"disk is write protected" receiving message on external hard drive and memory sticks

Step 1:
Which operating system ?

Computer is booting from a non-bootable source. Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS. Corrupt NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM file. Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file. Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT.32 New hard disk drive being added. Corrupt boot sector / master boot record. Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable. Failing to enable USB keyboard support in the BIOS. Many times this error is caused when the computer is attempting to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk or CD ROM First verify that no Floppy Diskette or CD is in the computer, unless you are attempting to boot from a diskette. b> Note: This error has also been known to occur when a memory stick is in a card reader and the computer is attempting to boot from it. If you have any card reader or flash reader make sure that no memory stick is inside the computer. Additionally disconnect all USB drives, cameras, ipods, iphones, etc. from the computer. If you are attempting to BOOT from a floppy diskette and are receiving this error message it is likely that the diskette does not have all the necessary files or is corrupt. If you are attempting to install Windows XP or Windows 2000 and are receiving this error message as the computer is booting verify that your computer BIOS has the proper boot settings. For example, if you are attempting to run the install from the CD-ROM make sure the CD-ROM is the first boot device, and not the hard disk drive. Second, when the computer is booting you should receive the below prompt. Press any key to boot from the CD

Causes

1. Computer is booting from a non-bootable source.
2. Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS.
3. Corrupt NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM file.
4. Misconfiguration with the boot.ini file.
5. Attempting to upgrade from a Windows 95, 98, or ME computer that is using FAT32.
6. New hard disk drive being added.
7. Corrupt boot sector / master boot record.
8. Seriously corrupted version of Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
9. Loose or Faulty IDE/EIDE hard disk drive cable.
10. Failing to enable USB keyboard support in the BIOS.

Solutions

Computer is booting from a non-bootable source

Many times this error is caused when the computer is attempting to boot from a non-bootable floppy disk or CD-ROM. First verify that no floppy diskette or CD is in the computer, unless you are attempting to boot from a diskette.

Note: This error has also been known to occur when a memory stick is in a card reader and the computer is attempting to boot from it. If you have any card reader or flash reader make sure that no memory stick is inside the computer. Additionally disconnect all USB drives, cameras, ipods, iphones, etc. from the computer.

If you are attempting to boot from a floppy diskette and are receiving this error message it is likely that the diskette does not have all the necessary files or is corrupt.

If you are attempting to install Windows XP or Windows 2000 and are receiving this error message as the computer is booting verify that your computer BIOS has the proper boot settings. For example, if you are attempting to run the install from the CD-ROM make sure the CD-ROM is the first boot device, and not the hard disk drive.

Second, when the computer is booting you should receive the below prompt.

Press any key to boot from the CD

Important: When you see this message press any key such as the Enter key immediately, otherwise it will try booting from the hard drive and likely get the NTLDR error again.

Note: If you are not receiving the above message and your BIOS boot options are set properly it's also possible that your CD-ROM drive may not be booting from the CD-ROM properly. Verify the jumpers are set properly on the CD-ROM drive.

• Verifying the CD-ROM cables are correctly connected.

Computer hard disk drive is not properly setup in BIOS

Verify that your computer hard disk drive is properly setup in the CMOS setup. Improper settings can cause this error.

Corrupt NTLDR or NTDETECT.COM file

Windows 2000 users
Windows XP users

Go and buy XP sp3 from a geniue computer seller office

YOU NEED TO UPGRADE YOUR MEMORY STICK OR BETTER STILL IF YOUR HARD DISK SPACE IS VERY LOW TRY AND UPGRADE ALL MEMORY BOTH YOUR HARD DISK SPACE AND MEMORY CARD ON YOUR SYSTEM IF ALL THIS DIDN'T WORK THEN THERE IS TOO MUCH OF VIRUS ON IT WHICH WILL CALL FOR RELOADING THE SYSTEM AS IN FORMATTING THE SYSTEM WITH A BOOTABLE DISK XP FOR RELOADING THE OPERATING SYSTEM.

Sometimes when a flash memory stick fails because it was not removed from the USB port properly. If the device is removed by just pulling it out of the USB port, it can cause the flash device to fail, you must click on the Safely Remove Hardware icon on the Task Bar and select the device you wish to remove and only do so when instructed to do so.

When the flash memory device appears to malfunction it maybe possible to restore it by reformatting it. Insert the flash drive into the USB port then Click on Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Computer Management - Disk Management.
Then right click on Disk 1 removable drive and click Format. After the flash drive has been formatted it will indicate that it is Healthy.

You need to format the external drive. Format the drive as primary drive and in FAT32. (FAT32 will allow data to be exchanged between MACs and PCs).
Insert the external hard drive into the USB port then Click on Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Computer Management - Disk Management.
Then right click on Disk 1 removable drive and click Format. After the flash drive has been formatted it will indicate that it is Health.

you have to repair the operating system or re-install it

you would atleast be able to access the bios if it was just the hard drive issue.

If you are running just off the battery try running with your power supply on it and see if that does anything else

if not you may have a short in the power supply some where.

goto Control Panel, administrative tools, Computer Management, Disk Management, If it pops up a new disk install wizard follow the directions in it. If not then find the new disk that has no partition on it, right click on that drive to create a partition, then right click on the drive to format it, if it hasent done so already.

I received this error message too. I put the Windows XP disk in and rebooted. NO ERROR MESSAGE

Could you tell us the exact error message?