Can plugging SATA backward kill drive?

[reighnie]

I was installing a replacement MB and my HDD has a broken tab next to the SATA data connector. I accidentally plugged the cable into it backwards. When I try to boot, BIOS doesn't recognize my drive. Could I have killed the drive? My SSD is recognized fine, so I don't think it's the controller on the MB.

HDD: Hitachi 7K1000.B Hard Drive - 1TB, 7200RPM, 16MB, SATA-300
MB: eVGE X58 SLI LE

Thanks,
Reighnie

 

[John_VanKirk]

Hello there,

The way the DATA SATA connectors are built, if you were able to force the connector on backwards, the data pins of the connector would lie on the side without pins of the MB SATA connector. So it shouldn't hurt anything.

Possibly you broke off a pin or shorted a pin in the cable itself. Might try a different cable.
Aslo try the new cable on a different SATA MB port to confirm the 'forced' one physically is not damaged

 

[WyomingKnott]

When I try to boot, BIOS doesn't recognize my drive. Could I have killed the drive? My SSD is recognized fine, so I don't think it's the controller on the MB.

Have you tried the drive with the cable plugged in correctly, with a new cable and power cable and using a different port on the mobo? The idea being to change everything other than the drive and see if the drive is recognized.

john_VanKirk is right about the pins, to the best of my knowledge. There may have been enough physical damage to the mobo or cable connector to render that port / cable useless.

 

[reighnie]

I tried it again this morning with a different cable and it worked. Thank you both.

Reighnie

 

[reighnie]

Best answer selected by reighnie.