Pen drive blocked-disabled at office or college computer – Unblock it

By
Abhi
-
89

Trouble:

We have observed this problem at may places that you need some data on your pen drive but the USB drive or pen drive does not work. Windows gives a notification

New mass storage driver

“Found new hardware, USB Mass Storage Device, please install drivers for it.”

 

Windows will now show a New Hardware Wizard to install the drivers. Lets see in details how we can fix this problem.

 

Fix:

There are more than one ways in which the USB drives are disabled by Administrators at offices or colleges or schools. These methods are:

 

1. By Disabling USB Ports from Device Manager.

2. By Tweaking Registry values for USB Mass Storage Devices.

3. By Un-installing the USB Mass Storage Drivers.

 

We will see how to fix all these situations one by one. But before you begin, you must have administrator rights on that computer to fix the issue. If you don’t have the rights, see this post on getting admin rights on windows computer.

 

Lets go one by one for the solution now.

Unlock USB ports from device manager:

 

 

i) Go to Start > Run, in run prompt type “devmgmt.msc” and press enter. This will open device manager.

ii) Go to Universal Serial bus Controller. See if there are any red colored cross? If yes, right click and enable those USB Ports.

Enable USB at Device manager

Now try and use the pen drive. If it works fine, then great, else read the next two steps also.

 

Correct Registry Value for USB Mass Storage device

 

 

i) Go to Start > Run , type “regedit” and press enter, this will open registry editor.

ii) Navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

registry chane to make USB mass storage work

iii) Double-click on the “Start” key to modify its value, change the value to 3 and press OK.

 

Now remove and connect the pen drive again, it should work fine, if it does not, then it means the drivers are missing. Follow the steps below to solve the issue.

 

Install USB Mass Storage Device drivers

 

 

In case the USB Mass Storage drivers are not installed, windows will prompt you to install the driver. In such a case, windows will launch Hardware Update Wizard. If you have USB Mass storage drivers, you can install it and restart the computer, it should work. If not, you can download the USB Mass Storage drivers here. Download and uznip the driver files on your desktop.

i) In hardware update wizard, Select the option to install the driver from a specific location and click next.

Hardware update wizard

ii) Now on this screen, click browse and select the path on which you have un-zipped the drivers and press ok.

NOTE: Windows may give you a warning that the drivers has not passed Windows logo testing, so stop installation or Continue anyway, Select Continue anyway to complete installation.


 

continue anyways

 

Now restart your computer and re-insert your pen drive, it should now work.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

89 COMMENTS

  1. My 8Gb pen drive not able to store more than 1 GB and it also takes a lot of time to store the data compared other pen drives. If I try to store data that is more than 1 GB then it creates folders naming 00000, that are not aaccessble. Please help me out

  2. hi friend
    in my college using pendrives are blocked.but i want to use. thats why
    im going to devmgmt.msc and click the universal serial bus controllers
    then rightclick to enable that but i will not get enable option.
    only im getting “properties” option.

    so pls tell me how to access pendrivers

  3. hi redankaiah.
    First open The Device manager,then
    click the “universal serial bus controllers”
    then find out which port you need to use in your college system.
    then “right click in a “USB ROOT HUB” now you get a properties option. click the “properties option”
    Now you get a “USB ROOT HUB PROPERTIES” windows .
    Now you clik a “General Tab” in a “USB ROOT HUB PROPERTIES” windows .In the Bottom of this window you will get a “Device Usage” option.Here you can set the “ENABLE ” option.

    I think my post is useful to you

  5. I have a problem with USB Flash port, our IT administrator has been blocked our USB port because of virus. now i can’t able to install any software and i can’t bring any changes in my laptop because i haven’t sufficient right to do, so please help me how can i will able to enable my USB port with these all restriction.

  6. I have tried each and every thing tell by you all but nothing works but when i see my driver information by “Driver MSInfo.Document”

    c:\winnt\system32\drivers\usbhub.sys Kernel Driver TRUE Manual Running OK Normal FALSE TRUE

    c:\winnt\system32\drivers\usbhub20.sys Kernel Driver TRUE Manual Running OK Normal FALSE TRUE

    c:\winnt\system32\drivers\usbstor.sys Kernel Driver FALSE Disabled Stopped OK Normal FALSE FALSE

    help me out how can i access the USB drives

  9. When i insert pen drive in my college computer than it appears the black screen and show title that USB lock and PC will shut down in 20 second and if i keep inserted pen drive it shuts down otherwise not

  11. i have installed virtual cdrom in my windows xp service pack2
    after i have uninstalled the virtual cdrom, when i insert any pen drive it displays virtual cdrom h:
    how can i change any registry problem.

  12. i am using a company provided laptop but recently company has installed a symantec antivirus thru this software they block a pen drive access. i tried to qctivate it thru Registry but thru registry its alrady enable.

    now how to enable pen drive

  13. I am using company owned laptop but administeator hass disabled my Pen drive access. i have used regedit technique but still pen drive is not working.They recently updated symantec Antivirus in my system and by using antivirus they block our access.

    please help me

  14. I want to know is is possible and if so how to connect the pen drive directly to the mobile to use it as memory card directly and access the files directly. I tried, but it is not accessing. Pls. explain. Thanks.

  15. hi friend
    in my college using pendrives are blocked.but i want to use. thats why
    im going to devmgmt.msc and click the universal serial bus controllers
    then rightclick to enable that but i will not get enable option.
    only im getting “properties” option.
    i’m not the administrator of the computer…i have a limited account..
    so pls tell me how to access pendrivers

  16. my friend i am using an official laptop recenty the ho people took the remote access and they did something by which i am not able to use my web cam which runs throught the usb port as it is external cam nor i am able to connect my mobile with the laptop using the usb port kindly help so that i can use both the things without letting in the knowledge of the it people kindly remember that i dont have the adm pswd so teell how to handle it
    kindly mail me the solution
    regards

  17. Hi ,
    when I tried your solution, it says that the drivers are corrupted and unable to use my usb,

    I have given the location of the usb drivers by using your zip file.
    I have updated the registry entry also.

    I have got admin rights to the PC
    but it has got sp3 installed , ie xp

    how to go about it

    are there any other driver files
    regards

  19. I have a problem with USB Flash port, our IT administrator has been blocked our USB port because of virus. now i can’t able to install any software and i can’t bring any changes in my comp because i haven’t sufficient right to do, so please help me how can i will able to enable my USB port with these all restriction.

  20. Hi,
    Firstly I thank your valuable info.
    Our IT administrator has recently locked the USB ports in our network, so the devices are readable ot writable, besides when I wanna change the device managers settings it alerts that the user does not have enough autority to modify the setting, I beleive we are out of access to the registry am I right? pls. let me know if there is a way to write on the flash memories?

    Thank you in advance.

  22. one more thing i would like ask u ..i have a 8 gb transend pendrive some i got a error …this drive is write protected ….could u plz help he wht kind of prob is this …plz help me bro

  23. When I try saving something to my flash drive a error message pops up that says “this is write protected”, and it will not let me save anything to it. I also tried updating my ipod and a message came up saying something similar, and would not allow my ipod to be updated. Someone please help!

  26. i am using a company provided laptop but recently company has installed a symantec antivirus thru this software they block a pen drive access. i tried to qctivate it thru Registry but thru registry its alrady enable.

    now how to enable pen drive

  27. Dear Sir,
    I am working in a school.I am using school computer.When I insert my pendrive i can copy data from the pendrive to hard disk.But i can’t copy any data from hard disk to pen drive.
    The school has installed Symantec Endpoint Protection and using this have blocked pen drives on all school computers.
    Please write to me promptly.
    Waiting for your prompt reply,
    abc

  28. My company has blocked Pend drive on USB port. When I insert it, the massage ” access is denied” display. Let me know how to unblock?

    Thanks
    xylo

  30. I m having a problem with USB Port.

    when i insert the pen drive – third party software “Escan” blocked the pendrive and untill and unless i give the passward i cant access the pendrive. I dont know the password, i have tried resetting the registry but still its not working. How it is possible to access the Pendrive Please help me

  32. I have the same problem as chirags problem

    When i insert pen drive in my college computer then it appears the black screen and show title that USB lock and PC will shut down in 20 second and if i keep inserted pen drive it shuts down otherwise not.

    Is thare any way to hack this ?

  34. I have the same problem as chirags and naveens problem

    When i insert pen drive in my college computer then it appears the black screen and show title that USB lock and PC will shut down in 20 second and if i keep inserted pen drive it shuts down otherwise not.

    Is thare any way to fix this ?

  35. I want to enable the usb port of the computer of our office. The registry editor tool has been disabled by the administrator. Even the ports are not shown in the divice manager. The command “gpedit.msc” also does not work. It shows the message “you do not have permission to do the action”. Please help me to solve this problem out.

  36. I have checked this all things already and every setting is perfect.
    But I am using Symantec Endpoint Security as my antivirus which has policy to block the usb mass storage.please let me know how to unlock it.M going mad to solve this.

  37. I have a 4 GB pendrive of Iball.It contained an application using which I hid 3.95 Gb of the pendrive.This secure area could be opened only using that application.Now I have lost that application. I have tried a lot of tricks, but none could unlock it. Is there any way to unlock it again.

  40. Symantec every time blocks my transcend mass storage device at my work place. tried using device manager/regedit/gpedit.msc. notihng really works. guys….can anybody help me please!

  41. i am using a moserbaer 2gb pendrive. Whenever i insert the pendrive it starts installing it’s driver but doesnot find it’s driver anywhere.

    I have gone to device manager it shows the device instance id of my pendrive as

    USBSTOR\OTHER&VEN_____G__M&PROD__|=_:$*__ZQ____!&REV_(__9\6&24AE8D53&0

    The usb device is also recognised as a unknown device.

    Kindly help me to sort out this.

  42. Hi, I have a pendrive of transcend company of 4gb having problem of access denied and disc is write protected …pls tell me that how to remove the problem…I tried but file add.bat not downloaded….pls see

  43. hi,
    to all

    my company on newtwork pc installad usb drive blocker
    how i can disable drive blocker with out password
    it is run at startup i know admin password and i logon as a admin i delete from startup but always say write protected.it is not similar password admin

    please help

  44. My company has blocked Pend drive on USB port. When I insert it, the massage ” access is denied” display. Let me know how to unblock?

    Thanks

  46. My notebook’s usb port looks like is blocked by Symantec Endpoint Protection.Each time I inserted the pendrive there is no response.I check the Kingston Traveller’s(I use Kingston pendrive) properties it show code 22,at the same time the Symantec Endpoint protection icon
    (at the right bottom corner) prompts “The Pendrive and the harddisk is blocked”.Please help me how to enable the USB port back.

  47. hello to all,
    my pendrive is not working and did not show pendrive in my computer folder.
    whenever i plug in my 4GB pendrive of kingston it show like 1) Found new hardware.

    2) USB mass storage device.

    3) “yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyy USB device”

    4) Found new hardware wizard comes but it didnot find any drivers after trying so much.
    i m using windowxp professional.
    i want to mention here that this problem was occured when i scanned pendrive with quick heal antivirus.
    plz suggest me solution. thanks to all the experts.

  48. i have already enabled my pen drive in regedit, but while instaling driver one error message is comming like given below
    “the i/o opperation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request”

    please help me to solve this problum.

  50. Excellent post.
    I have been browsing through many links on this problem. It is resolved by installing the drivers.
    Thank you very much.

  53. Hey Plz let me know abt the 3rd step… i cannot download the usb drivers as u said bcoz we don’t hav
    updating option or internet connection in our college lab… Plz help me to connect the pen Drive.

  55. hi

    in computer in which i want to use pendrive the device manager does not show the option of UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS CONTROLLER plzz help meee

  56. hi

    in the computer Registry editor HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR if i change the value it gives me some error (acess denied)plzz help me to solve the problem

  57. when i am putting a pen drive in the sb port of my office computer it is not recognized by the system and it is not opening in my office all the system is controlled by a server named winserv and the operating system being used is microsoft windows server 2003 64 bit edition……..what should i do?????

  61. In my organisation USB access is blocked by SEPM antivirous by policy.I want to make it full control on my system.Pls help me what is the procedure for the same?I can access USB from safe mode but i want it on user mode.

  64. HI,
    My USB was working fine but suddenly i got error named “F is not accessible. access is denied.”
    but when i run my in “Safe Mode” UBS is working perfect.
    what might be reason of getting this error?
    FYI: my USB port isn’t blocked by admin. I have all rights to use it.

    looking forward your sooner and hopeful reply.
    Regards

  66. hi, to disable usb mass storage device, just type REGEDIT at run
    regedit-hkey local machine-system-current control set-services- usbstore- click at start- change the value from 3 to 4-and enter it.
    the usb drive will be blocked.

  68. I connected the keyboard and mouse through by usb. i need to block the pen drive usb port oly .plz suggest me how to block

  69. Hi All

    After uninstalling USB block software my usb ports was not working for few days. I have usb LAN that is not working now as well… I tried to enable Usb controllers in Device Manager, the first four i enabled without but the last one enhanced host controller Hangs my system.. Please someone help me solving this issue…

  70. go to run>> type regedit >>> go to the below path

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR

    and right side screen u can see start string.. double click >> change value data to 3

    Thatz all

    If you got ok with this method mail me. I would like to know how many has been succeded

  71. run–> regedit –> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> System –> CurrentControlSet –> Control –> StorageDevicePolicies –> modify (Right click on writeprotect) –> set value to 0 –>

    R Do the same with ControlSet001 and ControlSet002

  74. For those who want to enable pen drive through Symantec…..

    Go to Registry Editor
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection\SMC

    Change the values to “0”(Zero) for
    1) smc_engine_status
    2) smc_exit_test

    Go to Start -> run and type smc -stop

    If still not working then check the settings from the Device Manager and enable the pen drive

    you are good to go.

  78. hi,

    I m having 1 terabyte external hard disk. When i delete data from the hard disk, Data is deleteting but the memory size is not reducing.
    Eg: 500GB is filled(500GB Free) . I have deleted 100 GB data ,so the free memory should be 600GB but it is still showing 500GB free memory.

    please help

  80. hello sir my name is happy. i ma college student. col ege computer are usb security please give me my ans . please remove this security

  81. hi,
    dear all,
    when my using his pen drive to office pc then its working but when i m tring for my pen drive , its not working, even not giving any massage, its not showing anything, but when when i am using it in other pc same pen drive working properly….what i can do…i need to get data from office to home…..pl pl help me out….
    thanks

  83. How can i copy file to External or Pen drive, where Semantic Endpoint Protection software is enabled, we do not have the software password

  84. Whenever all these things are blocked and the ways that you are mentioning ….all of em require admin rights…suggest some wise ways keeping in mind the situation.

  86. Dear sir,

    I am viren and my office uses the LAN system which is secured by Cyberoam client. All the computers are installed with xp service pack 2.

    Recently they have disabled all the usb jacks for limit the use of pendrives. But the usb are functional for other devices like mouse etc.

    When i insert the pendrive it is installed correctly and F:\ removable disk is showen in the my computer. but when i try to access it, a windows opens stating ” access is denied”.. I used the following trics to solve the problem but without sucess:-

    1. in device manager the usb storage was already enabled
    2. the registery value at (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR)–> start was already 3
    3. I installed the usb drivers
    4. i tried accessing it by typing the f:\ at he start–>run but same message “access is denied”
    5. i tried creating the registery tweak for right protect removal but it was not also useful

    I know that pendrive were functional until recently but they are disabled by the IT department due to some problem of misuse of system resources. The IT people have reopen some compute’s pendrive once the executive obtain a special permission from the CEO.

    I donot want to mess with the CEO can you help.

  87. In my networked PC, USB pen drives are not opening, as it a appears that blocked by administrator through Symatic end point protection. Pl help to enable the USB port.
    suresh

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.