diff --git a/src/kernel/drives.c b/src/kernel/drives.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..377a856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/drives.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/* Calcite, src/kernel/drives.c
+ * Copyright 2025 Benji Dial
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "utility.h"
+#include "drives.h"
+#include "heap.h"
+
+struct drive_info *drive_list;
+int drive_list_buffer_length = 0;
+int drive_list_count = 0;
+
+#define DRIVE_LIST_INITIAL_LENGTH 16
+
+struct drive_info *add_drive() {
+
+  if (drive_list_buffer_length == 0) {
+    drive_list = heap_alloc(DRIVE_LIST_INITIAL_LENGTH * sizeof(struct drive_info));
+    drive_list_buffer_length = DRIVE_LIST_INITIAL_LENGTH;
+  }
+
+  else if (drive_list_count == drive_list_buffer_length) {
+    struct drive_info *new_drive_list =
+      heap_alloc(2 * drive_list_buffer_length * sizeof(struct drive_info));
+    memcpy(new_drive_list, drive_list, drive_list_count * sizeof(struct drive_info));
+    heap_dealloc(drive_list, drive_list_count * sizeof(struct drive_info));
+    drive_list = new_drive_list;
+    drive_list_buffer_length *= 2;
+  }
+
+  struct drive_info *to_return = &drive_list[drive_list_count];
+  ++drive_list_count;
+  return to_return;
+
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/drives.h b/src/kernel/drives.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8eee84e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/drives.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/* Calcite, src/kernel/drives.h
+ * Copyright 2025 Benji Dial
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+enum drive_access_result {
+  DAR_SUCCESS
+};
+
+struct drive_info {
+
+  const char *name;
+  uint64_t block_size;
+  uint64_t block_count;
+  const void *driver_info;
+
+  //start and count are both in blocks
+  enum drive_access_result (*read_blocks)(
+    const void *driver_info, void *buffer, uint64_t start, uint64_t count);
+
+};
+
+//add a drive by calling this and writing to the returned pointer.
+//the returned pointer might be invalidated by future calls.
+struct drive_info *add_drive();
+
+const struct drive_info *look_up_drive(const char *name);
diff --git a/src/kernel/entry.c b/src/kernel/entry.c
index 51fd941..14c1c65 100644
--- a/src/kernel/entry.c
+++ b/src/kernel/entry.c
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
  * with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+#include "kernel-public/syscall-numbers.h"
 #include "framebuffer.h"
 #include "interrupts.h"
-#include "kernel-public/syscall-numbers.h"
 #include "scheduler.h"
 #include "syscalls.h"
 #include "process.h"
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "paging.h"
 #include "panic.h"
 #include "heap.h"
+#include "pata.h"
 #include "ps2.h"
 
 #include <limine.h>
@@ -198,6 +199,10 @@ static uint64_t initfs_length;
   register_syscall(SYSCALL_END_THREAD, (void *)&syscall_end_thread);
   register_syscall(SYSCALL_MAP_FRAMEBUFFER, (void *)&syscall_map_framebuffer);
 
+  //probe for drives
+
+  probe_pata_drives();
+
   //load hello and start it
 
   init_scheduler();
diff --git a/src/kernel/pata.asm b/src/kernel/pata.asm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a369e39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/pata.asm
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+ ; Calcite, src/kernel/pata.asm
+ ; Copyright 2025 Benji Dial
+ ;
+ ; This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ ; it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ ; the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ ; (at your option) any later version.
+ ;
+ ; This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ ; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ ; or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ ; for more details.
+ ;
+ ; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ ; with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+bits 64
+
+section .text
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_set_device
+pata_set_device:
+  mov dx, 0x01f6
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  mov al, sil
+  out dx, al
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_set_features
+pata_set_features:
+  mov dx, 0x01f1
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  mov al, sil
+  out dx, al
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_set_lba
+pata_set_lba:
+
+  mov dx, 0x01f3
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  mov eax, esi
+  out dx, al
+
+  inc dx
+  shr eax, 8
+  out dx, al
+
+  inc dx
+  shr ax, 8
+  out dx, al
+
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_set_command
+pata_set_command:
+  mov dx, 0x01f7
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  mov al, sil
+  out dx, al
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_read_status
+pata_read_status:
+  mov dx, 0x01f7
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  in al, dx
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_read_error
+pata_read_error:
+  mov dx, 0x01f1
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  in al, dx
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_read_lba
+pata_read_lba:
+
+  mov dx, 0x01f5
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  xor eax, eax
+  in al, dx
+
+  dec dx
+  shl ax, 8
+  in al, dx
+
+  dec dx
+  shl eax, 8
+  in al, dx
+
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_read_data
+pata_read_data:
+  movzx rcx, dx
+  mov dx, 0x01f0
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  mov rdi, rsi
+  rep insw
+  ret
+
+;referenced in pata.c
+global pata_write_data
+pata_write_data:
+  movzx rcx, dx
+  mov dx, 0x01f0
+  shl dil, 7
+  xor dl, dil
+  rep outsw
+  ret
diff --git a/src/kernel/pata.c b/src/kernel/pata.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbde548
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/pata.c
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+/* Calcite, src/kernel/pata.c
+ * Copyright 2025 Benji Dial
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "utility.h"
+#include "drives.h"
+#include "panic.h"
+#include "heap.h"
+#include "pata.h"
+
+//in any function that takes a "controller", 0 means the primary controller
+//and 1 means the secondary controller. in any function that takes a "drive",
+//bit 1 is the controller, and bit 0 is bit 4 of the device register.
+
+//all defined in pata.asm
+void pata_set_device(uint8_t controller, uint8_t value);
+void pata_set_features(uint8_t controller, uint8_t value);
+void pata_set_lba(uint8_t controller, uint32_t value);
+void pata_set_command(uint8_t controller, uint8_t value);
+uint8_t pata_read_status(uint8_t controller);
+uint8_t pata_read_error(uint8_t controller);
+uint32_t pata_read_lba(uint8_t controller);
+void pata_read_data(
+  uint8_t controller, uint16_t *buffer, uint16_t word_count);
+void pata_write_data(
+  uint8_t controller, const uint16_t *buffer, uint16_t word_count);
+
+enum pata_result {
+  PR_SUCCESS,
+  PR_NO_CONTROLLER,
+  PR_ABORTED
+};
+
+enum pata_result wait_pio(uint8_t controller) {
+  while (1) {
+    uint8_t status = pata_read_status(controller);
+    //0x00 happens in qemu, 0x7f happens in virtualbox
+    if (status == 0x00 || status == 0x7f)
+      return PR_NO_CONTROLLER;
+    if (status & 0x01) {
+      uint8_t error = pata_read_error(controller);
+      if (error == 0x04)
+        return PR_ABORTED;
+      panic("TODO")
+    }
+    if ((status & 0x80) || !(status & 0x08))
+      continue;
+    return PR_SUCCESS;
+  }
+}
+
+//buffer should have room for 256 words.
+static enum pata_result
+  pata_identify_packet_device(uint8_t drive, uint16_t *buffer) {
+
+  uint8_t controller = drive >> 1;
+
+  pata_set_device(controller, (drive & 0x01) << 4);
+  pata_set_command(controller, 0xa1);
+
+  enum pata_result result = wait_pio(controller);
+  if (result != PR_SUCCESS)
+    return result;
+
+  pata_read_data(controller, buffer, 256);
+  return PR_SUCCESS;
+
+}
+
+static enum pata_result patapi_read_capacity(
+  uint8_t drive, uint32_t *max_block_out, uint32_t *block_size_out) {
+
+  uint8_t controller = drive >> 1;
+
+  pata_set_device(controller, (drive & 0x01) << 4);
+  pata_set_features(controller, 0);
+  pata_set_lba(controller, 8 << 8);
+  pata_set_command(controller, 0xa0);
+
+  enum pata_result result = wait_pio(controller);
+  if (result != PR_SUCCESS)
+    return result;
+
+  uint8_t cmd[12] = {
+    0x25, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
+    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
+  pata_write_data(controller, (uint16_t *)cmd, 6);
+
+  result = wait_pio(controller);
+  if (result != PR_SUCCESS)
+    return result;
+
+  uint32_t actual_response_size = pata_read_lba(controller) >> 8;
+  if (actual_response_size != 8)
+    panic("TODO")
+
+  uint32_t response[2];
+  pata_read_data(controller, (uint16_t *)response, 4);
+
+  *max_block_out = end_swap_u32(response[0]);
+  *block_size_out = end_swap_u32(response[1]);
+  return PR_SUCCESS;
+
+}
+
+static uint16_t ipd_buffer[256];
+
+struct pata_driver_info {
+  uint8_t drive;
+};
+
+static enum drive_access_result read_blocks_patapi(
+  const struct pata_driver_info *driver_info,
+  void *buffer, uint64_t start, uint64_t count) {
+
+  panic("TODO");
+
+}
+
+static void probe_pata_drive(uint8_t drive) {
+
+  if (pata_identify_packet_device(drive, ipd_buffer) != PR_SUCCESS)
+    return;
+
+  uint32_t max_block, block_size;
+  if (patapi_read_capacity(drive, &max_block, &block_size) != PR_SUCCESS)
+    return;
+
+  struct drive_info *di = add_drive();
+
+  char *name = heap_alloc(6);
+  memcpy(name, "pata", 4);
+  name[4] = '0' + drive;
+  name[5] = 0;
+  di->name = name;
+
+  di->block_size = block_size;
+  di->block_count = max_block + 1;
+
+  struct pata_driver_info *driver_info =
+    heap_alloc(sizeof(struct pata_driver_info));
+  driver_info->drive = drive;
+  di->driver_info = driver_info;
+
+  di->read_blocks = (void *)&read_blocks_patapi;
+
+}
+
+void probe_pata_drives() {
+  for (int i = 0; i < 4; ++i)
+    probe_pata_drive(i);
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/pata.h b/src/kernel/pata.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce98f93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/pata.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/* Calcite, src/kernel/pata.h
+ * Copyright 2025 Benji Dial
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ * for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+//probes for all four pata drives and adds any that exist to drives.h
+void probe_pata_drives();
diff --git a/src/kernel/utility.c b/src/kernel/utility.c
index 742ac5d..605619f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/utility.c
+++ b/src/kernel/utility.c
@@ -37,3 +37,11 @@ void memzero(void *start, uint64_t bytes) {
   for (uint64_t i = 0; i < bytes; ++i)
     *(uint8_t *)(start + i) = 0;
 }
+
+uint32_t end_swap_u32(uint32_t value) {
+  return
+    (value >> 24) |
+    (((value >> 16) & 0xff) << 8) |
+    (((value >> 8) & 0xff) << 16) |
+    ((value & 0xff) << 24);
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/utility.h b/src/kernel/utility.h
index cc679a6..24b38e1 100644
--- a/src/kernel/utility.h
+++ b/src/kernel/utility.h
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ int strequ(const char *str1, const char *str2);
 
 void memcpy(void *to, const void *from, uint64_t bytes);
 void memzero(void *start, uint64_t bytes);
+
+//swaps the endianness of the value
+uint32_t end_swap_u32(uint32_t value);