How to only write protect a single partition on USB flash drive

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  1. Posts : 24
    w7 Pro x64
       #1

    How to only write protect a single partition on USB flash drive


    Hi. I am looking (so far unsuccessfully) for a way to write-protect (set as read only) a single partition (i.e. a volume) of my usb pen so that the write protection (read-only) carries thru when I use it on other machines.

    My point is that I have a usb pen that I carry around and work on on various machines. I've partitioned the pen in 2 partitions so one is where I work on (I write on) and the other is my own database, which I want to lock as read-only. Reason being is that the various machines I work on have anti-vir systems and those go ahead, scans my pen and deletes my private stuff on it (even delete files inside archives [Kaspersky did that]).

    DISKPART and 'att vol set readonly' does not work - says 'operation not supported on removable media'.

    To narrow things down - I'm only working on Windows 7 and 10 machines, no other OS.

    As I said - I don't want to set the whole disk(drive) as read-only. Instead I want to set a single partition (volume) from it as read-only.
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  2. Posts : 24
    w7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #2

    If anyone should want to ask why I split it in 2 partitions (volumes) - because 1 is FAT32 and the other NTFS for varying purposes.
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  3. Posts : 18
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #3

    I think it's setup so as to only be able to protect the drives and not the volumes. I may be proved wrong though!
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  4. Posts : 8,057
    windows 10
       #4

    If its ntfs you could set permissions
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  5. Posts : 18
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #5

    Samuria said:
    If its ntfs you could set permissions
    So what your saying is the ntfs section can be manipulated to protect, but your unsure as to whether the FAT32 can? If anyone would like to jump in here...
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  6. Posts : 18
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #6

    soewhaty said:
    If anyone should want to ask why I split it in 2 partitions (volumes) - because 1 is FAT32 and the other NTFS for varying purposes.
    This may reason out your problem!
    How to write-protect USB pen? - Windows 10 Forums
    Comment 5
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  7. Posts : 18
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #7

    Which do you want to protect. Windows or FAT32.
    If windows it's likely only the disk can be done!
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  8. Posts : 24
    w7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Samuria said:
    If its ntfs you could set permissions
    Yes .. elaborate on that pls in the context of what I'm asking for. Context being - I carry my USB around and work on it on various Windows machines. I've partitioned the pen in 2 partitions so one is where I work on (I write on) and the other is my own database, which I want to lock as read-only.


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  9. Posts : 24
    w7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Mr Bee said:
    This may reason out your problem!
    How to write-protect USB pen? - Windows 10 Forums
    Comment 5
    Thanks, I already addressed this issue in the OP, saying that I work with my USB pen on various Windows machines only. So... the whole point is not to set up 1 PC to not write on pen drives or not to write on a particular pen drive but rather the other way around - manipulate the pen drive itself so taken to any Windows machine it stays read only ...
    Last edited by soewhaty; 14 Mar 2019 at 16:32.
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  10. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #10

    soewhaty said:
    I'm only working on Windows 7 and 10 machines, no other OS.
    IIRC, Windows 7 will only see first partition though. Have you tested your USB on 7 and it can see second partition?

    Windows seeing multiple USB partitions is new to Windows 10 (but see windows xp - USB sticks and multiple partitions - Super User for hacks on earlier versions).

    In any case anything you set (to be read only) can be undone unless you have a hardware switch (like on SD card) which applies to whole drive.

    Perhaps encryption (bitlocker, encrypted 7z/zip file or veracrypt container) would be a solution.
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