How to remove write protected partition?

USB Flash Drives All other USB Flash Drives
1

I have acquired a number of drives containing a small (16Mb) partition. This partition is BOMBPROOF!
The files cannot be deleted. The partition cannot be removed or formatted.
Disk Management doesn’t work.
Diskpart doesn’t work.
Disk Genius. Partition Master. Clean Genius - all struck out.
What can have been done to protect this partition.

2

Possible Causes Can be -

  • Hidden HPA/DCO areas preventing changes
  • Firmware protection
  • Read-only partition
  • Vendor lock or malware

Possible Fixes Can be-

  • Use HDAT2 or HDDHackr to check for hidden areas
  • Check manufacturer’s tools for removal options
  • Firmware flashing (last resort, risky)
3

U need manufacturer-specific utility or a low-level hex editor to access and remove these restrictions.

4

That can be tough to remove because they’re designed to resist tampering. Device Configuration Overlay (DCO) or Host Protected Area (HPA) can hide partitions: Try tools like HDAT2 or Victoria to check for these hidden areas.
And, If it’s a USB drive or SD card, check for a physical write-protect switch.