My USB stick not working, Read-only

marek_wes · Friday at 12:12 PM

Dear All,

Would be very grateful for any replies to this problem.

My problem is all about USB memory sticks. A few weeks ago, I used a USB stick at my local library, and was able to copy almost anything from the internet to this stick. At present, at my local library, I find that that same USB stick can no longer have anything written to it. It is stuck in Read-only mode. I cannot change anything to this USB stick at all.

For example, I use this stick to have a password database on it, Keepass. If I wish to change a password, and then copy it to the database, it does not work (this behaviour has changed - I used to be able to do this.) When I try to save the database itself, I cannot.

Could this possibly be due to an update of Windows 11? I have asked at the library, and they have not changed anything.
marek_wes

garioch7 · Friday at 12:28 PM

@marek_wes ,

Welcome to ElevenForum. I see that you have an identical, active Topic over at Bleeping Computer: Latest Update of Windows 11 makes my USB Read-only - Windows 11.

They are still awaiting a reply from you. Posting identical questions simultaneously on multiple Forums is not considered good "netiquette."

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

allan · Friday at 12:40 PM

At bleeping computer you were told that this is likely due to a policy change at the library. If the stick works at home but not at the library, that's the issue. Please continue the thread at bleeping computer. If they can't help, then by all means come back and tell us.

garlin · Friday at 12:54 PM

An organization can set a GPO policy to ban writes to USB drive, but still allowing read access. Normally it's used to prevent people from stealing confidential data from a work PC by copying files to a removable drive.

If the same drive is writable on a friend or family member's PC, then you know the library has a security policy.

Try3 · Friday at 1:12 PM

marek_wes said:
It is stuck in Read-only mode

Read-only is a very common symptom of a permanently defective USB stick.
It might continue to be readable for another decade but that's not very much use.

Denis

glasskuter · Friday at 1:14 PM

Our questions won't be any different from those you have already been asked but you never answered. You are so adament in both forums that the problem is with windows, but you have not proven the validity of an old 2.0 Cruzer usb drive. Those drives do fail and wear out just like any other drive. They do not last forever.

If the stick works on your home computer (which you do not answer in the other forum) the library machines are blocking writes.

If it doesn't work on home computer either:
From your home computer where you have admin rights, open command prompt as administrator
diskpart
list disk
select disk X (where X is letter of usb drive)
attributes disk
If it says Current Read‑only State: Yes and Read‑only: No, the controller has locked it so it's hardware failure.

Try reformatting the drive. If it won't format, buy another stick and beat that one with a sledge hammer..

Steve C · Saturday at 2:31 AM

garioch7 said:
@marek_wes ,

Welcome to ElevenForum. I see that you have an identical, active Topic over at Bleeping Computer: Latest Update of Windows 11 makes my USB Read-only - Windows 11.

They are still awaiting a reply from you. Posting identical questions simultaneously on multiple Forums is not considered good "netiquette."

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Rubbish - seeking multiple opinions is an effecfive research method.

Steve C · Saturday at 2:32 AM

Try3 said:
Read-only is a very common symptom of a permanently defective USB stick.
It might continue to be readable for another decade but that's not very much use.

Denis

That's certainly true of memory cards - I've had two SD memory cards fail in read only mode.

cereberus · Saturday at 6:39 AM

Steve C said:
That's certainly true of memory cards - I've had two SD memory cards fail in read only mode.

Yep - this is the most common failure mode - happened loads of times to me over the years.

Interestingly, it does not matter if you buy well known brands like Kingston or cheapo generic cards which suggests to me brand names probably come from the same factories as generic cards i.e. same cards with a label added on.

kelper · Saturday at 7:32 AM

garioch7 said:
@marek_wes ,

Welcome to ElevenForum. I see that you have an identical, active Topic over at Bleeping Computer: Latest Update of Windows 11 makes my USB Read-only - Windows 11.

They are still awaiting a reply from you. Posting identical questions simultaneously on multiple Forums is not considered good "netiquette."

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Posting duplicate threads on the same FORUM is deprecated.

marekwes1 · 2026-06-07T03:27:00-0400

Dear all, thanks. Right now, I feel don't have the strength to reply, since lost my mum. Perhaps get back later, marek_wes

cereberus · 2026-06-07T06:06:26-0400

kelper said:
Posting duplicate threads on the same FORUM is deprecated.

Oh - how does MS control that?

I think you mean "not appreciated".

kelper · 2026-06-07T06:19:17-0400

cereberus said:
Oh - how does MS control that?

I think you mean "not appreciated".

The word deprecate means to disapprove of; nothing to do with Microsoft. Rule 2 applies.

glasskuter · 2026-06-07T15:27:03-0400

@marekwes1 I am so sorry for the loss of your mum. God Bless you and your family in this difficult time. The forum will still be here when you are ready to pick your problem up again.

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