Hamburg  - One simple entry in the Windows Registry can prevent most lay users from copying data from a PC using a USB stick. To add the entry, click on "Start" and then "Run." From the resulting Run dialogue box, enter "Regedit" to open the Registration Editor.

Find the entry under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\" called "StorageDevicePolicies." A right click on the entry opens a context-sensitive menu.

Click on "New" and "Dword-Value" to change the file name suggested by Windows to "WriteProtect." The entry must then be opened and its value set to "1." That deactivates the ability to copy data to a USB stick. The block can be deactivated again by resetting the value to "0." If there is no "StorageDevicePolicies" entry then it can reset using "Edit/New/Key." (dpa)