Sandisk 32 GB Cruzer USB stick is suddenly 'Read-Only'

USB Flash Drives All USB Flash Drives
#1

Okay, I really don’t get it. I’ve been using a Sandisk Cruzer USB stick for a few months now, no problems. Suddenly, out the stinking blue, I can’t copy anything to it, nor delete anything from it. I discover though the file info, that it is suddenly read-only, and I have no clue as to why or how it happened. At least I was able to copy all of my files off of it, and onto my HD as backup.

I’m on a MAC, and trying to find solutions has been a total pain in the freaking neck. I’ve tried just about every tutorial, and even tried a bunch of so -called “solutions” using an inferior windows computer. All of the windows directions end up being extremely cryptic and vague, like everything else on the system. Tried reformatting(even though it’s already in FAT32) using windows(which I rarely use as it is), and it can’t reformat, due to it being ‘write-protected’. And the dumbest thing is, I’ve never even plugged it into a windows before, so why should I have to fix the problem on an inferior system that isn’t my preferred OS of choice?

Using the MAC’s disk utility, I’m only able to verify the stupid thing. And even then, it only verifies for a second, until i gives me the error:
***** FILE SYSTEM IS LEFT MARKED AS DIRTY *****
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

1 non HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair

Repair Disk Permissions, First Aid, and every other button is grayed-out and unavailable.

And most annoying of all is that there’s no help or mention of anything like it or similar, whatsoever, on your site FAQ or knowledge base. Sorry to sound impatient here, but I just got the thing very recently, and it suddenly doesn’t work for absolutely no reason at all.

#2

Well, I’m never buying from you guys again. This isn’t the first product I’ve gotten from you that stopped working very shortly after purchase.

#3

“***** FILE SYSTEM IS LEFT MARKED AS DIRTY *****”

Interesting.  It might be a clue to the problem.  Thanks.

#4

“Use the Fsutil.exe tool to determine whether a volume is marked as dirty.”

“The Fsutil.exe command-line tool offers many commands to manage file system behavior. For example, use the fsutil dirty command to determine whether a volume is dirty. If a volume is dirty, it has experienced file system errors and you must run Chkdsk on the volume to repair the problem. You can also use the fsutil dirty command to mark a volume as dirty.”

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457122.aspx

#5

I don’t need another windows tool to tell me if the disk is dirty, if my perfectly capable mac already told me so.

I’ll run the chkdsk, but I’m not getting my hopes up. I just wish the problem could be all solved within my mac, since I’ve never once put the stick into windows.

#6

Well, after checking for 10 minutes, Windows fsutil reveals my stick to be ‘not dirty’. And on top of that, chkdsk can’t run on it, because it’s write-protected. Why am I not surprised?

#7

“Windows fsutil reveals my stick to be ‘not dirty’.”

Really!!  Interesting, the views of two different OSs.  Thanks for trying.

#8

It sure seems like there’s enough people ‘complaining’ about this problem on this very forum to warrant some kind of inspection. The big thread has over 11 pages of individuals omplaining about their faulty product.

Maybe I’m just too much of an idealist.

#9

This is a known hardware error and can’t be fixed. Sandisk is aware of the issue, although there is no official recall for the product. This is an offical answer if you contact customer service:

"I understand that you are getting write protection error while accessing your Cruzer flash drive. The flash drive has detected a potential fault and has become write protected to prevent data loss. There is no method to fix this. You will need to backup your data and replace the flash drive.

Our team of developers is in combination with the OS developers looking into a solution to resolve this issue.

Please note that only a minor percentage of users are experiencing the write protection issue and these are the customers posting on the internet to find a solution."

SOLUTION 1: Return to where you bought and get a refund (as others usb drives might have the same issue)

SOLUTION 2: Contact Sandisk costumer service and get a refund, for the same reasons

#10

I purchased this Cruzer around the month of April 2012, so just over 6 months later, I am experiencing the same problems: Can’t format, can’t write, can’t delete any of the files, either through Windows 7 or Linux. Would SanDisk please come up with a utility to grant us the ability to repair this problem? I paid a pretty penny for this thing.

#11

I have to say, the fact that you consider Mac superior to Windows shows your technological ignorance, and it really rubs me the wrong way when people make blatently incorrect statements like that. Windows is not inferior, Mac is in almost every aspect. Please do some research before you jump to conclusions.

This will serve as your one and only warning. This post is nothing more than a inflammatory response. While all users have their preferences for MAC or Windows we can all keep our personally opinions to their self. The original post was most likely done more out of frustration than anything else. Your post was done as a direct attack at the original poster. Please take some time to read our forum rules and guidelines. AS said before this will be your one and only warning. 

 

Now let’s all try to play nice shall we?

 

Forum Admin

slotmonsta

#12

@leptoon wrote:

I have to say, the fact that you consider Mac superior to Windows shows your technological ignorance, and it really rubs me the wrong way when people make blatently incorrect statements like that. Windows is not inferior, Mac is in almost every aspect. Please do some research before you jump to conclusions.

Was this really useful or contributing something positive to dredge up a 10 month old thread just to insult someone or attempt to instigate a whizzing contest?

:confounded:

Some would simply call that “trolling”.

1 Like
#13

And from an Moderator, too… Hmmmm. Then again, they also apparently work for a company that cannot create a working flashdrive…

This is bloody ridiculous. We spend our money on a flashdrive that magically goes into “Read Only” mode… only to be told that we are hosed and there is no fix. THEN they have the sheer, unmitigated GAUL to chastize us for prefering one operating system over another? WTF??? Fix yer **bleep** software on your drives! Worry less about getting flamed and make a better product!

PS.

Windows is only good for gaming. FLAME ON!!! MAC FOREVER!!!

#14

Listen I am having the same problem as many with this Junk Sandisk 32GB Flash drive VID 0781 PID 5585, I have tried everything I can think of, I am definitely not a computer newbie as I have been using computers since early 80’s and know how to use the full resources of the web.

I do have one little complaint about the forum Admin, You need to know how to express yourself or communicate a bit more clearly. What does this mean, "  we can all keep our personally opinions to their self."  WOW, did you go to grammar School?

#15

:smiley:   Hi,

Dear member of SanDisk Community, welcome.

_ Please friend, do not grieve more, return it, is dead, ist kaputt… _

Write protection errors occur when a UFD detects a potential fault within itself. The drive will go into write-protected mode to prevent data loss.

There is no method to fix this.

Being you, an experienced user, you’ll agree with me that this problem happens to all brands.

You might have a pleasant surprise, if can contact with SanDisk Technical Support who will replace the device if it’s authentic and is within warranty. Link: http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/contact-us/

To find out more on this, see here: http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/All-SanDisk-USB-Flash-Drives/HELP-how-do-i-reomove-write-protected-message-from-my-16gb-flash/m-p/323924#M8925

Luck.

Regards, Alfred.                                                   (Google translated)

#16

Does this also have a similarity with write protect? If that’s the case, could this be a possible hardware issue?

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