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I made 2 partitions on an a-data pd4 usb stick (chip UT163).
First partition is bootable and it contains liveXP.

I am looking for a method for write-protect that partition (remove protection only when I want, for upgrades...)
...something like UFDisk on SMI chips.

The only thing I found is to protect partition, but also format partition.

Anyone knowks a way to quickly protect/unprotect a partition on an usb stick with UT163 chip?

Thanks in advance

try it ('lock' from format utility for usbest)

I am not trying to password protect one disk (or partition).

I am trying to write protect one disk (like CDROM). The UT163utility format can do that, it calls "partition read-only", but that utility makes the partition read-only only with formating it.
That is what I am looking for, to make it read-only without format partition.

Utility for formating chips SMI have that option, protect the disk "on the fly". It is not necesary to format disk.

I am sure it is posible for UT163... but how?

UCDExec v3.0.0.4 , UFDUtility 3.2.4.0
(i don't remember how they work, but now there is nothing to check)
---------------
so I understand all what you need... but don't know whether there is a solution for the chips from other manufacturers, not SMI. I myself is looking for. Could not find. Here, this topic is often discussed (here for example).
As for the source code.. IMHO it is impossible to obtain. Sam MDTP not for private use, and sources - even more so
 if you find a solution - write about it

Maybe I am not clear enough.

I want to "write-protect" one partition made on flash disk.
I do not want to make CDROM partition. Main reasons are that the first partition is bootable and it has debugging tools based on BartPE and LiveXP. And I do not want to burn "CDROM partition" on flash every time when I make an update (example: antivirus database) or install some programs which do not require rebuid the image of partition (example: TotalCommander, File Recovery, WinXP password audit...). Also, recreating always CDROM partiton means to back-up all data of the other partition because of reformating.

I tried to make CDROM partition but process to create it takes about 2 hours (I don't know why it takes such long time). The speed of process of burning is few KB/s for an image of 2GB.

So, now there are 2 partitions USB-HDD on a USB flask disk and the first one is bootable and I want to make it read-only.
MPtool for UT 163 can make one partitions read-only but only when it formats the whole disk.

Does anyone have the source code for MPTool? I am curious if there are any posibility to set "the flag read-only"  without reformat the whole disk ( I repeat: like SMI chips do).

NTFS forewer. Policies "Optimize for perfomance" then format it to NTFS.

NTFS forewer. Policies "Optimize for perfomance" then format it to NTFS.

I read about this solution... I didn't tried it yet but it seems to be the best. The only minor thing should be that you are forced to write files only on that computer where you formated the disk; but I can't find a better solution like:
Run an utility -> check (un)protect drive -> update usb info (on chip) -> replug device

Who knows? Maybe it will be some day...

NTFS is not bad way. Keep ownership of protected folders on "Administrators" group and you will can modify ACL on any PC before write data.
Also you can prepare ISO images and mount them with portable apps.
Third way - button on a case.

I just finished to make an NTFS partition and it is ok.

But on tests I noticed that Administrator have full control on that disk and on my wife's computer logged as administrator I also have full control. To be mentioned here that both computers has no password.
My conclusion is that if my administrator accounts has no password then on others computers that have administrator accounts with no password you could access (write) to disk.

So in ACL I removed all groups (even administrators) and keep only one group 'Everyone' and made access read-only, and one user name 'Me' who has full control.

Tested and it boots ok, and write access is permited only on my computer.

когда флешки были маленького размера и жутко дорогие, оснащались переключателем Write Protect защита от записи. То есть при включении тумблера, данные с флешки можно было только прочесть. В наше время с распространением вирусов производители флешек почему то перестали выпускать флешки с таким переключателем. Точнее их еденицы. Собственно вопрос к людям умело владеющих паяльником. Возможно ли "впаять" такой тумблер самому? Программная защита от записи в принципе не интересует, потому как несовершенна.

Yes, it is possible... but is very dificult.

I studied some new controllers and everyone has the pins signals "write-protect". Even on PCB there are circuited printed who connect that pin. Even if it works on "low level" (pin put to -voltage) or "hi level" (pin conect to +voltage) the circuit must be there and theoretically it can be interrupted and mount a hardware switch.

But... whet you take a closer at PCB and the pen case you will see that is almost imposible to mount one. There is no space to mount one, maybe only if you can build another case.

Also this pin works "write-protect" on whole flash-disk, not only on one drive (partition), if you have more than one. The software switch is very safe as long it programs controller not to write to memory. It is the same thing like a hardware switch but the advantage is that work on every drive you have on flash-disk.

In my situation (UT163) you can protect drives but after that you must format the disk 
On MPtool for UT163/UT165 you can notice the steps:
chkblocks -> update USB info -> stress -> format
These steps are done automatically... Why not interrupt the process right after 'update USB info' , because here the controller are programed to read-only one disk. I do not need everytime 'stress' and 'format'.