IDE replacement hard drive

[unhinged]

We have several systems that are not likely to be replaced within the next ten years. The use a dos os and the file structure uses less than 100 MB. We use the 3 1/4 floppy for backup and communicate through the com port to make backups of the db. I have a thought to replace the ide hard drive with a flash drive. Is there an adapter that would allow you to use the ide port on the mother board to plug in a usb drive? There are probably some connectivity issues with bootup that but can probably be addressed by booting from floppy, or even by placing the right files on stick. Any thoughts?

 

[Tmagic650]

What are these DOS systems used for? Some sort of monitoring of equipment? There is probably no provision to boot from an external device on these, and I don't think they can be made to boot from anything but a internal hard drive or Floppy

 

[unhinged]

That is exactly the direction my thoughts are going. "No external capabilities" I can see how impractical it might be to make an adapter that will connect to the IDE port on a motherboard with a female adapter for a usb flash drive. An emulation of an IDE drive by a USB drive with communication directly to the motherboard.

They are medical devices, and are likely in every hospital in the nation.

 

[Tmagic650]

That is exactly the direction my thoughts are going. "No external capabilities" I can see how impractical it might be to make an adapter that will connect to the IDE port on a motherboard with a female adapter for a usb flash drive. An emulation of an IDE drive by a USB drive with communication directly to the motherboard.

They are medical devices, and are likely in every hospital in the nation.

Can you install something like a PCI USB adaper card? You would still have to be able to boot from it... I thought they were "monitoring" systems of some sort. I worked on similar systems for a power plant, several years ago

 

[unhinged]

These are full room xray machines. The PCI adapter may be an option, but I was thinking more along the lines of a low cost high yeild integration nationwide that could address the dated hardware that is becoming less and less available. For example, a com port cd burner that has been used to download the entire contents of the 38 MB file system as a backup. Something that would be as easy as installing a new hard drive, like a cable- an IDE cable adapter to usb female. It will probably require emulation, but it seems quite feasable, if not already produced. Motherboards are going to the SATA connection, but they have not entirely done away with the IDE slots. If there was a way to hook directly from the IDE to make an additional or, in this this case, the only USB port.

 

[Tmagic650]

What about this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812156101

 

[unhinged]

Its backwards. I would need it the other way. Directly from the IDE connection on the mobo to a female usb port.

 

[SNGX1275]

CompactFlash memory cards have the same wiring as IDE devices. So how about this:
http://www.pcengines.ch/cflash.htm