ATAboy bridges old IDE drives to the 21st century with Open Source USB host bridge — powered by a Raspberry Pi RP2350 and with custom 'Award' BIOS menu
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Image credit: Pexels / JJ Dasher
Overview
If you have a collection of older IDE (PATA) hard drives that you need for data recovery, backup, or just for the fun of retro hardware, the biggest challenge is connecting them to a modern system. JJ Dasher, from JJ’s Messy Bench, created ATAboy, an open‑source IDE‑to‑USB interface designed specifically for legacy hard disks.
The “Award”‑style BIOS screen is a nostalgic nod to 1990s 486 PCs, offering a simple, clean interface that feels right at home on retro hardware.
Image credit: JJ Dasher
Hardware
The ATAboy PCB is built around the Raspberry Pi RP2350 system‑on‑chip, the same dual‑core ARM CPU used in the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 and Pico 2W. Running at 250 MHz, the RP2350’s GPIO pins handle the IDE‑to‑USB conversion. The board was designed in KiCad, an open‑source CAD tool.
Compatibility
ATAboy works with both CHS and LBA‑type IDE disks, though it is primarily geared toward CHS geometry. For legacy drives with unusual geometries, you may need to manually configure the interface.
Purchasing & DIY
- Buy a pre‑built unit: JJ sells ATAboy boards for $50 at the Obsolete Tech store.
- Build your own: All schematics, the bill of materials (BOM), and the latest firmware are available in the GitHub repository.
- 3D‑printable case: A case designed in FreeCAD can be printed on any of the best 3D printers or even a budget 3D printer.