USB flash drive became read only

I have a problem with a USB flash drive I have had for quite a while, that
Windows Vista insists all the files and folders on it are read-only. I can
create a new directory on the drive, but not rename it, and I can copy files
onto the drive, but not delete them from the drive.

I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at the
properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only" checkbox, it
does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few other
people have also reported) and how to fix it?

Liam Roche wrote:
> I have a problem with a USB flash drive I have had for quite a while,
> that Windows Vista insists all the files and folders on it are
> read-only. I can create a new directory on the drive, but not rename
> it, and I can copy files onto the drive, but not delete them from the
> drive.
> I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at
> the properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only"
> checkbox, it does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
> Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few
> other people have also reported) and how to fix it?
=========================
Does it have the little slider like the
old floppies used to have? Maybe
it was moved into the read only
position accidentally.

--

John Inzer
Digital Media MVP

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

It does have a slider, but this is not the issue, as files can be copied to
the drive, and folders created there. It is only the things that are created
that become read-only.

"John Inzer" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Liam Roche wrote:
>> I have a problem with a USB flash drive I have had for quite a while,
>> that Windows Vista insists all the files and folders on it are
>> read-only. I can create a new directory on the drive, but not rename
>> it, and I can copy files onto the drive, but not delete them from the
>> drive.
>> I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at
>> the properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only"
>> checkbox, it does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
>> Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few
>> other people have also reported) and how to fix it?
> =========================
> Does it have the little slider like the
> old floppies used to have? Maybe
> it was moved into the read only
> position accidentally.
>
> --
>
> John Inzer
> Digital Media MVP
>
> Notice
> This is not tech support
> I am a volunteer
>
> Solutions that work for
> me may not work for you
>
> Proceed at your own risk
>
>

Maybe the device has become faulty. I have one that if i stick it in my usb
port, my computer crashes. I keep it around in the hope that someone will
steal it one day. :-)

"Liam Roche" <> wrote in message
news:...
> It does have a slider, but this is not the issue, as files can be copied
> to the drive, and folders created there. It is only the things that are
> created that become read-only.
>
> "John Inzer" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Liam Roche wrote:
>>> I have a problem with a USB flash drive I have had for quite a while,
>>> that Windows Vista insists all the files and folders on it are
>>> read-only. I can create a new directory on the drive, but not rename
>>> it, and I can copy files onto the drive, but not delete them from the
>>> drive.
>>> I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at
>>> the properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only"
>>> checkbox, it does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
>>> Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few
>>> other people have also reported) and how to fix it?
>> =========================
>> Does it have the little slider like the
>> old floppies used to have? Maybe
>> it was moved into the read only
>> position accidentally.
>>
>> --
>>
>> John Inzer
>> Digital Media MVP
>>
>> Notice
>> This is not tech support
>> I am a volunteer
>>
>> Solutions that work for
>> me may not work for you
>>
>> Proceed at your own risk
>>
>>
>

"Liam Roche" <> wrote:

>I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at the
>properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only" checkbox, it
>does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.

As to the read-only flag: You're looking at the read-only attribute
for the root directory. But there is no read-only attribute for a
directory. What you're seeing is a shortcut to allow you to set or
clear the attribute for all files in the directory.

Each time you display this tab of the properties dialog, you're
looking at a 3-state box in its third state: neither set nor unset. On
my computer that shows as a green blob in the box. Click it once, and
the box is empty, that's the NO state. Click it again and a check
appears, that's the YES state. If you click OK or Apply when the box
is in the YES or NO state, the read-only attribute is set or cleared
(depending on whether you're in YES or NO state) for EVERY file in the
directory. But when you bring the box up again, you will again see it
in the third state.

If you bring up the same box for the individual files, you'll see the
result of what you've done.

>Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few other
>people have also reported) and how to fix it?

No, I don't. You've said that the r-o slider on the side of the thumb
drive is positioned correctly, besides that you can create new folders
and files. I can only guess the hardware (the thumb drive) isn't
working properly.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

Tim

Thanks for your knowledgable reply.

One thing that differs from the normal behaviour of a directory that has
been made read-only is that I am unable to rename any subdirectories or
files - the option is not available in the menu when I right click on a
directory on the flash drive.

However, the drive works fine on another computer running Windows XP home:
files may be deleted and directories renamed without problems. Is this
consistent with with the drive itself being faulty?

Liam


"Tim Slattery" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Liam Roche" <> wrote:
>
>>I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at the
>>properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only" checkbox, it
>>does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
>
> As to the read-only flag: You're looking at the read-only attribute
> for the root directory. But there is no read-only attribute for a
> directory. What you're seeing is a shortcut to allow you to set or
> clear the attribute for all files in the directory.
>
> Each time you display this tab of the properties dialog, you're
> looking at a 3-state box in its third state: neither set nor unset. On
> my computer that shows as a green blob in the box. Click it once, and
> the box is empty, that's the NO state. Click it again and a check
> appears, that's the YES state. If you click OK or Apply when the box
> is in the YES or NO state, the read-only attribute is set or cleared
> (depending on whether you're in YES or NO state) for EVERY file in the
> directory. But when you bring the box up again, you will again see it
> in the third state.
>
> If you bring up the same box for the individual files, you'll see the
> result of what you've done.
>
>>Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few other
>>people have also reported) and how to fix it?
>
> No, I don't. You've said that the r-o slider on the side of the thumb
> drive is positioned correctly, besides that you can create new folders
> and files. I can only guess the hardware (the thumb drive) isn't
> working properly.
>
> --
> Tim Slattery
> MS MVP(Shell/User)
>
> http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

Thanks, Tim, for your knowledgable and precise reply, which taught me
something I should have known, but didn't!

The behaviour is actually rather different to that of read-only files.
Directories can be created, but not renamed - right click does not even
provide the option to do so, and left clicking does not make it possible.
Similarly with files. This drive was behaving perfectly normally on the same
PC until quite recently, and is now behaving perfectly normally on my clunky
old XP machine.

I am still puzzled. Anyone able to cast any further light?

Liam


"Tim Slattery" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Liam Roche" <> wrote:
>
>>I have found no way to correct the problem. For example if I look at the
>>properties of folder on the drive and uncheck the "read only" checkbox, it
>>does it, but is read-only the next time I try to use it.
>
> As to the read-only flag: You're looking at the read-only attribute
> for the root directory. But there is no read-only attribute for a
> directory. What you're seeing is a shortcut to allow you to set or
> clear the attribute for all files in the directory.
>
> Each time you display this tab of the properties dialog, you're
> looking at a 3-state box in its third state: neither set nor unset. On
> my computer that shows as a green blob in the box. Click it once, and
> the box is empty, that's the NO state. Click it again and a check
> appears, that's the YES state. If you click OK or Apply when the box
> is in the YES or NO state, the read-only attribute is set or cleared
> (depending on whether you're in YES or NO state) for EVERY file in the
> directory. But when you bring the box up again, you will again see it
> in the third state.
>
> If you bring up the same box for the individual files, you'll see the
> result of what you've done.
>
>>Does anyone know the source of this curious behaviour (which a few other
>>people have also reported) and how to fix it?
>
> No, I don't. You've said that the r-o slider on the side of the thumb
> drive is positioned correctly, besides that you can create new folders
> and files. I can only guess the hardware (the thumb drive) isn't
> working properly.
>
> --
> Tim Slattery
> MS MVP(Shell/User)
>
> http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

"Ninjakiwi" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I came across this forum by chance and discovered this is one of the
> best thread ever. Thanks u guys so much for the information you give. So
> cool.
>
>
>
> '_devis_comparatif_assurance_voiture_'
> (http://comparatifassurancevoiture.com) - Comparatif assurance voiture.
> Devis immédiat. Bas prix et adaptée. Devis assurance voiture.
>
>
> --
> Ninjakiwi
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ninjakiwi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/120023.htm
> View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/973823.htm
>
> http://forums.techarena.in

It is a shame that the thread stopped 14 months ago!

Camper

"Ninjakiwi" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I came across this forum by chance and discovered this is one of the
> best thread ever. Thanks u guys so much for the information you give. So
> cool.
>
>
>
> '_devis_comparatif_assurance_voiture_'
> (http://comparatifassurancevoiture.com) - Comparatif assurance voiture.
> Devis immédiat. Bas prix et adaptée. Devis assurance voiture.
>
>
> --
> Ninjakiwi
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ninjakiwi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/120023.htm
> View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/973823.htm
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>
You're welcome. We have no idea however what thread you're referring to
since it was apparently very old and you didn't quote anything.

On Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:00:56 +1000, Camper wrote:

> "Ninjakiwi" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>
>> I came across this forum by chance and discovered this is one of the
>> best thread ever. Thanks u guys so much for the information you give. So
>> cool.
>>
>>
>>
>> '_devis_comparatif_assurance_voiture_'
>> (http://comparatifassurancevoiture.com) - Comparatif assurance voiture.
>> Devis immédiat. Bas prix et adaptée. Devis assurance voiture.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Ninjakiwi
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Ninjakiwi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/120023.htm
>> View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/vista-help/973823.htm
>>
>> http://forums.techarena.in
>
> It is a shame that the thread stopped 14 months ago!
>
> Camper

Well, it's going again now :-)

I wonder if the poster did it just to spam us with his ad (in French) for
auto insurance?

--
Gene E. Bloch letters0x40blochg0x2Ecom