Welcome to our New Forums!

Our forums have been upgraded and expanded!

Welcome to Our New Forums

  • Our forums have been upgraded! You can read about this HERE

Cannot write Ubuntu onto USB

GoldenxChild1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2021
Messages
1,544
So, I am following the tutorial to install Ubuntu.

After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

After this the USB is unusable until I use "DiskPart" to re format the drive to its original settings.

Following this, I have tried to disable write protection using disk part and the registry but no luck.

I want to get off windows and edge but I am having a hell of a time.

Any advice?
 
Try this software for flashing image file onto a usb-drive: https://www.balena.io/etcher
 
Henu the Great said:
Try this software for flashing image file onto a usb-drive: https://www.balena.io/etcher

That's what I used, I tried again except with Mint and same result. Now I have to again re partition the USB with Diskpart.
 
Henu the Great said:
Try this software for flashing image file onto a usb-drive: https://www.balena.io/etcher

Balena has got to be the standard. Worked for me everytime.
 

Try Rufus https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases/download/v3.21/rufus-3.21p.exe

If that doesn't work, then it's probably your USB that's faulty. It's very unlikely that two tools for creating bootable USBs wouldn't work.
 
13th_Wolf said:
Henu the Great said:
Try this software for flashing image file onto a usb-drive: https://www.balena.io/etcher

Balena has got to be the standard. Worked for me everytime.

Maybe I just bought a bad USB? I will try again with Rufus later too
 
GoldenxChild1 said:
That's what I used, I tried again except with Mint and same result. Now I have to again re partition the USB with Diskpart.
Some resources below:

https://blog.balena.io/did-etcher-break-my-usb-sd-card/

Disabling Windows Defender can help: https://forums.balena.io/t/used-etcher-in-win10-now-flash-drive-isnt-readable/16783/12

And here is another tool to try: http://unetbootin.github.io/

It can also be that the drive has gone through many write cycles and is nearing its end.
 
Try to format the stick in NTFS format I think, it may be that the installation software of linux does not read the format of USB. Then if it does not work find a better software to write the operating system, if you use linux you can I think mount the USB from the Linux terminal, just give 4 commands
 
GoldenxChild1 said:
So, I am following the tutorial to install Ubuntu.

After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

After this the USB is unusable until I use "DiskPart" to re format the drive to its original settings.

Following this, I have tried to disable write protection using disk part and the registry but no luck.

I want to get off windows and edge but I am having a hell of a time.

Any advice?

Try a different USB drive. I've used many different USB drives, CDRs and SD cards to write iso images to, and haven't ran into this issue before, so I'd say definitely try a different USB.

If the issue is resolved or persists, let us know.
 
GoldenxChild1 said:
So, I am following the tutorial to install Ubuntu.

After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

After this the USB is unusable until I use "DiskPart" to re format the drive to its original settings.

Following this, I have tried to disable write protection using disk part and the registry but no luck.

I want to get off windows and edge but I am having a hell of a time.

Any advice?
Try Ventoy.
 
If the USB drive is always write protected even after formatting it means there's something wrong with it. It happened the exact same thing to me not too long ago with a brand new USB drive. I had to buy a new one...
 
GoldenxChild1 said:
After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

But does it count now as flashed and can you use it from the Boot menu now? You are not supposed to let it connected while using Windows, and that system won't let you erase it as it is for now, but you will while in the Ubuntu system. That is my second warning in the tutorial: https://www.ancient-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80494
 
You will likely be able to easily format your USB back to normal using Discs in Ubuntu, or GParted. Windows won't do the trick with Cmd or even editing Registry.

BlackOnyx8 said:
If the USB drive is always write protected even after formatting it means there's something wrong with it. It happened the exact same thing to me not too long ago with a brand new USB drive. I had to buy a new one...
 
Egon said:
You will likely be able to easily format your USB back to normal using Discs in Ubuntu, or GParted. Windows won't do the trick with Cmd or even editing Registry.

BlackOnyx8 said:
If the USB drive is always write protected even after formatting it means there's something wrong with it. It happened the exact same thing to me not too long ago with a brand new USB drive. I had to buy a new one...

Interesting, I'll try that. Thanks!
 
Make sure that your PC’s security settings are sufficiently disabled. Often times computers have protection mechanisms, like Secure Boot, that prevent usb disks from being booted or formatting your hard drive. See if your motherboard or Windows is preventing a USB from writing to it.
 
Egon said:
GoldenxChild1 said:
After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

But does it count now as flashed and can you use it from the Boot menu now? You are not supposed to let it connected while using Windows, and that system won't let you erase it as it is for now, but you will while in the Ubuntu system. That is my second warning in the tutorial: https://www.ancient-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80494

I didn't even think of that, so you say after I flash it even though it says please choose disk and format I should just boot to BIOS?
 
GoldenxChild1 said:
Egon said:
GoldenxChild1 said:
After I flash the image to the USB I get a message back saying I need to "choose disk" , and "format drive". However, once I try to do this I get a message back saying it is "write protected".

But does it count now as flashed and can you use it from the Boot menu now? You are not supposed to let it connected while using Windows, and that system won't let you erase it as it is for now, but you will while in the Ubuntu system. That is my second warning in the tutorial: https://www.ancient-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80494

I didn't even think of that, so you say after I flash it even though it says please choose disk and format I should just boot to BIOS?
That is excactly what has to be done when a bootable installation media has been created. It is not possible to boot into a system while the system is running, save for the exception of using a virtual machine software.
 
Henu the Great said:
GoldenxChild1 said:
Egon said:
But does it count now as flashed and can you use it from the Boot menu now? You are not supposed to let it connected while using Windows, and that system won't let you erase it as it is for now, but you will while in the Ubuntu system. That is my second warning in the tutorial: https://www.ancient-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80494

I didn't even think of that, so you say after I flash it even though it says please choose disk and format I should just boot to BIOS?
That is excactly what has to be done when a bootable installation media has been created. It is not possible to boot into a system while the system is running, save for the exception of using a virtual machine software.

This weekend I will give it another shot then. I suppose I had a der der moment
 

Al Jilwah: Chapter IV

"It is my desire that all my followers unite in a bond of unity, lest those who are without prevail against them." - Satan

Back
Top