Abstract: The content of a hard disk drive or the like information storage media that includes content stored in a host protected area (HPA) or reserve area of the hard disk is duplicated using hard disk drive duplicating machinery. The duplication process includes the steps of detecting the presence of a HPA on a source drive, and if detected, generating an HPA are of the same or of a sufficiently accommodating size on the target disk drive. Information from the source HPA drive to the thus created HPA area of the target-drive. The remaining content from the source drive is written to an available section of the target drive. The invention is thereby able to detect whether a source drive has a HPA, create an HPA on the target drive, and to copy the content of the source HPA to the HPA on the target device to ensure a proper duplication of the target drive.

Abstract: The content of a hard disk drive or the like information storage media that includes content stored in a host protected area (HPA) or reserve area of the hard disk is duplicated using hard disk drive duplicating machinery. The duplication process includes the steps of detecting the presence of a HPA on a source drive, and if detected, generating an HPA area of the same or of a sufficiently accommodating size on the target disk drive. Information from the source HPA drive is written to the thus created HPA area of the target drive. The remaining content from the source drive is written to an available section of the target drive. The invention is thereby able to detect whether a source drive has a HPA, create an HPA on the target drive, and to copy the content of the source HPA to the HPA on the target device to ensure a proper duplication of the target drive.