Specifically: how to completely reformat write-protected sandisk ultra 16GB usb drive?

USB Flash Drives All other USB Flash Drives
1

I have a Sandisk Ultra 16GB drive. It has that U3 app. In my case, it tries to initialize (as seen in bottom right corner) but it fails and the U3 app does not launch. So, I have a drive that is perceived as empty by my PC. My question: how can I completely reformat the USB drive? I can’t even remember the password to the U3 password protection function. I just want to do a low-level reformat and start from scratch. Anyone has succeeded in doing so?

In PC, I see the empty drive. When I try to reformat, the PC asks me to insert a drive!

On a Mac, I see a disk image saying U3 but I can gain access to the actual USB drive.

Thanks,

CWL

2

If running it on a Windows 7 64bit machine, or Windows 8, click on the LaunchU3.exe file and set it to run in Compatibility mode.  Vista SP2 works on my machines.

Once running there is a U3 menu option for deleting U3 from the drive.  It also formats the drive.

If you don’t remember the password, entering it wrong 3 times I think, also formats the drive.  But it may not delete the U3 app. But running it should allow you to like above.