ATAboy - someone heard about? \ VOGONS

ATAboy - someone heard about?

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First post, by LeFlash

Posted on 2026-06-28, 14:36

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Hello,

recently I stumbled upon a video presenting the ATAboy, a RPI-based module that can interface CHS-only-HDDs to USB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFusWboPa-s
https://github.com/redruM0381/ATAboy

I ordered some PCBs from jlc for under $5 (incl shipping - which is insane) and thought it would be a good idea to solder this thingi with 0402 smd components and some smd-stuff myself.
It worked well, was a good way of some more practicing with hotair, but overall not really worth it in aspects of money. (the parts i had to order separately for just one board incl. shipping from different sources happen to be more expensive in the end, but i could - in theory - build 2 more of these devices)

Anyway, this thing works like a charm!
Interface is a Award-bios-style serial terminal, and it presents the drive as a USB-device.

Reply 1 of 9, by weedeewee

Posted on 2026-06-28, 15:47

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I saw it almost a month ago. ~~Cant recall how it came to me. maybe it was a youtube recommendation.~~ Looked really interesting.

How's your experience with it? What read transferrate do you get with it ?

edit: ah yes, tech tangents video. Thanks rasz_pl

-
_ ? wth

Last edited by weedeewee on 2026-06-29, 04:35. Edited 1 time in total.

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 2 of 9, by LeFlash

Posted on 2026-06-28, 17:05

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Tested with hdparm ...

/dev/sdb:
Timing cached reads: 2 MB in 3.44 seconds = 595.65 kB/sec
Timing buffered disk reads: 2 MB in 3.86 seconds = 530.98 kB/sec

current firmware does only usb 1.1.
Should be getting better someday.

Besides that, quick test with some old drives was looking good.

Reply 3 of 9, by weedeewee

Posted on 2026-06-28, 17:36

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LeFlash wrote on 2026-06-28, 17:05:
Tested with hdparm ... […]
Show full quote

Tested with hdparm ...

/dev/sdb:
Timing cached reads: 2 MB in 3.44 seconds = 595.65 kB/sec
Timing buffered disk reads: 2 MB in 3.86 seconds = 530.98 kB/sec

current firmware does only usb 1.1.
Should be getting better someday.

Besides that, quick test with some old drives was looking good.

good enough to take images of those small drives, even write prepared images back to them or just use them direc
Nope, RP2350 only has a full speeds USB 1 interface 12megabits per sec max according to the datasheet as far as I read it.

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 4 of 9, by rasz_pl

Posted on 2026-06-28, 22:43

rasz_pl Offline

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Shelby was enthusiastic about it despite his AI hatred

"ATAboy IDE Adapter for CHS Hard Drives" Tech Tangents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFusWboPa-s

https://github.com/raszpl/sigrok-disk FM/MFM/RLL decoder
https://github.com/raszpl/FIC-486-GAC-2-Cache-Module (AT&T Globalyst)
https://github.com/raszpl/386RC-16 ram board
https://github.com/raszpl/Zenith_ZBIOS Zenith Z-386 MFM-300 ZBIOS disassembly

Reply 5 of 9, by jmarsh

Posted on 2026-06-28, 23:44

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Can't say I've ever had an IDE2USB adapter that didn't work with CHS drives...

Reply 6 of 9, by weedeewee

Posted on 2026-06-29, 04:34

weedeewee Offline

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jmarsh wrote on 2026-06-28, 23:44:

Can't say I've ever had an IDE2USB adapter that didn't work with CHS drives...

If you still have them, could you test & verify with an old drive, say a, conner 40MB or a seagate 40MB and when verified working, make a thread posting photos of the usb2ide pcb with clearly readable chip id and maybe some performance results?

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Do not ask Why !
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Serial_port

Reply 7 of 9, by LeFlash

Posted on 2026-06-29, 13:10

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Here's a picture of the finished board:

The attachment ataboy.jpeg is no longer available

Reply 8 of 9, by maxtherabbit

Posted on 2026-06-29, 15:02

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jmarsh wrote on 2026-06-28, 23:44:

Can't say I've ever had an IDE2USB adapter that didn't work with CHS drives...

that's ironic because I've never had one that did

Reply 9 of 9, by akimmet

Posted on 2026-06-29, 19:29

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I have had a similar experience. No IDE to USB adapter that I have tried works with drives that predate LBA support.

This is a much more convenient alternative to a dedicated old PC with drive sleds.

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