When I try to format my bootable USB flash drive, the computer shows it is write-protected. I have tried some methods, like editing regedit and cmd mentioned online, but all of that did not work. How can I bring back the USB flash drive to its normal working state? Thanks in advance.
According to your description, I can learn that your bootable USB flash drive has been in a state of write protection. Therefore, if you want to fix the bootable USB flash drive write-protected error, you need to turn the bootable USB flash drive into a non-write-protected state. Based on that you have tried some ways, like editing the registry and cmd, I would like to recommend some other methods according to my experience.
If you're experiencing a "disk is write-protected" error with your USB flash drive, try checking the physical switch on the device. Most modern bootable pen drives, such as SanDisk, Sony, Kingston, and others, have a physical lock switch that controls the ability to read and write. Simply toggle the switch to the "unlock" position from "lock" to resolve the issue and format your USB flash drive freely again.
If your bootable USB flash drive doesn't have a physical switch, you can use the Qiling Disk Master software to fix the error. This third-party software provides a simple and operable way to resolve the issue.
Here is how to do it:
Step 1. Download and install Qiling Disk Master.
Step 2. Enter into the Toolkit section, and click "Write Protection."
Step 3. Select your write-protected bootable USB flash drive, and click "Disable."
Following the above steps, it is hopeful to fix your issue. If you're interested, there are other functions of the Qiling Disk Master software, which you can read on.
The above methods explain how to remove write protection from a bootable USB flash drive. This should help resolve the write-protected bootable USB flash drive error. Additionally, the Qiling Disk Master tool can also be used to format devices, making it a professional USB format tool. After removing write protection, you can use it to format your USB flash drive. Give it a try.