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How to Allow Users on Windows 7 Computer to Format and/or Removable NTFS Media?

By Codrut Nistor

Posted in How-to, Windows-7

As default nature of Windows 7 only administrators are allowed to format and/or eject any removable media that has NTFS file system. This default nature is quite ideal in production environments where administrators need to restrict users from misusing the media. However in homes this security measure is not required at all and therefore administrators which are home users can remove this restriction and allow all users to format any removable media at their own will. As an administrator you can configure this setting by following the steps given below:

  1. Logon to the computer with administrator account.
  2. Click on Start button.
  3. At bottom of start menu in search box type gpedit.msc command and press enter key.
  4. On Local Group Policy Editor snap-in under Computer Configuration expand Windows Settings and then expand Security Settings.
  5. Expand Local Policies and click on Security Options.
  6. From the right pane double click on Devices: Allowed to format and eject removable media and on the opened box from the drop-down list select Administrators and Interactive Users.
  7. Once done click on Ok button and close Local Group Policy Editor snap-in.
  8. Open Command Prompt and in command window type gpupdate /force to update here computer policy with latest configuration.
  9. Close Command Prompt.