How to format locked USB drive?

[jessearl]

I received a pen which has a USB drive in it from a drug company. Located on the USB drive are some advertising PDF files. I'd like to erase the drive so that I can use it but it stops me saying that the drive cannot be modified.

Is there something I can do to erase this drive and use it?

 

[kgarner]

Have you tried to format it instead of just erasing the files? That might work.

 

[krimson]

some of those pen drives have a manual locking switch... see if there's one hidden.

 

[pulsewidth947]

Maybe the drive is read only to prevent people using it again