A method is disclosed for installing a mailbox file associated with a disk storage medium of a disk drive. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a computer system includes a host computer, a disk drive host interface and a disk drive having a disk storage medium with a first range of disk drive host interface addressable locations. A disk drive access key is obtained from an access key server, the access key being generated by the access key server as a function of an identifying characteristic of the disk drive. A mailbox file is created in the first range of addressable locations using the access key obtained from the access key server. The disk drive is notified of a location of the mailbox file in the first range of addressable locations such that the disk drive can perform a function characterized by contents of the mailbox file.