Software only cloning tool that can do soft resets?

[maximus]

I am also curious about getting a USB device that can do JTAG.

Don't skimp on this too much, I recommend starting backward in your research to find a USB JTAG tool..
1. work out what JTAG software you want to use
2. research relevant hardware options and make sure the device you choose is well supported - not partially supported or has limitations.

I need to be able to access it using C in Linux. That is why I spent $45 on a USB relay controller, instead of $10 on one that I couldn't be sure I could write controlling software for. There must be documentation and ability to access the device with raw commands, or I don't want it.

[HaQue]

Found this, may be relevant.:

This apparatus was built to reset the drive, allowing easy scripting and automated tasks. One USB to serial cable controls the relay, the second is connected to the serial port of the drive. The SATA cable is connected through a USB-SATA adapter for backdoor development. It is then directly connected to a computer motherboard for the field tests.

https://www.ibr.cs.tu-bs.de/users/kurmus/papers/acsac13.pdf

There is so little work done (publicly, aside from the NSA). The first 2 references are amusing...

References
[1] HDD Guru Forums, 2013. URL http://forum. hddguru.com/.
[2] Jeroen Domburg (a.k.a. Sprite tm). HDD Hacking. URL http://spritesmods.com/?art=hddhack. Talk given at OHM 2013.