China DOS Union

HPA means the hidden protection partition. Now many brand computers use this for one-key recovery..

I want to implement this function: Making a GHOST backup is simple, but how to write the GHOST file into HPA, and then press a key to restore the system from HPA when booting... Even can use a CD to boot and also achieve restoring data from HPA..

1. There are extremely few materials about HPA.. At least I didn't find any..

2. I have been to forums like 5U and others, read relevant posts, and finally there is no solution..

3. Recently viruses like Panda烧香/Jinzhu Baoxi all search for GHOST backup files in the entire disk and then delete them.. So, it's very insecure..

I will be online for a long time to follow this post... Maybe I will bump it myself... Please let the moderator pass.:(

There is another golden pig announcing good news again! This world...

The Youwu Forum already has a mature solution, which is the one - key recovery of Tsinghua Tongfang, based on the technology of Softstar Technology.

In addition, using a partition tool to hide a partition can also prevent viruses from accessing files on the hidden partition. It is not necessary to be an HPA partition.

The one - key recovery based on HPA in Tsinghua Tongfang may fail on some machines.

I think changing the file extension is still more convenient. I once used a homomorphic encryption based on Tongfang's hpa, and then it ended up very badly, all the files could be read.

HPA is a standard of ATA, and ATA-4 includes HPA. The popular understanding is to set the maximum sector number for reading the hard disk, thus hiding the advanced content. This maximum sector number can be written in a certain place on the hard disk. Therefore, even if you hang this hard disk on other machines, you normally cannot see the hidden content.

All related FW tools are in the recovery directory of the first recovery CD, which are the files starting with fw. Here, a tool package is uploaded. The specific introductions will be made one by one later.

Attachment: 406198-FWTOOLS.RAR

This is the psa driver. After adding it to the config.sys file, you can view the content in HPA under DOS.

Attachment: 406203-PSADISK.SYS

The interface after pressing AccessIBM is this program, which IBM calls sight.exe.

Attachment: 406208-SIGHT.EXE

This program requires minidos.sys to support.

Attachment: 406212-MINIDOS.SYS

This is some information found. Your idea, many people have long wished for: establish an advanced secure hidden area to place GHOST, and back up or restore the system at any time. Unless during GHOST, other methods cannot access it. Hehe, but it seems that to get better functions, you must pay a price.

You go check this 406212-MINIDOS.SYS. See if you can mount the HPA hidden area under DOS. If it is mounted, see if GHOST can access it. If it can, then everyone will be grateful.

There is no absolutely secure system. Even the one - key recovery system based on HPA partitions can have its HPA partitions displayed (or deleted) as long as the other party has the corresponding tools, such as Lenovo's hpatool or ulockhpa and such tools. Virus authors are not stupid either. The ATA command standard is public. As long as virus authors take this aspect into account, HPA is not secure. What is security? Improving security awareness, strengthening virus prevention and ensuring that the system is not infected with viruses is the most secure.

The deployment software of Tsinghua Tongfang, I don't know what specific usage environment it has? For example, if I deliberately clear the last FAT32 partition, and then use this software to divide a hidden partition out? Or do I have to do this first? Then how?..~~

The method mentioned by friend 6th floor llztt1 is really seen for the first time... I'll go find that thing!!

In addition, I think HPA partition should be a type of partition, not a file storage type like FAT32, NTFS. It operates using the ATA-7 stream command set..(These days, I haven't been idle either, and I'm continuing to study this problem..)... So, what kind of storage method is used inside the HPA partition?? Can it transfer data with FAT32 and other partitions.. are all problems.

In addition, you said that the ATA standard is public, then do you have relevant information about the ATA-7 stream command? Please share it.. I want to see what it looks like.?

Thank you everyone for paying attention to this problem!

This question is not very meaningful. What the 7th floor said is very correct.

Re cnmba:

The standards for HPA partitions are not uniform. Lenovo and IBM seem to use Phoniex's FirstWare, while Tsinghua Tongfang uses the technology of SoftTech. FirstWare seems to be more troublesome to use, and HPA will be divided into many partitions, while Tsinghua Tongfang's is a single FAT32 partition (equivalent to a logical partition).

As for the ATA command set, I don't have it here, but it must be searchable on the Internet.

Why isn't there any download available?

Actually, as long as you have used the diskgman tool or the diskgen command, you'll know that for any partition, it can be handled there. It's also a graphical interface. But it can only be used under DOS. Hehe. Actually, it's more convenient to change the file extension. Just change any extension randomly and rewrite the batch file. It's very convenient. At least that's what I'm doing currently.