Question Trying to format write protected USB drive which has 2 "disks"

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rasmasyean

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Mar 15, 2008
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So I got this promo brochure USB which when plugged in, registers as 2 drives in File Explorer.
One is filled with the company's literature and labeled "ATI".
The other empty and is labeled "USB".

I've tried to format it and make it one single drive, but the ATI portion is write protected and I can't seem to be able to get rid of it. The "diskpart" utility lists both as separate "disks". Could this mean that one part is some type of ROM, while the other part is a true USB drive? They aren't partitions? When I try to clear the "readonly", it says it worked, but it's still "yes" and doesn't let me do anything to the ATI disk.
 
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Plug in the flash drive
Copy off any data you need from the flashdrive to another drive.
Run command prompt as admin.
Then run diskpart
when diskpart loads type in list disk and hit enter.
from the list of disks, figure out which one is the flash drive and then type in select disk x (and hit enter) where x=the number it gave the flashdrive in the list.
enter in the clean command next
when clean is done, enter in the create partition primary command
now enter in the active command
Next enter in format fs=exfat label="Put in a name here" quick
- (fs is the filesystem so if you wish fat32 or ntfs then use those. exfat has the most compatibility between different systems)
- (the label name needs to be in quotes, there may be a 11 character limit, ntfs may have 32)
- (quick is optional, leave it off if you want a full format instead)

And when the format is done, your drive should be ready to go.
 
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popatim said:
Plug in the flash drive
Copy off any data you need from the flashdrive to another drive.
Run command prompt as admin.
Then run diskpart
when diskpart loads type in list disk and hit enter.
from the list of disks, figure out which one is the flash drive and then type in select disk x (and hit enter) where x=the number it gave the flashdrive in the list.
enter in the clean command next
when clean is done, enter in the create partition primary command
now enter in the active command
Next enter in format fs=exfat label="Put in a name here" quick
- (fs is the filesystem so if you wish fat32 or ntfs then use those. exfat has the most compatibility between different systems)
  • (the label name needs to be in quotes, there may be a 11 character limit, ntfs may have 32)

  • [*](

quick is optional, leave it off if you want a full format instead)

And when the format is done, your drive should be ready to go.
Click to expand...


It's stubbornly "write protected".

clean gives this

DiskPart has encountered an error: The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.
See the System Event Log for more information.


even if I do this:

DISKPART> attributes disk clear readonly

Disk attributes cleared successfully.


It doesn't work...

DISKPART> attributes disk
Current Read-only State : Yes
Read-only : No
Boot Disk : No
Pagefile Disk : No
Hibernation File Disk : No
Crashdump Disk : No
Clustered Disk : No


In other words. The USB drive doesn't seem to want to be un-write-protected even though it says "Disk attributes cleared successfully.".
 
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onespeedbiker said:
Try one of these and see if one works https://www.easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/remove-write-protection-in-windows-10-8-7.html
Click to expand...


I can't seem to try the BitLocker part. I don't seem to have that on my computer. I'm using Windows 10 on a tablet so maybe that's a different version?

I did notice however, that in "Disk Management", both volumes (ATI and USB, listed as Disk 2 and Disk 3) are listed as separate disks and each:
"Healthy (Active, Primary Partition)"

Although ATI is "Read Only" vs. "Online".

In contrast, the Disk 0 has 3 partitions (where clicking on each volume highlights the particular partition). Disk 1 is an SD card and has only one partition which is expected.

So unless I'm misunderstanding something, it doesn't look like ATI and USB are separate partitions of the same USB drive. It looks like there are 2 USB drives in one stick???
 
Last edited:
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Yes, I had a similar issue with a USB that was GPT formatted. Windows just doesn't like deleting active partitions, so you are going to have to use a third party utility to do so. I have the paid version of EaseUS Partition Master Pro, and it deletes any partition with the push of a button (but you need the paid version). Once that is done your can use the Partition Master Pro Wipe Data to clear the USB of data, but it takes about an hour, so you might want to go back use the Diskpart "clean" command, which should take less time. I'm only touting EaseUS Partition Master because I know what it can do, it's very possible you can find free partition software that will do the job for nothing.
 
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fzabkar said:
Could we see the contents of sector 0 of each drive? You could use a disc editor such as DMDE.

https://dmde.com/

What does ChipGenius tell you about each drive?

http://flashboot.ru/files/file/448/
Click to expand...


Like this?


First one: labeled "ATI"
33 C0 8E D0 BC 00 7C FB 50 07 50 1F FC BE 1B 7C
BF 1B 06 50 57 B9 E5 01 F3 A4 CB BD BE 07 B1 04
38 6E 00 7C 09 75 13 83 C5 10 E2 F4 CD 18 8B F5
83 C6 10 49 74 19 38 2C 74 F6 A0 B5 07 B4 07 8B
F0 AC 3C 00 74 FC BB 07 00 B4 0E CD 10 EB F2 88
4E 10 E8 46 00 73 2A FE 46 10 80 7E 04 0B 74 0B
80 7E 04 0C 74 05 A0 B6 07 75 D2 80 46 02 06 83
46 08 06 83 56 0A 00 E8 21 00 73 05 A0 B6 07 EB
BC 81 3E FE 7D 55 AA 74 0B 80 7E 10 00 74 C8 A0
B7 07 EB A9 8B FC 1E 57 8B F5 CB BF 05 00 8A 56
00 B4 08 CD 13 72 23 8A C1 24 3F 98 8A DE 8A FC
43 F7 E3 8B D1 86 D6 B1 06 D2 EE 42 F7 E2 39 56
0A 77 23 72 05 39 46 08 73 1C B8 01 02 BB 00 7C
8B 4E 02 8B 56 00 CD 13 73 51 4F 74 4E 32 E4 8A
56 00 CD 13 EB E4 8A 56 00 60 BB AA 55 B4 41 CD
13 72 36 81 FB 55 AA 75 30 F6 C1 01 74 2B 61 60
6A 00 6A 00 FF 76 0A FF 76 08 6A 00 68 00 7C 6A
01 6A 10 B4 42 8B F4 CD 13 61 61 73 0E 4F 74 0B
32 E4 8A 56 00 CD 13 EB D6 61 F9 C3 49 6E 76 61
6C 69 64 20 70 61 72 74 69 74 69 6F 6E 20 74 61
62 6C 65 00 45 72 72 6F 72 20 6C 6F 61 64 69 6E
67 20 6F 70 65 72 61 74 69 6E 67 20 73 79 73 74
65 6D 00 4D 69 73 73 69 6E 67 20 6F 70 65 72 61
74 69 6E 67 20 73 79 73 74 65 6D 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 2C 44 63 FE DB BC BC 00 00 80 01
3A 00 0B 7D 63 9A 78 00 00 00 88 9F 64 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 AA



Second one: labeled "USB"
33 C0 8E D0 BC 00 7C 8E C0 8E D8 BE 00 7C BF 00
06 B9 00 02 FC F3 A4 50 68 1C 06 CB FB B9 04 00
BD BE 07 80 7E 00 00 7C 0B 0F 85 0E 01 83 C5 10
E2 F1 CD 18 88 56 00 55 C6 46 11 05 C6 46 10 00
B4 41 BB AA 55 CD 13 5D 72 0F 81 FB 55 AA 75 09
F7 C1 01 00 74 03 FE 46 10 66 60 80 7E 10 00 74
26 66 68 00 00 00 00 66 FF 76 08 68 00 00 68 00
7C 68 01 00 68 10 00 B4 42 8A 56 00 8B F4 CD 13
9F 83 C4 10 9E EB 14 B8 01 02 BB 00 7C 8A 56 00
8A 76 01 8A 4E 02 8A 6E 03 CD 13 66 61 73 1C FE
4E 11 75 0C 80 7E 00 80 0F 84 8A 00 B2 80 EB 84
55 32 E4 8A 56 00 CD 13 5D EB 9E 81 3E FE 7D 55
AA 75 6E FF 76 00 E8 8D 00 75 17 FA B0 D1 E6 64
E8 83 00 B0 DF E6 60 E8 7C 00 B0 FF E6 64 E8 75
00 FB B8 00 BB CD 1A 66 23 C0 75 3B 66 81 FB 54
43 50 41 75 32 81 F9 02 01 72 2C 66 68 07 BB 00
00 66 68 00 02 00 00 66 68 08 00 00 00 66 53 66
53 66 55 66 68 00 00 00 00 66 68 00 7C 00 00 66
61 68 00 00 07 CD 1A 5A 32 F6 EA 00 7C 00 00 CD
18 A0 B7 07 EB 08 A0 B6 07 EB 03 A0 B5 07 32 E4
05 00 07 8B F0 AC 3C 00 74 09 BB 07 00 B4 0E CD
10 EB F2 F4 EB FD 2B C9 E4 64 EB 00 24 02 E0 F8
24 02 C3 49 6E 76 61 6C 69 64 20 70 61 72 74 69
74 69 6F 6E 20 74 61 62 6C 65 00 45 72 72 6F 72
20 6C 6F 61 64 69 6E 67 20 6F 70 65 72 61 74 69
6E 67 20 73 79 73 74 65 6D 00 4D 69 73 73 69 6E
67 20 6F 70 65 72 61 74 69 6E 67 20 73 79 73 74
65 6D 00 00 00 63 7B 9A 20 56 50 0D 00 00 80 20
21 00 0C FE BF 46 00 08 00 00 00 18 8F 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 AA
 
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http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/temp/MBRs.txt

Each drive has its own MBR partition table. I suspect that the flash drive's firmware may be configured so that it enumerates as a multifunction device. If so, then any changes would need to be made at the firmware level. To this end ChipGenius would identify the flash controller and the NAND chips. Then you could use the appropriate MPTool to reconfigure the device.
 
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The flash drive is pretty small:
3.38 GB + 4.80 GB

I have a bunch of erasable 8 GB flash "promo USB flash drives" I'm not even using so I could just toss it out if I don't like the company literature in it. But I was just baffled by this read-only sectioned off partition thing that can't be modified.

So let me see if I understand this correctly. Each flash drive has custom "firmware" that controls the access to mixed-manufacturer semiconductor products on it. I would have to identify each part and try to find a download to "flash" it sort of like a BIOS? Sounds like a project as it took me a while just to figure out the Sector 0 part. lol

Given that ATI seemed to have nearly completely filled the 3.38 GB part (odd number) with 17.5 MB free space, could the origin of this USB drive be a custom made job by some contract manufacturer just for them? Like it would take too long to load 1,000 USB drives with 3.38 GB each, so perhaps each memory chip was preprogramed (including controller) prior to mounting onto the board and assembling the case? Is it even possible that the 3.38 portion be ROM? Kind of like what popatim is referring to...that is...2 different drives in one stick?
 
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ChipGenius says this.

------------------------------

Description: [E:][G:]USB Mass Storage Device(USB/USB Flash Disk/Flash Disk)
Device Type: Mass Storage Device

Protocal Version: USB 2.00
Current Speed: High Speed
Max Current: 500mA

USB Device ID: VID = 090C PID = 1000
Serial Number: SCY8E88WKFQD20YH

Device Vendor: USB
Device Name: Flash Disk
Device Revision: 1100

Manufacturer: USB/USB
Product Model: Flash Disk/Flash Disk
Product Revision: 1100/1100

Controller Vendor: SMI
Controller Part-Number: SM3270AC1
Flash ID code: AD3A1403 - Hynix - 1CE/Single Channel [MLC] -> Total Capacity = 16GB

Tools on web: http://dl.mydigit.net/special/up/smi.html


Possible Flash Part-Number
----------------------------
Unknown


Flash ID mapping table
----------------------------
[Channel 0] [Channel 1]
AD3A1403 --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
-------- --------
 
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Last edited:
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rasmasyean said:
So I got this promo brochure USB which when plugged in, registers as 2 drives in File Explorer.
One is filled with the company's literature and labeled "ATI".
The other empty and is labeled "USB".

I've tried to format it and make it one single drive, but the ATI portion is write protected and I can't seem to be able to get rid of it. The "diskpart" utility lists both as separate "disks". Could this mean that one part is some type of ROM, while the other part is a true USB drive? They aren't partitions? When I try to clear the "readonly", it says it worked, but it's still "yes" and doesn't let me do anything to the ATI disk.
Click to expand...

Spend $10 and get another drive, those drives are made to be used as two separate drives, one is that company files which is made to not be removable, the other is the part you can use. I have seen plenty of those promo drives, the part with the company info is made as read only.

If you really need a 16gb drive, you can get them for under $10. Here is a basic 32gb drive for $6 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kingston-DataTraveler-G4-32GB-USB-3-0-Flash-Drive-Red/33455384
 
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jsmithepa said:
This maybe a USB-Rom!
Click to expand...
SanDisk did this a while back, when they were distributing that U3 travesty on many of their flash drives.

IIRC, the consumer outrage put that kind of thing to rest, because there was--supposedly--no way to get rid of the read-only contents; and, yes, the read-only contents were purported to be in something like an un-rewritable Joliet format (or one of its analogues).
 
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popatim said:
Plug in the flash drive
Copy off any data you need from the flashdrive to another drive.
Run command prompt as admin.
Then run diskpart
when diskpart loads type in list disk and hit enter.
from the list of disks, figure out which one is the flash drive and then type in select disk x (and hit enter) where x=the number it gave the flashdrive in the list.
enter in the clean command next
when clean is done, enter in the create partition primary command
now enter in the active command
Next enter in format fs=exfat label="Put in a name here" quick
- (fs is the filesystem so if you wish fat32 or ntfs then use those. exfat has the most compatibility between different systems)
- (the label name needs to be in quotes, there may be a 11 character limit, ntfs may have 32)
- (quick is optional, leave it off if you want a full format instead)

And when the format is done, your drive should be ready to go.
Click to expand...
I"m about 6 years late, but this just helped me out. thanks.
 
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