Method of and apparatus for computer hard disk drive protection and recovery

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for computer hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery. The apparatus includes a HDD controller board and a back-up HDD, both installed in a computer system having a working HDD. The apparatus utilizes hardware switches electrically coupled to the controller board, including a HDD selection switch and a copy command button. During normal operations, the switch remains switched to the working HDD, and as a result, the back-up HDD is switched off and remains transparent to the computer system and therefore protected from software viruses and other intrusions. The method includes a first-time image back-up process. When there is a failure of the working HDD, the back-up HDD can be instantly used as a normal HDD by switching the switch to the back-up HDD, so the computer system can be up and running without any interruption. Once the working HDD is fixed or replaced, all contents on the back-up HDD can be copied back to the working HDD by simply press the copy button while the Switch is switched to the back-up HDD, to restore the working HDD. Upon completion of this recovery process, the switch can be switched back to the working HDD, which allows the working HDD to be used as a normal working HDD again.