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Normally, I use GParted, but cannot this time as I will explain.

I have a USB drive that was sent from Dell, containing Windows 8 or 10 (I cannot remember which). I would like to reuse the drive for something useful, but I am getting messages stating that it is read-only.

  1. When I attempt to change the permissions of the directory I get The permissions could not be changed. Sorry, could not change the permissions of 'W8-1': Error setting permissions: Read-only file system. I have opened nautilus as root.

  2. Using the command line: sudo chown 777 /media/bobo/W8_1/' I receive the message: chown: changing ownership of '/media/bobo/W8_1/': Read-only file system

  3. When using gparted, I unmount, select the appropriate drive, unmount drive, select drive to format, choose fat32. Message reads:

    Can't write to /dev/sdc because it is opened read-only.

I have checked the device for a physical switch, but am unable to locate one.

I have wasted enough time on this, I should just throw it away, but am feeling stubborn and would like to get something back for all the time that Microsoft has stolen from me over the years.

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  • It's a ROM USB drive. There was another question about the same thing, but I can't find it right now.
    – wjandrea
    Commented Feb 28, 2018 at 22:32
  • Might read this link: sharadchhetri.com/2013/12/19/…
    – jpezz
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 2:00
  • Following up, I tried the link from @jpezz and it did not work. In scrolling through the comments, one user stated that they had to run the sequence a few times for it to take, so I may try that. thanks.
    – st.bobo
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 20:30
  • Following up on @wjandrea, I ran a search for "ROM USB drive," and I believe that this correct: The drive in unalterable because it was intended for one use only, as a bootable drive and it appears the manufacturer can lock it as such. Thanks for the guidance.
    – st.bobo
    Commented Mar 1, 2018 at 20:31
  • BTW, if you had succeeded in running chown 777 /some/path you would have made the (likely non-existant) user 777 the owner of that file...
    – Zanna ♦
    Commented Mar 2, 2018 at 14:52

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