Is it possible to make a USB key read-only (permanently)? I want to put a presentation onto a USB key and make it read only so the company i am sending it to cant remove it, put other files on the drive or format it. Cheers

Why not just put the info on a CD-R instead? ASUS A7N8X-X Athlon XP 1800+ 8.5 x 200MHz 1024MB PC3200 2.5-3-3-7 Asus A9550GE/TD 128MB WinME/WinXP Pro SP2

Because I work for a marketing company and they think the USB key will 'look better', and presentations on CD are ten a penny! I don’t get it myself but that’s why they get paid ridiculous amounts and I get next to nothing!

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2otech.mspx#EDAA "Controlling block storage devices on USB buses What does controlling block storage devices on USB buses do? This feature provides the ability to set a registry key that will prevent write operations to USB block storage devices, such as memory sticks. When this registry key is enabled, the devices function only as read-only devices. You can implement this setting as part of a security strategy to prevent users from transporting data using these devices. Who does this feature apply to? • Users who do not want data to be written from their computer to a USB storage device. • IT professionals who want to implement organization controls over the use of USB block storage devices What settings are added or changed in Windows XP Service Pack 2 Setting name Location Default value Possible values WriteProtect HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ CurrentControlSet\Control \StorageDevicePolicies DWORD=0 0 - Disabled 1 - Enabled" "We used to think that if we knew one, we knew two, because one and one are two. We are finding that we must learn a great deal more about 'and'." - Sir Arthur Eddington 1882-1944

Sorry, submitted before I was finished typing. This only works on the system thats had the registry modified, however. You want to make the DRIVE read only. I know there are drives with switches to make them read only, but you really need a hardware solution. "We used to think that if we knew one, we knew two, because one and one are two. We are finding that we must learn a great deal more about 'and'." - Sir Arthur Eddington 1882-1944

http://www.hscus.com/whatsNew/UD-RW.htm has an interesting approach, and I don't see why it can't work on other drives. Save the data you want as a virtual CD image.... "We used to think that if we knew one, we knew two, because one and one are two. We are finding that we must learn a great deal more about 'and'." - Sir Arthur Eddington 1882-1944

Even if you make it a "read-only" they can save it to another location with a new file name and WHALAA !!!! My sig is on sabbatical.