Booting with no display or IDE had the same i2c errors. The ide_data_test had some random errors:
ide_data_test: wrote 0x0000 read 0xffff
ide_data_test: wrote 0xffff read 0xffff
ide_data_test: wrote 0xaaaa read 0xffbf
ide_data_test: wrote 0x5555 read 0xff7f

but eventually ended with everything at 0xffff.

The odd thing is, the ide_data_tests show different errors on different boots. With a good drive in, the tests sarted:
ide_data_test: wrote 0x0000 read 0xff80
ide_data_test: wrote 0xffff read 0xff80
ide_data_test: wrote 0xaaaa read 0xaa80
ide_data_test: wrote 0x5555 read 0x5580

but ended with 0x0000 seeming to fail:
ide_data_test: wrote 0x0000 read 0xffff
ide_data_test: wrote 0xffff read 0xffff
ide_data_test: wrote 0xaaaa read 0xaaaa
ide_data_test: wrote 0x5555 read 0x5555

Heck, the best ide_data_tests were with the bad drive, bad cable, bad empeg.... maybe my testing methodology is bad.