Access
Setting: All Removable Storage classes: Deny all access
State: Disabled
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Using Third-Party Software

Some third-party software offers solutions to remove Write Protection with a more user-friendly interface.

Best Software Recommendations

  • EaseUS Partition Master: This software provides features to manage partitions and remove Write Protection.
  • AOMEI Partition Assistant: This tool also allows Write Protection deletion and efficient partition management.

EaseUS Partition Master Software Usage Guide

  1. Download and install EaseUS Partition Master.
  2. Open the app and select the drive write protected.
  3. Right-click on the drive and select ‘Check partition’.
  4. Follow the instructions to scan and fix problems with the drive.

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