Moissse
Level 1 (14 points)
Mac OS X

Q: USB drive went into read-only mode

Hello

 

This morning my usb drive went into read-only mode and I cannot reverse this. I thought to be from the third party that helped me write on NTFS but I have one HDD Toshiba  (NTFS) that is working and one USB drive that is read-only. I changed the third party software and the same result. I tried the "get info" option and i do not even see the permissions.

I tried to format the drive - because it is read-only does not let me do-it. And so on.

i tried disk utility - no result.

 

I need an idea, suggestion, something to make this work.

 

Thank you.

Posted on Aug 17, 2016 3:17 AM

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Moissse

Q: USB drive went into read-only mode

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Barney-15E,Helpful

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 17, 2016 4:18 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 4:18 AM in response to Moissse

    When some Flash storage begins to fail, it locks itself into a read only mode. So, it could be failing.

     

    When you try to format the drive, you have to select the drive itself in Disk Utility, not the partitions. If that is how you are trying to reformat it, then I would assume that it is failing.

  • by Moissse,

    Moissse Moissse Aug 17, 2016 4:20 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 4:20 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Hi

     

    I have tried in all possible ways, I have paragon 14 and the result is the same all the time.

    I will try to format this drive with an Windows computer, maybe i have some luck.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 17, 2016 5:53 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 17, 2016 5:53 AM in response to Moissse

    Moissse wrote:

     

    Hi

     

    I have tried in all possible ways, I have paragon 14 and the result is the same all the time.

    I will try to format this drive with an Windows computer, maybe i have some luck.

    That would have been my next suggestion.

  • by Moissse,

    Moissse Moissse Aug 23, 2016 5:26 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:26 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Tried to use and to format the usb stick under Windows and the result is the same. More, under windows is not even read-only.

     

    I think there is something with my laptop, because i just bought a new usb stick and like with the damaged one I cannot change the permisions - see below. I do not see any lock or something similar. And I am the admin onto the laptop.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 15.24.27.png

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 23, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Moissse

    You can't change the permissions because it is formatted for Windows.

    Format it for use in your Mac and you will be able to write to it.

  • by Moissse,

    Moissse Moissse Aug 23, 2016 5:32 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:32 AM in response to Barney-15E

    I cannot format this stick because it is read-only. I have a similar one that is also NTFS and this has no issues.

    Because it is read-only Windows does not wants to format-it.

     

    So this is a closed circle and I am trying to find a way out.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 23, 2016 5:35 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:35 AM in response to Moissse

    No, you can't write to it because it is formatted NTFS.

    Select the entire drive in Disk Utility, not the partition, and Erase using OS X Extended (Journaled) format.

     

    If you have any of the third-party software installed that was bundled with any drive, uninstall it. It may be interfering with the OS.

  • by Moissse,

    Moissse Moissse Aug 23, 2016 5:35 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:35 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Tried this and not working.

    I have 10.11.6 version and I need to find how to change permissions. no drive lets me change this.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 23, 2016 5:39 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:39 AM in response to Moissse

    You cannot change permissions on an NTFS formatted drive. OS X cannot write to NTFS so you cannot change a thing on the drive until you format it for use on a Mac.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Aug 23, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Moissse
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Moissse

    Because it is read-only Windows does not wants to format-it.

     

    So this is a closed circle and I am trying to find a way out.

    If Windows cannot format it either, then the drive is dead. It has reverted to read-only status to protect what information is still accessible.

  • by Moissse,

    Moissse Moissse Aug 23, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 23, 2016 5:42 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Like I said -does not work.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 15.41.46.png