How to restore shared access to a flash drive. No access to flash drive (permission denied): how to fix the error? Enabling access to a flash drive and other USB drives in the Local Group Policy Editor

26.06.2020 Windows 7, XP

Modern USB flash drives are not immune to errors due to a variety of reasons. Sometimes the system may display a message stating that there is no access to the flash drive (access denied), although the user is firmly convinced that everything is in order with the device. Why this situation occurs and how to deal with this problem, read on.

System message “No access to flash drive. Access denied": causes

The failure itself of this nature can be caused by the same software problems, physical damage to the drive, or (even worse) errors in the operation of the microcontroller, viruses, etc.

In principle, removable memory cards are also commonly referred to as flash drives. With them, things are easier. Any adapter has a special switch that puts the device into protected mode. In other words, you can see the device and everything that is on it, but you can’t perform any targeted actions. The simplest solution is to turn off the lock.

Worse, the situation is with viruses or file system corruption due to software failures due to a sudden power off of the computer, improper removal of the drive from the port, etc. In this case, the file system may be converted to RAW format. It will have to be returned to its original form through But, as a rule, this is not even the problem.

What to do first?

When the flash drive writes "Access Denied", this should be understood as a kind of ban that needs to be removed. Usually you can try to perform only one action, which will be discussed below. But it can be impossible to guarantee access to the device even with its help. Therefore, the easiest way to solve the problem is to format the drive. Of course, if it does not contain information that is critical for the user.

This can be done from the standard "Explorer" by calling the appropriate function in the right-click menu.

Autorun virus

Sometimes the appearance of warnings that there is no access to the flash drive (access denied) may be due to the effects of viruses. One of them is the Autorun.inf threat, which is very often present in illegal software distributions.

Actually, the virus itself replaces the standard Windows service responsible for automatically recognizing the connected storage medium and choosing an action. As is already clear, to eliminate the consequences of its impact, you will have to perform a full system scan. In this case, even if you use a regular antivirus, it is better not to use the S.M.A.R.T. technology, which in most cases is enabled by default. After all, it is aimed at scanning objects that are vital for the operation of the system in an accelerated mode. Therefore, it is better to use in-depth analysis.

In addition, the most preferred way out of this situation will be the use of independent disk utilities with the general name Rescue Disk. They have their own downloadable interface. It starts even before Windows commands are executed. And it is these scanners that are able to find even those viruses that have penetrated too deeply into the system or settled in RAM.

Flash drive. Access denied. What to do: system registry

Now consider the most relevant method to fix this problem. If suddenly, for some reason, the system writes that access to the flash drive is denied, Windows 7 and similar systems can offer a cardinal method to fix the problem. This will require intervention in the system registry. Its editor can be accessed using the regedit command in the Run console (Win+R).

Through the HKCU branch, you should reach the MountPoints2 section, where, when you click on the letter of the problematic device, you can see the Shell subdirectory. Apparently, in the right window, the file corresponding to automatic launch will not be visible. Therefore, we simply delete the Shell partition, after which we try to open the drive. If the original autorun file was present on it, it may be hidden. We set the display of hidden objects in the "Explorer" and change the attributes. Then everything will go without problems.

Note! This only applies to devices with autorun, for which the file located directly on them is responsible. In the general case, you can try to remove or even enter the "Device Manager", remove the USB controller (not the drivers, but the device). Then you need to install it again on reboot, using not the system database for this, but exclusively the driver downloaded from the manufacturer's website.

You can do it even easier by using the Driver Booster utility when restarting. She will determine the type of device herself, download the latest driver and integrate it into the system without outside participation.

But in the simplest case, when the system issues a warning that for some reason there is no access to the flash drive (access denied), you can even use the usual formatting. Unless, of course, Windows sees the drive, and there is no information that is critical for the user on it. In all other cases, the nature of the failure should be carefully examined. And unnecessarily, the system registry is better not to touch.

Windows users experience crashes and errors due to various factors. Most often, these are software-type malfunctions and they are corrected by finding and eliminating the source of the problem. One of the errors that may appear when trying to view the contents of a media, such as a flash drive or external HDD, is “Location not available. Access denied". Usually the reason lies in the Windows security policies, where access restrictions to removable USB drives are set, in some cases the problem is caused by the activity of malicious software or incorrect user actions, and sometimes by the work of a system administrator when it comes to an enterprise.

The same error can be encountered when trying to open a folder and usually it consists in the lack of access rights for the user. Failure often appears when connecting a second hard drive or network storage.

The problem of denial of access to a flash drive, other media or folder can be solved independently using the built-in tools of the system, while the prerequisite is the presence of administrator rights in Windows.

Enabling access to a flash drive and other USB drives in the Local Group Policy Editor

Remedy for the "Location is not available. Access denied" is suitable for editions of Windows 10, 8.1 or 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.
To solve the problem, do the following:

Open the console with a combination of Win + R, set the command gpedit.msc, press the enter key.
We go to the section " Computer Configuration"And then along the path" Administrative Templates" - "System" - "Access to Removable Storage Devices".
In the area on the right in the editor window, we look to see if there are policies that have the "Enabled" state set in front of them.
If yes, double-click on the parameter and set it to "Not configured" or "Disabled" and apply the settings.
We repeat the performed manipulations also in the "User Configuration" section.

You do not need to reboot the device, but you need to remove the drive, then reconnect it after applying the settings changes.

Unlocking access to removable drives using the registry editor

In a situation where access to an external drive is denied and the “Location is not available” error pops up in Windows 10 or another version of the home edition, the problem can be solved using the registry editor. At the same time, any adjustments to the system registry should be made only if you have the appropriate skills, since incorrect user actions can lead to undesirable consequences for the system, including its failure. Before editing, it is recommended to make a backup in order to leave the opportunity to return to the copy in case something goes wrong.

You can unlock access to an external drive using the Windows Registry Editor as follows:

Open the Run console (Win + R), enter the command regedit, press the enter key.
In the editor, go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section and then along the path \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ and see if there is a RemovableStorageDevices subsection here.
If so, right-click on it and select the "Delete" option.
Now we go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER section in a similar branch and do the same here.

You do not need to restart the computer, but the drive must be disconnected and connected again.

What to do if access to a folder is denied

Most often, the problem is the lack of rights to open the directory for the user. To fix the "Folder Access Denied" error and be able to work with the contents of the object, do the following:

Right-click on the object and open "Properties".
We go to the "Security" tab, click "Advanced", which will open a window for additional security settings for the object.
At the top of the window, basic information about the element, name and owner is displayed, in the line where the user who owns the directory is indicated, click "Change" to change the owner.
In the window that opens, you need to specify the new owner of the folder, click the "Check Names" button, after which the computer name will also be added to the name if the profile is specified correctly. You can also use an email address for Microsoft accounts. Click "OK" or the enter key.
In the list of permission elements, find the desired account and click twice. In the new window, all items in the "General Permissions" block should be checked
Again we return to the properties of the folder, where on the "Security" tab, click the "Change ..." button.
Select the desired account and check all the items in the "Allow" column for it, apply the changes, click "OK" and close the window. The problem should be gone.

In the same way as in the case of a folder, you can check if there are any restrictions for an external drive. To do this, go to Explorer or "This Computer" ("My Computer") and go to the properties of the object, then in the "Security" tab, click "Change ..." and if certain actions with the disk are not allowed, then check these items.

The reason for the error with the message “Location is not available: Access to a folder or disk is denied” could be malicious software that settled in the system or on the drive itself, which is not accessible, so it’s worth scanning your computer and removable media with specialized software.

In some cases, the solution to the problem may be formatting the drive, before which data recovery should be performed in order to prevent loss of information.

If, when you connect any flash drive or external hard drive via USB and try to open its contents (this article discusses exactly this situation, if this happens with one specific drive, it may be something else), you see the error message “Location is not available, there is no access to disk, access denied", in most cases the reason is Windows 10, 8.1 or Windows 7 security policies that restrict access to flash drives and other removable USB drives: sometimes this is the result of the actions of the system administrator (if we are talking about an organization), sometimes - own experiments with the system or even the operation of malware.

If you have Windows Home Edition installed on your computer, you can access the flash drive by unlocking it in the registry editor:

The instructions above consider the case when Windows policies are the reason for the lack of access. If you have a different case, describe in the comments in detail: under what conditions and actions the message appears and what exactly, verbatim, is indicated in it, and I will try to suggest what to do.

Hello everyone, Max is in touch, and today we'll talk about how you can restore a damaged flash drive. Due to their versatility, ease of handling and compact size, removable flash drives or otherwise flash drives have become widespread.

Unlike obsolete optical discs, flash drives allow you to store more information, they have a higher data rewriting potential and shelf life, as well as better protection against external damage.

Alas, although flash drives are considered fairly reliable devices, they are not perfect. There are many reasons why a flash drive can fail. Physical failure of components, controller failure, file system corruption due to removal of the device at the time of recording, depletion of the potential of memory cells - all this can lead to the flash drive becoming unreadable or simply no longer recognized by the operating system.

When connecting such a flash drive, the user may receive various errors, for example, “USB device not recognized”, “No disk access”, etc., but this does not mean that the drive itself and the data written to it are irretrievably damaged.

If the flash drive does not have gross physical damage, in most cases it can be restored. Below will be described the most common malfunctions in the operation of flash drives, as well as ways to “treat” them, if one does not help, the other will help. So, let's begin...

The flash drive is recognized by Windows, but its file system is marked as RAW:

The prognosis in such cases is usually the most favorable. The reason for converting the flash drive file system to RAW is most often logical errors. In this case, the media is recognized by the OS, but its contents are not available, and when you try to open it, the system prompts you to format it.

Indeed, formatting a flash drive can restore access to it, but this method is unacceptable if it contains important files. Here you can go in two ways: restore a damaged file system or the data itself, using programs to recover deleted files such as Transcend RecoveRx or.

After recovery, the flash drive can be formatted in any way convenient for you. To reconstruct the file system, we use the standard Chkdsk utility. Launch a command prompt as an administrator and run the following command in it: chkdsk T: /f

The letter T in this example has a flash drive, you will have your own letter. In most cases, this simple trick will restore access to the media, but it may also happen that when you run the command, you get the message "Chkdsk is not valid for RAW disks." In this case, we perform data recovery in the first way, and then format the flash drive.

The flash drive is recognized by Windows, but there is no access to data:

If the media is recognized, but shows the wrong capacity, when you try to view the contents, the errors "No access to the disk", "Insert disk" and so on are given, most likely the firmware (firmware) is damaged.

Such breakdowns are most often caused by power failures, unsafe removal of the device from the USB port. Also, the cause of the errors described above can be failures and damage to the flash memory itself. In such cases, when trying to format the drive, the message "The disk is write-protected" is displayed.

The case is more complicated than with the RAW file system, however, with the right approach, a non-working drive can be restored. For these purposes, special programs of the MPTool class are used, which allow performing the so-called low-level formatting.

Since all these tools are strictly specialized, you need to use your own “native” utility for each flash drive model and controller type. And for this, at least you need to know the device identifier (PID) and the manufacturer identifier (VID).

Connect the flash drive to the computer, open the Device Manager, in the category of mass storage or portable devices, find the connected drive in the category "USB controllers" and open its properties.

In the list of properties, you need to find the parameter: Device ID or Device Instance ID. In the "Details" field, you will see a line in which there will be elements of VID_XXX; PID_XXX, where XXX is the manufacturer ID and device ID, respectively.

If you do not have the specified parameters, use the utilities to obtain complete information about removable media: Flash Drive Information Extractor.

Either CheckUDisk

After receiving the information, go to the specialized Flashboot website, enter the received VID and PID in the appropriate fields and search. You will receive a list of drive recovery utilities.

If there is no utility that exactly matches the VID and PID of your flash drive, be guided by the manufacturer of the removable device. It is not possible to give consistent instructions for using each utility, since they all differ from each other, the main thing when using them is to clearly follow the instructions of the wizard.

However, you can use universal flash drive recovery software, for example, D-Soft Flash Doctor. This free program is not tied to a specific manufacturer and type of controller, and therefore can be used to treat flash drives of various types.

Additionally, D-Soft Flash Doctor supports disk imaging, scanning for logical errors. Using the utility is simple, you just need to select a non-working flash drive in the window and click the "Restore media" button.

The flash drive is not recognized by the system:

In the cases discussed above, the flash drive, although not readable, was still recognized by the system, but what if Windows cannot recognize the connected drive? It is not displayed in Explorer, nor in Disk Manager, and the only indication of the connection is the window with the notification "USB device not recognized."

As well as the item marked with a yellow warning icon in the device manager.

The cause of the error in this example can be both software problems and physical damage to the components of the flash drive. It is important to exclude hardware failures here, since this almost always means that the USB flash drive will either have to be repaired or simply replaced.

First of all, try connecting the problematic drive to another USB port, or even better, to another computer. If no error occurs, the reasons must be looked for on your computer. Most often, these causes are damaged or incorrectly working external drive drivers.

Go to the device manager and find your USB flash drive among the devices. Since it will be marked with a yellow exclamation point, it will not be difficult to do this. If the flash drive is in the "Unknown Devices" category ( what is most likely), try updating its driver using the context menu.

If the driver update for an unknown device fails, you will have to use one of the programs to search for drivers on the Internet, for example DriverPack Solution. If a non-working flash drive finds itself in the USB Controllers category, open its properties and, switching to the Driver tab, click the Roll Back button.

If the button is inactive, click "Delete".

And then through the main menu "Action" perform "Update hardware configuration" and check if the device has become recognizable.

Did updating/reinstalling drivers fail? Try another option - manually clear the registry keys that store entries about devices.

Using the method described above, find out the VID and PID of your flash drive, then open and expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEMCurrentControlSet/Enum/USB branch. In the last directory, find subfolders whose names will contain specific VID and PID and delete all their contents.

Do the same with the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Enum/USBSTOR branch, and then restart your computer. What to do if none of the above methods helped? In this case, the most reasonable thing would be to take the USB flash drive to a service center, where experienced specialists will help you determine the causes of the gadget's malfunction.

Sincerely,

Having a problem with a write-protected flash drive? Don't know how to unlock a flash drive, make it readable? You are trying to write some file to a usb drive or sd card, and in response you get a message: "the flash drive is write-protected." If you urgently need to copy files to a disk or flash drive, I will show you how to remove protection and format (or clear) the storage medium - for further work, familiar and correct.

We use programs to format memory cards and usb flash drives

Some flash drives are equipped with proprietary software. It works better than standard Windows formatting tools. These programs - not always, but nevertheless - will help to remove protection. The disadvantage of this approach is that you lose all data on the media. Therefore, if this is unacceptable to you, go to the next chapter.

2. A more universal way to force format a usb flash drive / sd card is to turn to formatting utilities like the Hp Disk Format Tool. You can select the file system and formatting type.

Restoring access to a flash drive through the Registry

The method of removing write protection is quite simple, but requires minimal skill and careful handling of the registry editor. If you are not 100% sure of your actions, do it using the RegOrganizer program for this.

1. Open the Registry Editor as an administrator (Start - regedit).

2. Change to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ directory. If there is no StorageDevicePolicies folder inside this directory, create it. For this:

3. Right click on the current Control directory

4. From the menu, select New - Partition and name it StorageDevicePolicies.

5. Right-click StorageDevicePolicies and select the new DWORD(32-bit) value for 32-bit OS or DWORD(64-bit) for 64-bit OS, respectively.

6. Rename the dword parameter to WriteProtect, double click on the line, set the value to 0 (HEX).

7. Safely remove the flash drive and restart your computer.

8. Connect the flash drive. Format it if necessary.

Video version of the instruction:

Another solution to remove protection from a disk: using the diskpart utility

diskpart is a console utility included with Windows XP and higher that allows you to flexibly manage hard drives, file volumes, and partitions at a deep access level.

We will try to access the problematic flash drive through the console, and then format the write-protected flash drive.

1. Open a command prompt (cmd.exe). Type "diskpart" to open the utility.

2. Type "list disk" to display a list of available disks in the system.

3. Determine where your USB drive is on the list. Enter "SELECT DISK n", where n is your USB flash drive with a write-protected disk.

Be very careful! Choosing the wrong media will result in you losing all data on the selected drive.

4. Type "clean" (you may have to repeat this command twice or thrice). If nothing works, try other ways to unlock the flash drive.

5. Enter "create partition primary" to create a new partition on the USB flash drive.

6. Type "select partition" to select a partition on the disk

7. Type "active" to make the disk active

8. Enter "format fs=ntfs" to format to NTFS (before formatting the flash drive, make sure you have chosen the correct media!).

By the way, the diskpart option is one of the best methods to format a write-protected flash drive without resorting to third-party tools.

Another way to remove protection from a memory card / flash drive. diskmgmt.msc utility

The protection removal method is suitable for both sd memory cards and usb flash drives. For its implementation, we need a standard Windows component for disk management - diskmgmt.msc.

Start - Run. Type diskmgmt.msc into the text box and press Enter
Right click on the partition you want to format (the letter and partition will help determine)
Select "Delete volume..." and confirm the operation
Select "Create Volume" from the context menu
Select primary partition
Leave all parameters as default
Click ok

Remove protection from a flash drive through the Windows Group Policy Editor

In some cases, access to the flash drive is limited by the rights of the local Windows group policy. We tell you how to remove protection in a similar situation:

Start - Run - gpedit.msc.
In the panel that opens, navigate to the next section: "Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - System - Removable Storage Access".
Next, you need to deactivate the "Removable drives: Deny reading" option by switching to the "Disabled" state.

Other Working Methods for Removing File Write Protection

If none of the above recipes helped, well, other methods will probably work, how to remove protection from a flash drive (the list will be updated over time).

Check your flash drive for viruses. Some malicious applications establish their own control over files, as a result, the flash drive is protected from writing data belonging to viruses. How to remove the protection in this case? Recommended for scanning.
Check if there is a hardware button on the flash drive that allows you to physically unlock it (there is a switch on the side that needs to be moved towards the open lock). However, today such usb flash drives and sd cards are very rare - basically, these are old models of devices.
Update the flash drive firmware, you can find the exact model on Google by chip vendor and chip vendor model, see Device Manager.

Conclusion. Although it is not always possible to determine why a flash drive is write-protected, of the many methods described, at least one is working. If none of the ways to remove protection from a flash drive helped you, it remains to replace the usb drive - in other words, buy a new one.

However, ask questions on the topic - you can do this through the sidebar on our website. We'll try to help.

The media is write-protected: what to do? FAQ

Flash drive 32 gig WANSENDA when formatting. When you try to delete a file, it asks you to remove the write protection from the disk or use another. What to do, how to remove write protection? I can't delete or upload files to a flash drive.

Answer. Try to remove protection from your flash drive through the Registry, using the diskpart or diskmgmt.msc utilities (included with Windows). Format the flash drive with special programs - Low level format or Disk format tool (see the beginning of the guide).

All formatting attempts give me one result: remove protection, the card is write-protected. I removed the protection in all sorts of ways, but it comes back, I can’t do anything. The phone gives information about the malfunction of the card and cannot format it in any way. Comp and laptop accept, but formatting fails.

Can you tell me what to do, how to remove protection from the sd card? Other phones and digital camera did not help.

Answer. Try to reset the protection using the methods described in the article and immediately format the memory card in FAT32. Check if there is a switch on the sd card (maybe it is set in the wrong position, so the memory card is write-protected).

I can't format a SONY 64GB flash drive, copy and delete files on it. The system says the disk is write protected. What to do? I've tried everything you have. Does not help. Flash bought in mvideo, about 3 months ago, worked properly before.

Answer. For some users, the JetFlash Recovery proprietary utility helps to remove protection. It allows you to format a flash drive at a low access level. If it doesn't help, try removing the write protection from the disk through the registry or command line. After that, restart your computer.

I have a Samsung S3600 phone, it stopped writing files to the card. The most interesting thing is that there are two photos and one video left on the map - there is NO way to delete them at all. They are deleted from the computer, but then appear again on the map. I can’t write anything on the card - at first everything seems to be there, but there is nothing on the phone ... as if not. I didn’t drop the phone, didn’t drown it, just suddenly the card stopped working, and even so bizarrely. He sees the card, but does not write anything to it and does not delete anything from it ... How to remove write protection on a USB flash drive?

Answer. You can remove write protection on a flash drive through forced formatting. This can be done through the diskpart console utility for Windows or various graphical utilities like SDFormatter or Hp disk format tool.

It is possible that the files are not deleted due to read errors in sectors that contain non-deleted files. You can check the flash drive for errors through Properties - Tools - Check in Explorer.

After the navigator with ADRplayer, I can not delete files from the SD card (including write-protected ones). Recognized by Windows as a 118 MB disk with ADRplayer on it. The files are all played by this program. Formatting is not possible on Windows.

Answer. Since the sd card disk is write-protected, you need to format it to NTFS via the command line (using the diskpart utility) or using the diskmgmt.msc system utility. In addition, there is a wonderful program for sd cards called SDFormatter - it removes write protection.

it’s not clear what happened to the flash card, when you connect the card to the computer, it says “To use the disk in drive J, first format it.” options didn't help.

The way through diskmgmt.msc after right-clicking on the flash drive does not allow "delete volume" and other actions are simply not active. The file system of the flash card is Raw, and the system writes that it is working. What to do, how to remove write protection from a flash drive, reanimate it?

Answer. In addition to diskmgmt.msc, try removing write protection on the flash drive through the Registry or using the diskpart console utility. For formatting, use not standard Windows tools, but, for example, Low level format. If after these manipulations the disk is still write-protected, try opening the flash drive in another operating system, use third-party software to manage disks on the flash drive - say, Acronis Disk Director.

I bought a mini sd for a 128gb SanDisk phone. I insert it into the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) phone, it will work for a while and then it blocks the recording on it. whatever he did: he formatted it through the PC, and through the phone - all to no avail, it will work for a while and then again blocks the recording. How to format a protected flash drive?

Answer. The file table on the memory card may be corrupted, making it impossible to write new data. In such cases, it is recommended to check the disk for errors using the standard chkdsk tool (Start - Run - chkdsk). If that doesn't help, format the sd card using the sd formatter desktop app. Judging by the reviews, the utility has helped many users when formatting a flash drive. You can also format the sd card through the Recovery menu by rebooting the phone in the appropriate mode and selecting the Wipe cache partition option.

I ordered a USB flash drive from the Internet. I initially formatted it, but I didn’t like that she didn’t read and see all the formats. I decided to format completely, without a checkmark, only (table of contents). now a laptop with Windows 10 sees it, but requires it to be formatted. I format, but the flash drive is not formatted - the disk is write-protected. I already tried to do something (download programs), but I don’t understand, I’m still far from it, however.

Answer. In your case, it is desirable to format a USB flash drive not with standard Windows tools, I use specialized software - fortunately, the choice is wide. First of all, look for programs specifically for your flash drive on the manufacturer's website. If not found, use the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool or any disk manager like Acronis Disk Director. Specify NTFS or exFAT as the file system.

1) 16 GB Sandisk ultra USB 3.0 flash drive. Tried everything from renaming letters to cleaning the registry. As soon as you start formatting (including through partition management), a message pops up that Windows cannot do this and the flash drive disappears from view. I also tried HDD Low Level Format Tool v4.40 Final - the same thing happens as described above. How to format a write-protected flash drive?

2) I can't format my micro SD card. He writes: "Windows could not complete formatting." I already tried different programs and the command line. It still doesn't format. I just can't delete files. I click "delete", removed the USB flash drive and put it back. The file that I deleted is there again I can neither delete nor format.

Answer. Try other formatting programs: SDFormatter or software available on the developer's website (sometimes you can use them to format a flash drive bypassing system errors). In addition to Disk Management, you can use any disk manager like Partition Magic or Acronis Disk Director.

You can also assume that the problem is related to Windows or the computer's configuration. Try to format the flash drive on another computer or in another OS environment (Windows/Mac OS/Linux).

System message “No access to flash drive. Access denied": causes

The failure itself of this nature can be caused by the same software problems, physical damage to the drive, or (even worse) errors in the operation of the microcontroller, viruses, etc.

What to do first?

This can be done from the standard "Explorer" by calling the appropriate function in the right-click menu.

Autorun virus

Flash drive. Access denied. What to do: system registry

It is often necessary to limit the ways in which programs that are not intended for protection at all, and even interfere or harm the operation of the security system, get on a computer with a security system.

It can be the most harmless games or the most malicious viruses. In any case, their presence is undesirable. The most common way to transfer viruses and games is a simple USB flash drive or any other USB stick. Use the following information to restrict the use of any USB drives in the system and allow you to connect a manual-approved USB drive:

Given:

Computer of production operators (OC Windows7)
Boss-approved USB flash drive for transferring data from industrial computers to operators' computers

Required:
Ensure connection only one USB flash drive approved by the authorities, while prohibiting the connection of others, unapproved.
Solution progress:
You can completely disable the use of USB drives using the instructions, but in our case this method is not suitable, because one flash drive should still work. So we will do it differently:
So, step by step (of course, you need to have local administrator rights):

Win+R(similar to Start -> Run), regedit.
. This key stores information about all USB drives ever connected.
Give yourself full access to USBSTOR(right mouse button -> Permissions, check the box Full access at the group ALL).
Delete all content USBSTOR.
We connect the approved fashka, we make sure that it is determined. Inside USBSTOR a key like Disk&Ven_JetFlash&Prod_TS4GJF185&Rev_8.07 (F5 to refresh the list).
Right click again USBSTOR, Permissions. We remove Full access at the group ALL, we reserve the right to read.
The same rights must be assigned to the user SYSTEM, but this cannot be done directly. First you need to press the button Additionally, uncheck Inherit from parent object..., in the window that appears Security say Copy. After pressing the button again "OK" User rights SYSTEM become available for modification.
To fix the effect, press the button Additionally again and mark the item Replace permissions for all child objects... We confirm the execution.

What have we achieved in the end?
Allowed flash drive connects and disconnects without problems. If you try to make an unauthorized connection, Windows will detect the device, but will not be able to install it, giving a connection error. Moreover, a new key will be created in USBSTOR, which will unequivocally indicate an attempt to connect an unapproved USB drive.

System message “No access to flash drive. Access denied": causes

The failure itself of this nature can be caused by the same software problems, physical damage to the drive, or (even worse) errors in the operation of the microcontroller, viruses, etc.

What to do first?

This can be done from the standard "Explorer" by calling the appropriate function in the right-click menu.

Autorun virus

Flash drive. Access denied. What to do: system registry

One of the obstacles to using a flash drive can be that the administrator disables the USB ports on your computer. It is possible in different ways, therefore, different methods of counteraction are required.

How to bypass flash drive ban?

Ports are physically disabled
Ports disabled in BIOS/UEFI

Ports are physically disabled

This is possible only with additional ports that are connected by cable to the motherboard. The rear ports are soldered on the motherboard itself, and there are at least two of them. Therefore, bring a penny hub from home, plug it in instead of a mouse or keyboard and connect all standard peripherals through it. Leave the second port for a bootable USB flash drive.

Ports disabled in BIOS/UEFI

The admin can disable both ports in general (rare case), and a separate USB Boot option. It is she who is responsible for the ability to boot from USB-drives. We have already figured out how to enter the BIOS settings, and finding the right option is not difficult.

Removed USB controller drivers

Cunning admins just demolish USB drivers through Device Manager, but that won't stop you. Booting from a USB flash drive will not hurt the lack of drivers. By becoming a local admin, you can easily install the missing drivers - Windows itself will offer to do this.

Individual USB devices blocked

A more subtle method is to prohibit the use of USB drives. However, other types of USB devices continue to work. The restriction is set through the registry branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

If the value of the Start parameter is 0x00000004, the use of flash drives and external drives is prohibited, and if 0x00000003 is allowed. You can deal with this in the same way as in the previous paragraph: boot from a USB flash drive and change the USBSTOR section through an offline registry editor.

USB drives are not allowed through group policy

The Group Policy Editor allows you to set an administrative template that prevents access to removable storage devices. We boot from the USB flash drive again, find out the password of the local admin (or reset it if we could not find it out), along the way we activate the account if it was disabled. After that, run gpedit.msc and disable it.

Restricted permissions to read files

Restricted read permissions for usbstor.inf and usbstor.pnf files in the \Windows\Inf directory

Another trick with NTFS permissions. If it is impossible to access these files in a limited account, then flash drives will not be connected. We use local admin rights or simply move these files via WinPE to a FAT32 volume. After moving back to \inf\, the permissions will be lost.

Programs for controlling USB connections

Connecting devices via USB is controlled by a separate program. To help admins, many utilities have been written to limit the use of flash drives and external drives. Most of these programs simply change the value of the registry branch mentioned above, but there are also advanced options. These are able to remember allowed flash drives by volume number (VSN - Volume Serial Number) and block the rest. You can simply unload the processes of these programs from memory or replace the VSN. This is a 32-bit value that is assigned to the volume when it is formatted with the current date and time.

You can find out the VSN of a trusted flash drive with the vol or dir command. With the help of the Volume Serial Number Changer program, you assign the same number to your flash drive and use it freely. For reliability, also replace the volume label (just through the properties of the disk).

An unexpected obstacle to the use of flash drives occurs on computers with a mediocre power supply (read - on most cheap working machines) without any effort from the administrator. The fact is that the 5 V bus sags so much that the flash drive does not have enough power. In this case, disconnect the other device from the adjacent (paired) USB port, or use an active hub with its own power supply. Through it, you can even power an external hard drive.

Of all the methods found in a short search, none of them came up in my case :)

Even the option with restricting the rights for users in the registry did not work (even removed the rights for the system and administrator - that is, all rights are completely for everyone - did not help).

As a result, I combined my version (an assembly of two different ones).

In my case, an ordinary user does not have any privileges in the system (just a dream!) And of course, the maximum functionality was required - i.e. use of certain (registered) media on individual PCs.

To do this, we use only two procedures (actions):

We delete from the registry information about all used (registered in the registry) USB storage devices by any convenient method (to your taste).
It turned out to be the fastest and easiest for me to use a simple utility. Then we delete files from the system %Windows%\inf\Usbstor.pnf And usbstor.inf .
In the future, if you need to add (register) a storage device, add the specified files to the system, then connect (reconnect) the USB drive and it is fully determined (registered) in the system. After registering in the system, we again delete the indicated files, which again blocks any attempts to determine the new USB drive by the system.

In the case when the rights in the OS are distributed and "normal" work is performed by a user with limited rights, this method completely blocks the ability to connect to the OS an unregistered (by the system administrator) "USB flash drives".

Removing and adding Usbstor.pnf and Usbstor.inf files can be done using .bat files similar to the following:

removal

del /f /s /q C:\WINDOWS\inf\usbstor.inf C:\WINDOWS\inf\usbstor.PNF

reestablish(provided that the files are next to the bat-file)

xcopy ".\usbstor.inf" "C:\WINDOWS\inf\"
xcopy ".\usbstor.PNF" "C:\WINDOWS\inf\"

Attention! For Windows 7 and above, all .bat files must be run as administrator ("Run as administrator" in the context menu).

Below are other ways to restrict access to these devices (I did not work individually).

Computer Management->Device Manager->Universal Serial Bus Controllers->(USB Root Hubs) -> "Device Application: [disabled]

For example, if the printer is connected to a hub, then it can be left on.

note 1. Device Manager can be launched from the command line start devmgmt.msc.

note 2. An interesting property of the Device Manager from the console is to execute two commands:

Set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc

Then hidden devices will be displayed in the Device Manager.

If USB is not required, disable USB controllers.

Deny use by everyone except a select few through "Computer Management -> Storage Devices -> Removable Storage -> Properties -> Security.

Flaw

There are some pitfalls here, for example, a ban on the use of the USER group. But the administrator can be a member of the USER group.

However, this is equivalent to changing the parameter
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR "Start"
"Start"=dword:00000004 - disable;
"Start"=dword:00000003 - enable.

note. You can start the service from the command line
net start "Removable Memory"

We go to the folder %Windows%\inf (the folder has the attribute hidden) , it has two files - Usbstor.pnf and Usbstor.inf.

We deny access to these files, except for the administrators group or a specific user.

Why ban USB altogether when you can only ban recording?

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\control\StorageDevicePolicies.

The WriteProtect parameter, most likely it does not exist. Then it needs to be created with the dword type and assigned the value 1.

And don't forget to restart your computer. To restore - assign a value of 0.

So, step by step (of course, you need to have local administrator rights):

Win + R (similar to Start -> Run), regedit.
. This key stores information about all USB drives ever connected.
We give ourselves full access to USBSTOR (right mouse button -> Permissions, check the item Full control in the ALL group).
Delete all contents of USBSTOR.
We connect the approved fashka, we make sure that it is determined. A key like Disk&Ven_JetFlash&Prod_TS4GJF185&Rev_8.07 should appear inside USBSTOR (F5 to update the list).
RMB again on USBSTOR, Permissions. We remove the Full access from the ALL group, we leave the right to read.
The same rights must be assigned to the SYSTEM user, but this cannot be done directly. First you need to click the Advanced button, uncheck the Inherit from parent object ... box, in the Security window that appears, say Copy. After the next click on OK, the rights of the SYSTEM user will become available for change.
To fix the effect, press the Advanced button again and check the item Replace permissions for all child objects ... We confirm the execution.

What did we achieve in the end? A permitted flash drive connects and disconnects without problems. If you try to make an unauthorized connection, Windows will detect the device, but will not be able to install it, cursing as follows:

Moreover, a new key will be created in USBSTOR, which will unequivocally indicate an attempt to connect an unapproved USB drive.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to disable USB ports on a computer or laptop in order to restrict access to connecting flash drives, hard drives and other USB devices. Disabling USB ports will help prevent the connection of any storage devices that can be used to steal important information or cause a computer to become infected with a virus and spread malicious software over the local network.

Restricting access to USB ports

Consider 7 ways, with which you can block USB ports:

Disabling USB through BIOS settings
Changing registry settings for USB devices
Disabling USB ports in device manager
Uninstalling USB Controller Drivers
Using Microsoft Fix It 50061
Using additional programs
Physical shutdown of USB ports

1. Disabling USB ports through BIOS settings

Enter BIOS settings.
Disable all items related to the USB controller (for example, USB Controller or Legacy USB Support).
After you have made these changes, you need to save the settings and exit the BIOS. This is usually done with the key F10.
Restart your computer and make sure the USB ports are disabled.

2. Enable and disable USB drives using the registry editor

If disabling via BIOS does not suit you, you can block access directly in Windows itself using the registry.

The instructions below allow you to block access to various USB drives (for example, flash drives), but other devices such as keyboards, mice, printers, scanners will still work.

Open the Start menu -> Run, type " regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
Proceed to the next section
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR
On the right side of the window, find the item " start” and double click on it to edit it. Enter value " 4 » to block access to USB storage devices. Accordingly, if you enter again the value " 3 ”, access will be re-opened.

Click OK, close Registry Editor, and restart your computer.

The above method only works if the USB controller driver is installed. If the driver has not been installed for security reasons, the value of the "Start" parameter can be automatically reset to "3" when the user plugs in a USB drive and Windows installs the driver.

3. Disabling USB ports in Device Manager

Right click on the icon " A computer” and select the “Properties” item in the context menu. A window will open on the left side of which you need to click on the link " Device Manager».
In the device manager tree, find the item " USB controllers' and open it.
Disable the controllers by clicking the right mouse button and selecting the Disable menu item.

This method doesn't always work. In the example shown in the figure above, disabling the controllers (the first 2 points) did not lead to the desired result. Disabling the 3rd item (USB mass storage device) worked, but it only allows you to disable a single instance of the USB drive.

4. Remove the USB controller drivers

Alternatively, you can simply uninstall the USB controller driver to disable the ports. But the disadvantage of this method is that when the user connects a USB drive, Windows will check for drivers and, if they are not available, will offer to install the driver. This in turn will open access to the USB device.

5. Prevent users from connecting USB storage devices using the application from Microsoft

Another way to disable access to USB drives is to use Microsoft Fix It 50061(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823732/ru - the link may open in a few minutes). The essence of this method lies in the fact that 2 conditions for solving the problem are considered:

The USB stick has not yet been installed on the computer
The USB device is already connected to the computer

Within the framework of this article, we will not consider this method in detail, especially since you can study it in detail on the Microsoft website using the link above.

It should also be noted that this method is not suitable for all versions of Windows.

6. Using programs to disable / enable access to USB storage devices

There are many programs for setting the prohibition of access to USB ports. Consider one of them - the program USB Drive Disabler.

The program has a simple set of settings that allow you to deny / allow access to certain drives. Also, USB Drive Disabler allows you to configure alerts and access levels.

7. Disconnecting USB from the motherboard

Although physically disabling the USB ports on the motherboard is almost impossible, you can disable the ports on the front or top of the computer case by unplugging the cable that goes to the motherboard. This method will not completely block access to USB ports, but it will reduce the likelihood of using drives by inexperienced users and those who are simply too lazy to connect devices to the back of the system unit.

! Addition

Deny access to removable media through the Group Policy Editor

In modern versions of Windows, it is possible to restrict access to removable storage devices (including USB drives) using the Local Group Policy Editor.

Run gpedit.msc through the Run window (Win + R).
Go to the next branch " Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Removable Storage Access»
On the right side of the screen, find the item "Removable drives: Deny reading."
Activate this option ("Enable" position).

This section of Local Group Policy allows you to configure read, write, and execute access for different classes of removable media.

Unlike obsolete optical discs, flash drives allow you to store more information, they have a higher data rewriting potential and shelf life, as well as better protection against external damage.

The flash drive is recognized by Windows, but its file system is marked as RAW:

The flash drive is recognized by Windows, but there is no access to data:

If you do not have the specified parameters, use the utilities to obtain complete information about removable media: Flash Drive Information Extractor.

Either CheckUDisk

After receiving the information, go to the specialized Flashboot website, enter the received VID and PID in the appropriate fields and search. You will receive a list of drive recovery utilities.

The flash drive is not recognized by the system:

As well as the item marked with a yellow warning icon in the device manager.

If the button is inactive, click "Delete".

And then through the main menu "Action" perform "Update hardware configuration" and check if the device has become recognizable.

Did updating/reinstalling drivers fail? Try another option - manually clear the registry keys that store entries about devices.

Sincerely,

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Ports are physically disabled

Ports disabled in BIOS/UEFI

Removed USB controller drivers

Individual USB devices blocked

USB drives are not allowed through group policy

Restricted permissions to read files

Programs for controlling USB connections

Attention! For Windows 7 and above, all .bat files must be run as administrator ("Run as administrator" in the context menu).

Restricting access to USB ports

1. Disabling USB ports through BIOS settings

2. Enable and disable USB drives using the registry editor

3. Disabling USB ports in Device Manager

4. Remove the USB controller drivers

5. Prevent users from connecting USB storage devices using the application from Microsoft

6. Using programs to disable / enable access to USB storage devices

7. Disconnecting USB from the motherboard

Deny access to removable media through the Group Policy Editor

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