diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata.c b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
index ddbd6a1edf..2140456e6b 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata.c
@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ static int ata_transfer_sectors(unsigned long start,
                 int sectors;
                 int wordcount;
                 int status;
+                int error;
 
                 if (!wait_for_start_of_transfer()) {
                     /* We have timed out waiting for RDY and/or DRQ, possibly
@@ -502,6 +503,7 @@ static int ata_transfer_sectors(unsigned long start,
 
                 /* read the status register exactly once per loop */
                 status = ATA_STATUS;
+                error = ATA_ERROR;
 
                 if (count >= multisectors )
                     sectors = multisectors;
@@ -526,6 +528,9 @@ static int ata_transfer_sectors(unsigned long start,
                 if ( status & (STATUS_BSY | STATUS_ERR | STATUS_DF) ) {
                     perform_soft_reset();
                     ret = -6;
+                    /* no point retrying IDNF, sector no. was invalid */
+                    if (error & ERROR_IDNF)
+                        break;
                     goto retry;
                 }
 
@@ -537,8 +542,14 @@ static int ata_transfer_sectors(unsigned long start,
         }
 
         if(!ret && !wait_for_end_of_transfer()) {
+            int error;
+
+            error = ATA_ERROR;
             perform_soft_reset();
             ret = -4;
+            /* no point retrying IDNF, sector no. was invalid */
+            if (error & ERROR_IDNF)
+                break;
             goto retry;
         }
         break;
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/archos/av300/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/archos/av300/ata-target.h
index f1b1d7dc15..9c59acc460 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/archos/av300/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/archos/av300/ata-target.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/ata-target.h
index 82c5a5f555..c9d789d092 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/ata-target.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1  0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2  0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/imx31/gigabeat-s/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/imx31/gigabeat-s/ata-target.h
index 8b308f28b5..f7f84f82e9 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/imx31/gigabeat-s/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/imx31/gigabeat-s/ata-target.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/s3c2440/gigabeat-fx/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/s3c2440/gigabeat-fx/ata-target.h
index 54d0964560..01cdbb9ddb 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/s3c2440/gigabeat-fx/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/s3c2440/gigabeat-fx/ata-target.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ void copy_read_sectors(unsigned char* buf, int wordcount);
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/creative-zvm/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/creative-zvm/ata-target.h
index a1d4a90cb8..46713e70c5 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/creative-zvm/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/creative-zvm/ata-target.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ extern int _ata_write_sectors(IF_MD2(int drive,) unsigned long start, int count,
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1  0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2  0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/mrobe-500/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/mrobe-500/ata-target.h
index 2a9d3e8010..0abeb2e9e7 100644
--- a/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/mrobe-500/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/arm/tms320dm320/mrobe-500/ata-target.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void copy_write_sectors(const unsigned char* buf, int wordcount);
 #define STATUS_DRQ      0x08
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/coldfire/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/coldfire/ata-target.h
index a1c521e7df..3f462b9471 100644
--- a/firmware/target/coldfire/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/coldfire/ata-target.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x0100
 
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x0400
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x1000
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a
diff --git a/firmware/target/sh/archos/ata-target.h b/firmware/target/sh/archos/ata-target.h
index 893737048e..aef025e1df 100644
--- a/firmware/target/sh/archos/ata-target.h
+++ b/firmware/target/sh/archos/ata-target.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #define STATUS_ERR      0x01
 
 #define ERROR_ABRT      0x04
+#define ERROR_IDNF      0x10
 
 #define WRITE_PATTERN1 0xa5
 #define WRITE_PATTERN2 0x5a