Certain configuration combinations can trigger access issues.
: Security software often "locks" USB drives to scan for threats, preventing Rufus from formatting them. Temporarily disable your antivirus or "Real-time protection" before clicking Start in Rufus. rufus access to device denied windows 7
The error in Rufus on Windows 7 is almost always a phantom lock left behind by Windows Explorer or a legacy driver. The most reliable fix is to end the explorer.exe process before running Rufus. If that fails, a DiskPart clean will reset the drive completely. Certain configuration combinations can trigger access issues