32GB USB "Suddenly" is Write Protected; Cannot Format or Delete Files?

Compumind said:

I would also like to add to the great comments above, one item...

If you are using a OEM USB OS Restore Drive, like HP or Dell, you will also find that you cannot easily reuse those 8 GB OS resident drives. Write protected.
There are Russian utilities to do this, but is it worth the time? I say no.

If your SanDisk is within warranty, it is a fairly easy process to replace:

Online RMA Request

That's all.

>If you are using a OEM USB OS Restore Drive, like HP or Dell

No.

>There are Russian utilities to do this

I wonder if Trump knows a guy : )

>If your SanDisk is within warranty

That's a thought. Thanks, though I purchased several of these right or around winter '17 just prior to getting a Lenovo Thinkpad P51 (my first new computer in 8 years!) so I don't know if the standard warranty lasts for longer then a year though some credit cards do double the manufacturer's warranty so I dunno. Sounds like a lot of work : ) Here's hoping that one of the above suggestions works.

RickC said:

The DiskPart screenshot shows the USB stick recognised as only 8GB, not 32GB. Have you checked that it's a genuine SanDisk Ultra stick and not a fake 8GB stick re-engineered to appear like the capacity is 32GB? Suddenly showing a reduced capacity and changing behaviour is also a classic symptom of a fake stick when you copy files over to it that overwhelm its 'real' capacity.

I've used tools like PassMark BurnInTest, ChipGenius, RMPrepUSB's FakeFlashTest, Flash Drive/Card Tester and H2testw to determine the 'real' tested capacity versus the 'claimed' (and entirely 'fake') capacity and whether chip controllers are branded or generic.

Have a look at this RMPrepUSB article for (much) more info about testing for fakes and download links for testers. IMO it's a very interesting read, if nothing else.

Hope this helps...

>The DiskPart screenshot shows the USB stick recognised as only 8GB, not 32GB.


My bad. That screen shot is just a generic "guide" outlining the steps to take which I saved for reference and does not represent my physical 32GB Sandisk drive.

Compumind said:

I would call or email SanDisk and open a support ticket. If you don't have the receipt, tell them that you received it as a gift.

Also see here -

https://www.sandisk.com/about/legal/...warranty-table

Good luck!

https://www.sandisk.com/about/legal/...warranty-table

Very,very cool:

SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive 5 years

If I am reading that table right and granted I don't have the flash drive in front of me but that would be awesome. I'll probably even submit a request when I get home tonight even before I try the other potential fixes listed above. Thanks so much.

Hello!

I had exactly the same problem. Nothing works. If the device is still under Warranty, you could try replacing it from the store you bought it. That's what I did. Otherwise, just throw it away and buy another. Don't waste your time, I tried many tools for Windows and Linux, nothing works.

spapakons said:

Hello!

I had exactly the same problem. Nothing works. If the device is still under Warranty, you could try replacing it from the store you bought it. That's what I did. Otherwise, just throw it away and buy another. Don't waste your time, I tried many tools for Windows and Linux, nothing works.

>If the device is still under Warranty, you could try replacing it from the store you bought it

No longer under store warranty since purchased at the end of 2017 though it is still covered under manufacturer's warranty ( 5 yrs.) in fact just this morning SanDisk sent me a prepaid RMA USPS label to send the drive back for replacement!

However there is a secondary issue that has given me pause about sending it back to the address they supplied and though the US mail:

Arvato Digital Services LLC

11500 80th Ave

Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158-2909

Since I am unable to write or format the drive it currently contains Adult (legal) content : ) and I am wondering about sending that through the US mail. I know that adult dvds and other content are regularly sent through the mail but who needs that hassle should someone on the other end (community standards) objects. I looked on GOOGLE and REDDIT for guidance but came up empty.

At this point I consider it a moral victory that they have sent me a prepaid RMA for this 10.00 32 GB USB 3.0 drive. Since I have the time I will be stopping by the post office today to get there take on whether or not there is any jeopardy involved in sending this type of media content through the mail and particularly to Pleasant Prairie, WI