4 Ways to Fix PNY 128 GB Flash Drive Write Protected

Updated by

Tracy King 

Written by

Linda 

Updated on April 22, 2024

As we know, write protection is a common issue that occurs with USB flash drives. Once it's accidentally enabled, users are unable to edit or delete data on the write-protected device, which can hinder productivity. So, how do we remove write protection from a USB drive like a PNY 128 GB flash drive? If you're struggling with a write-protection problem on your PNY 128 GB flash drive and are unsure how to proceed, tools provide four reliable solutions to help you tackle this tricky issue. Continue reading to find detailed instructions in this article.

How to Fix PNY 128 GB Flash Drive Write Protected - 4 Methods

This section will present four practical and proven methods to quickly and efficiently disable the write protection on a PNY 128 GB flash drive. Follow the step-by-step instructions to learn how to utilize these methods. Prior to proceeding, we will compare the four approaches and summarize their key information in the table below to assist you in selecting the ideal solution:

Method 1: Remove Write Protection with Tools - Partition Master

It's frustrating when write protection stops you from utilizing certain features of an external drive, and you're not alone in needing help resolving the PNY 128 GB Flash Drive Write Protected issue. Fortunately, the Partition Master tool comes to the rescue in such situations. It offers a professional "Write Protection" feature that enables you to disable write protection on a flash drive with just a few clicks.

Moreover, this write protection removal tool features a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process.

Step 1. Download and install Partition Master. Go to the Toolkit section and click "Write Protection".

Click "Remove Write Protection"

Step 2. Select your write-protected USB, USB external disk or SD card, and click "Disable".

Other Key Features of Partition Master Tools

In addition to removing write protection on USB flash drives, Partition Master can also help you in the following situations:

Translate the following into English:
• Format the hard drive in Windows 10.
• Smoothly format a corrupted and unreadable SD Card.
• Format a write-protected USB flash drive.

Download and install this all-in-one tool if you need professional solutions for the scenarios mentioned above:

Method 2: Run Firmware Updates to Disable Write Protection

According to PNY Flash Drive Support, some write-protected USB flash drives pass their quality test. In this case, you can download a new USB Firmware Update for the PNY 128 GB flash drive from the PNY official website to remove the write protection. Another workable solution provided by the PNY company is to obtain a USB Flash Driver Fix Tool from the same official website as an alternative, which can fix the write-protected issue perfectly.

Method 3: Clear Write-Protected Attribute via Diskpart

Occasionally, a storage device may become Read-only, which is a state of write-protection error. The third solution to the disk write protection issue is to remove the read-only status using the command line, allowing the device to be writable once more. Follow these steps carefully to learn how to remove write protection from your PNY 128 GB flash drive using Diskpart:

< strong >Step 1. Go to the search window in the taskbar and type < strong >cmd.

< strong >Step 2.< / strong > Type the following command lines in the Command Prompt, and click "Enter" after each one.

1. diskpart
2. list disk
3. select disk # (Replace # with the number of your write-protected USB.)
4. attributes disk clear readonly

Step 3. Type exit to close.

Method 4: Use Registry Editor to Fix Write Protection

The Registry Editor is like a database in Windows where you can change the settings for how Windows and your apps work. So, you can use it to fix the write protection problem on your PNY 128 GB flash drive. But be really careful, because if you mess up, you could seriously hurt your Windows system and make it not work at all. Just make sure to follow the steps closely.

Step 1. Press the "Windows + R" keys to open "Run," type regedit in the box, and run it as an administrator.

< strong >Step 2. < /strong > Navigate to the following path and find "StorageDevicePolicies."

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.

Important: If there is no StorageDevicePolicies, right-click the Control folder, select New, then Key. Name it StorageDevicePolicies, then open it.

Step 3. Right-click "StorageDevicePolicies" and change the "Value data" to 0. If there is no "WriteProtect" option, manually create one: click "New" > "DWORD Value." Name it "WriteProtect."

If the above 4 solutions have helped you resolve the write-protected issue, share this post on your social media platform:

Why Is My PNY 128 GB Flash Drive Write Protected? My PNY 128 GB flash drive suddenly became write-protected, and I can't save any new files or delete existing ones. How do I remove the write protection and regain full functionality?

Following the four solutions, you might be interested in knowing the possible reasons behind this issue. Several factors can contribute to this problem, and this section will delve into the primary reasons that may cause write protection. Let's examine the reasons that could lead to this error:

Here are the translations of the given text into English:
• There is a corrupted file or partition on the PNY 128 GB flash drive.
Translation: There is a damaged file or partition on the PNY 128 GB USB flash drive.
• The flash drive gets infected by viruses or malware.
Translation: The USB drive has been infected with viruses or malware.
• The USB flash drive was set in Read Only attributes.
Translation: The USB flash drive has been configured with Read-Only attributes.
• The USB may be encrypted by third-party write protection software.
Translation: The USB drive might be encrypted by a third-party write-protection software.
• There is physical damage to the PNY 128 GB flash drive.
Translation: There is physical damage to the PNY 128 GB USB flash drive.

Conclusion

On this page, we've discussed four practical solutions to help you resolve the PNY 128 GB flash drive write-protected issue. In terms of high efficiency and shorter duration, the tool Partition Master is your best option for fixing the PNY 128 GB flash drive write protection. The other methods might take much longer, resulting in wasted time. Install this tool to easily make your PNY 128 GB flash drive writable once more. For more information on drive write protection, you can refer to the following articles to find answers:

Frequently Asked Questions About PNY 128 GB Flash Drive Write Protected

If you have additional questions regarding the PNY 128 GB flash drive write protection, this section provides some common FAQs and their corresponding answers.

< strong >1. Why is my hard drive write-protected?< /strong >

This issue might be caused by the administrator restrictions of the Windows operating system, a corrupted registry entry, a virus infection, or third-party encryption software that has locked your hard drive.

< strong >2. How to format a write-protected USB drive?

Many USB flash drives have a switch on the side or bottom to enable physical write protection. If your drive has one, slide it off. Then, reconnect the USB drive and attempt to format it. For detailed steps, please refer to the following page:

3. How to remove write protection on a USB drive in Windows 11?

Regarding your question, you can remove the write protection from the Pen Drive by unchecking the read-only status:

1. Go to "My Computer" or "This PC" and locate your USB drive under "Devices with Removable Storage." 2. Right-click on the write-protected device and select "Properties." 3. Click "Edit" to make sure the "Read-only" option is unchecked. Then click "Apply" to save this modification.