Question: The S.M.A.R.T. attributes are attributes that a HDD keeps about its health and performance.
I know that the MBR is stored at C,H,S (0,0,1) which leaves no free disc space for the drive to function.
Where on the drive are the attributes stored?
Answer: As mentioned in this informative blog post, and as confirmation to @djg’s answer, some manufacturers store some information in the service area or negative track area of a drive, while others use memory on the PCB, as mentioned by @Dracs.