How to return shared access to a flash drive. Fixing the error "Location is not available: Access to the folder or drive is denied"

If, when you connect any flash drive or external hard drive via USB and try to open its contents (this article discusses exactly this situation, if this happens with one specific drive, the problem may be different) you see the error message “The location is not available, there is no access to disk, access is denied", the reason in most cases is the security policies of Windows 10, 8.1 or Windows 7, which restrict access to flash drives and other removable USB drives: sometimes this is the result of actions of the system administrator (if we are talking about an organization), sometimes - own experiments with the system or even the operation of malware.

If you have a home edition of Windows installed on your computer, you can access the flash drive by unlocking it in the Registry Editor:

The instructions above discuss the case when Windows policies are the reason for the lack of access. If your case is different, describe in detail in the comments: under what conditions and actions the message appears and what exactly, verbatim, is indicated in it, and I will try to tell you what to do.

Modern USB drives are not immune to errors due to many reasons. Sometimes the system may display a message that there is no access to the flash drive (access denied), although the user is firmly convinced that everything is fine with the device. Why this situation occurs and how to deal with this problem, read on.

System message “No access to flash drive. Access denied": reasons for appearance

A failure of this nature itself can be caused by the same software problems, physical damage to the drive, or (even worse) errors in the operation of the microcontroller, viruses, etc.

In principle, today it is customary to include removable memory cards as flash drives. Things are easier with them. Any adapter has a special switch that switches the device to protected mode. In other words, it is possible to see the device and everything that is on it, but it is not possible to perform any targeted actions. The simplest solution is to turn off the lock.

The situation is worse with viruses or damage to the file system due to software failures due to a sudden power outage of the computer, improper removal of the drive from the port, etc. In this case, the file system may be converted to RAW format. It will have to be returned to its original form through But, as a rule, this is not even the problem.

What to do first?

When a flash drive writes “Access denied,” this should be understood as some kind of prohibition that needs to be removed. Usually you can try to perform only one action, which will be discussed below. But it may be impossible to guarantee access to the device even with its help. Therefore, the easiest way to solve the problem is to format the drive. Of course, if it does not contain information that is critical for the user.

This can be done from the standard “Explorer” by calling the corresponding function in the right-click menu.

Autorun virus

Sometimes the appearance of warnings that there is no access to the flash drive (access denied) may be due to the impact of viruses. One of these is the Autorun.inf threat, which is very often present in illegal software distributions.

Actually, the virus itself replaces the standard Windows service, which is responsible for automatically recognizing the connected storage medium and selecting an action. As is already clear, to eliminate the consequences of its impact, you will have to perform a full scan of the system. Moreover, even if you use a standard antivirus, it is better not to use S.M.A.R.T. technology, which in most cases is enabled by default. After all, it is aimed at scanning objects vital for the operation of the system in an accelerated mode. Therefore, it is better to use in-depth analysis.

In addition, the most preferable way out of this situation would be to use independent disk utilities with the general name Rescue Disk. They have their own downloadable interface. It starts even before Windows commands are executed. And it is precisely these scanners that are capable of finding even those viruses that have penetrated too deeply into the system or have settled in the RAM.

Flash drive. Access denied. What to do: system registry

Now let's look at the most current method for eliminating this problem. If suddenly for some reason the system writes that access to the flash drive is denied, Windows 7 and similar systems can offer a radical method to fix the problem. This will require intervention in the system registry. Its editor can be accessed using the regedit command in the Run console (Win+R).

Through the HKCU branch you should go to the MountPoints2 section, where when you click on the letter of the problematic device you can see the Shell subdirectory. Apparently, the file corresponding to automatic launch will not be visible in the right window. Therefore, we simply delete the Shell partition, and then try to open the drive. If the original startup file was present, it may be hidden. We set the display of hidden objects in Explorer and change the attributes. Then everything will go without problems.

Pay attention! This only applies to devices with autorun, for which the file located directly on them is responsible. In general, you can try to remove or even enter the “Device Manager”, remove the USB controller (not the drivers, but the device). Then you need to install it again when you reboot, using not the system database, but exclusively the driver downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

You can do it even simpler by using the Driver Booster utility during restart. It will determine the device type, download the latest driver and integrate it into the system without outside participation.

But in the simplest case, when the system issues a warning that for some reason there is no access to the flash drive (access is denied), you can even use regular formatting. Unless, of course, Windows sees the drive and there is no information critical for the user on it. In all other cases, the nature of the failure should be carefully examined. And it’s better not to touch the system registry unless necessary.

Unfortunately, USB drives are not protected from malfunctions. Sometimes a situation arises when the next time you access the flash drive, the system denies access. This means that a message appears that says the following: "Access denied". Let's look at the reasons for this problem and how to solve it.

If the message appears when accessing the flash drive "Access denied", then you need to figure out the reason, which, in turn, may be as follows:

• restrictions on rights by the operating system;
• software problems;
• virus infection;
• physical damage to the media.

Method 1: Using operating system tools

The cause of the problem may lie in restrictions on the part of the operating system. The fact is that many companies, in order to protect information, configure operating systems in their workplaces so that they prohibit the use of USB devices. To do this, the system administrator makes the appropriate settings in the registry or group policy.

If the drive works fine on your home computer, but an access denied message appears elsewhere, the reason may be due to special restrictions on the part of the operating system. Then you should contact the system administrator in the office where you work so that he can remove all restrictions.

The first thing you need to do is check access to the flash drive. This task is performed as follows:

To make changes to permissions, you must be logged in with administrator rights.

You should also check the registry settings:

To show hidden files in Windows 7, do this:

In other systems, all the steps described above should help display all hidden files automatically. If such a file was present on the flash drive, it means that it was infected with a virus.

Method 2: Removing viruses

The reason for the above message may be due to a virus infection. The most common virus for USB drives is the Autorun virus, which was already mentioned above. It replaces the standard Windows service, which is responsible for connecting the media and selecting actions with it. A hidden file Autorun.inf appears on the flash drive, which blocks access. We have already talked about how to remove it. But this is far from the only virus that can be present on removable drives.

Therefore, be sure to check the flash drive for viruses with a good antivirus program - conduct a full scan of the operating system. To do this, it is better to use in-depth analysis. For example, in Avast it looks like the photo below.


The most correct option would be to use independent anti-virus software from another medium, for example Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10.

Dr.Web CureIt is also very popular. To create a boot disk or flash drive, you can use the Dr.Web LiveDisk image.

Such software starts before Windows boots and scans the system for viruses and threats.

Method 3: Data recovery and formatting

If these methods do not produce results, then you can try to format the flash drive, but the information on it will be lost. The fact is that the reason may lie in software problems.

Also, an error accessing a flash drive can appear due to failures in the operating system or improper operation of the drive - for example, it was removed during recording. In this case, the integrity of the boot file is violated. You can restore the functionality of such a flash drive using special software or contacting a service center.

It could also be due to hardware problems. To rule out this option, do this:

1. An antivirus program installed on your computer can block the flash drive. Try disabling it for a while and checking access to the drive.
2. If this is the problem, look at the settings of your antivirus program - perhaps they have some restrictions that apply to removable drives.
3. Try opening the storage medium through another USB port, this will check the functionality of the connector on the computer.
4. Try checking the functionality of the flash drive on another computer.
5. Carefully inspect the drive for its physical condition - it may be slightly bent or the connector may be loose.
6. In addition to external damage, the controller or memory chip may fail. In this case, you need help from the service department.

In any case, if a software failure occurs on the flash drive or files are damaged due to a virus, you should use a file recovery tool and then format the media. The first can be done using a special utility R-Studio. It is designed to recover information in case of file failures of a flash drive.

And formatting occurs as follows:

If regular formatting of the USB drive does not help, you need to perform low-level formatting. To perform this procedure, use specialized software, such as Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool. Our instructions will also help you complete the task.

As you can see, if you establish the cause of the error and select the most appropriate course of action for your situation, then the problem is with the message "Access denied" will be resolved. If you were unable to complete any of the steps described above, write about it in the comments, we will definitely help!

“Location is inaccessible, access denied” Windows 10, the flash drive does not open - this is a problem that computer users often encounter when trying to view the contents of a USB drive in the Windows operating system of different versions. How to fix the error? Let's look at several effective ways.

Why do I see a message about disk access being blocked?

There may be several reasons, but they are all related to interference with OS security policies:

• Setting restrictions on the part of the administrator (in the case of corporate computer use). It is necessary to contact the administrator for clarification if the problem occurs on a work PC;
• Viral influence, influence of third-party software - run an anti-virus scan, remove applications that were installed recently and could cause the defect;
• The user himself makes changes to the settings, or it is done by an ill-wisher who wants to fray your nerves a little.

Let's move on to considering solutions. First of all, check to see if the security mechanism (Lock) on the drive itself is activated. Here useful article on the topic.

The location is inaccessible, there is no access to the Windows 10 disk - what to do?

The instructions below are only relevant for OS versions higher than Home. Otherwise, go to the second method - using the registry.

• You must launch the Local Group Policy Editor. To do this, press the combination Win + R on your keyboard and enter the following command in the “Run” window that appears:

• To fix the “Location is unavailable” error when opening a flash drive or any other USB drive, you should go to the location located along the path on the left:

Computer configuration -> Admin templates -> System -> Access to removable devices

• Pay attention to the list of policies on the right and their status (Not configured, Enabled, Disabled). If you suddenly notice an active value, double-click on the desired line and deactivate the access ban in a new window:

• After applying all the adjustments, you need to double-check the same parameters here:

When you have completed the necessary operations, it is better to restart Windows 7 8 10 and remove the drive from the USB connector. And after restarting, connect and try to see if the error is resolved.

Pay attention! The methods indicated in the publication only work if the drive itself is working properly and works on other computers.

No access to the flash drive, access denied - how to fix the error using the registry editor?

• We call the execution console, as in the previous method, by pressing the Win + R button combination on the keyboard. Enter your query:

• After 5-10 seconds, a window will appear with a tree structure (left) and key values ​​(right). Let's go here:

HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Policies -> Microsoft -> Windows

• Finding an object RemovableStorageDevices delete it by right-clicking on it:

• If there is no such line, then you should look in another section and then delete:

HKEY-CURRENT-USER -> SOFTWARE -> Policies -> Microsoft -> Windows

After these manipulations, you need to reboot the operating system, after first disconnecting the flash drive from the USB connector. As soon as the OS starts, connect the external storage device to the laptop, check whether the problem with the inaccessible location and disk access failure is fixed.