Reuse the Flash Drive Media

[sbrusco]

Hi All,

I generally keep the media for the previous release when the new release comes, and destroy the media for the release two releases old. I now find it hard to destrop the flash drives PDS and BDS come on, just because i would like to reuse them. I understand they are write protected and for good reason but it would break my heart if i had to take a hammer to them just to protect my company's EULA with Autodesk.

Is there any way to remove the write protection so i can make use of this otherwise useful tool?

TIA

Sal

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, that's what I needed

[TravisNave]

Good luck on that. The old instructions don't work on the newer USB
sticks. I've tried all kinds of other methods without success.

[karthur1]

Thats not good 

I have only re-purposed 2013 and 2014 PDS thumb drives.  Not any problems with them.

[TravisNave]

Yeah the old ones work. There's no known method for newer releases.

[karthur1]

When you say "newer releases", what year are you talking about?

[TravisNave]

Like 2016-present for example. I have 32GB of PDS that I cannot reuse like
I could with my older sticks.

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

I have a solution that will work with 2014 and 2015 USB3 drives now.  I have tested this with success so far on:

2014 BDSS

2014 PDSU

2014 PLTDSU

2015 BDSU

2015 IDSS

2015 FDSP

2015 PDSP died a tragic death, but I will come back to it.

This solution will presumably work on any Autodesk USB that is FW version 2251-03 which you can find using the GetInfo.exe file in the MPALL program.  So far, preliminary tests on 2016 have failed but I haven't gotten deep into it yet.

You will need to have a USB 3.0 port in your computer.  These are usually blue or have a lightning bolt USB logo. 
You will want to use Phison MPALL v3.63.0C-DL17 for this process. 
You will need download file firmware_ps2251-03.rar and use the burner file BN03V114M.BIN and firmware file FW03FF01V10810M_20130719.BIN inside that file.  
Your MP.INI (attached below) will need to be configured as follows:

Save the file, close the window, and click UPDATE again in MPALL.

Click START to begin the process.  You should end with a Green Pass.  Unplug the USB and back in to test. 

I have tested this now with success on multiple USB drives with 100% success.  Special thanks to ThomasSwanson for encouraging me to try this again. 

Good Luck!

[TravisNave]

I ran out of editing time on the solution above.  I will update as I test:

Working:

2014 BDSS

2014 PDSU

2014 PLTDSU

2014 PLTDSP

2015 BDSU

2015 BDSP

2015 PDSU

2015 IDSS

2015 FDSP

Not working:

2015 PDSP

2016 and newer

[TravisNave]

UPDATE:  I don't know if it makes a difference, but another user was not able to duplicate this with success, even using my files.  I do have a registry key set to disable write protect on USB, which I do not know if it makes a difference or not.  I am also testing on Windows 7 and he is on Windows 10, if that makes a difference. 

If you want this key, you can add it (attached) below.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies]
"WriteProtect"=dword:00000000

It is required to reboot after adding this key.

***  ALSO THIS WILL WORK ON USB 2.0 IF YOU CHANGE THE MP.INI SETTING TO USB HOST PORT 2.0 ***

[TravisNave]

I want to point out that if your USB drive is not showing up on the MPALL program because you don't have a USB3.0 port, or if you are having failures on USB3.0, you can try changing the host port in MPALL to 2.0.  Save and update and then see if the device shows up in the list. 

I am having some trouble with some PDSU 2015 keys showing up as red.  I will work on a solution to some of the problematic drives and newer releases in the next few days. 

[TravisNave]

Today was a good day.  And yes, some PDSP 2015 do work fine so long as they are version 2251-03.  I will look for additional solutions for 2251-60/90 as well as a few other randoms that I came across.  So far USB 2.0 on Win10 and USB 3.0 on Win7 seems to work for me, but let me know if you have any luck with other combinations. 

Bunches of 2014/2015 keys formatted!

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

Okay, good news.  I just got PS2251-60/90 working!  I am still using Phison MPALL v3.63.0C-DL17 

This will solve BDSP 2015 some PDSP 2015 and anything else using 2251-60 or 2251-60/90.  Here are the burner and firmware files you need to download. I suspect you will need USB3.0 on this as it did not allow me to change it.  Here are the settings (or .ini attached below) to make: 

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

Here are the successful results and files you need for PS2251-67/61.  This solves the other problem I had with PDSP 2015.  Looks like PDSP 2015 had at least 4 different firmware versions!  I trashed PS2251-50/30 but I will come back to it shortly if I can recover it. (I couldn't.)

The burner file (BN67V120M.BIN) and firmware file (FW67FF01V60710M.BIN) you need can be downloaded here.

Here are the settings (.ini attached below) needed to make in MPALL:

If you have other versions, I will do my best to find out solutions for you.  The 2016 keys come up red error, so I will work on those. 

Good Luck!

[karthur1]

I have flashed several of the PDSP 2013 USB disks without any problems, but now I have this one that is a PITA.  Nothing I try will work.

[karthur1]

@TravisNave 

I recently got a new computer that has USB 3.0 ports and I have some of the 2014 flavor USB's that I want to re-purpose.   I tried using the steps you outlined in post 47 above, but I cannot get it to work.  When I apply the settings like you are showing and click "Update", the drive doesnt appear to be read ("Start" is still greyed out).

GetInfo on the USB shows this.   I am using Windows 10 and I saw where you posted a registry fix for write protected drives (post 49), but I dont have the ....\StorageDevicePolicies folder.  Do you think I can add the folder and the keyword?

Any clue as to what I might do to get this re-formatted?

Thanks,

Kirk

[TravisNave]

Do you have an older computer to try it on? Which one of the 2014s was it
because I did have some trouble with some products.

[karthur1]

I dont have a win7 machine to try it in.  I tried the PDSU 2014 and FDSP 2014.

[Anonymous]

Dear Team, 

Unable to Format Autodesk BDSP 2014 pendrive.

Description-

Description: [H:]USB Mass Storage Device(TOSHIBA TOSHIBA USB DRV)
Device Type: Mass Storage Device

Protocal Version: USB 2.10 <- Hint: This device can run faster when plugged to a USB3.0 port
Current Speed: High Speed
Max Current: 300mA

USB Device ID: VID = 0930 PID = 1400
Serial Number: 07083BE15520BD62

Device Vendor: TOSHIBA
Device Name: TOSHIBA USB DRV
Device Revision: 0110

Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
Product Model: TOSHIBA USB DRV
Product Revision: PMAP

Controller Vendor: Phison
Controller Part-Number: PS2251-03(PS2303) - F/W 01.06.10 [2013-03-07]
Flash ID code: 98DE849372D7 - Toshiba TC58NVG6DCJTA00 [MLC-16K]

Please help.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone help me?

[TravisNave]

If you do not have a USB 3.0 port, then change the pulldown for the USB to
2.0 as I suggested a few posts above and see if that helps you.