Hard disk failure due to a stupid mistake

[hcw12889]

TLDR:
1TB internal hard disk failure after:
1) In Windows, formatted 128GB exFAT (reserved for MAC), 872GB NTFS (orginal data)
2) Before mac installation, directly format the exFAT partition into MacOS disk format, system prompted 'format failure'
Seek for solution.
----------End of TLDR---------


This happened about 3 weeks ago.
I successfully installed hackintosh in my USB 3.0 drive about 2 weeks ago. But before that, I came up with a hard disk failure when I want to install Mac in my internal hard disk.

I am in Windows and originally I had a 1TB internal hard disk and only 1 partition on it.
I wanted to install Mac in my hard disk so I need to reserve a 128GB partition for it.

The right way to do format a disk for installing mac is to:
1) backup all the files in the whole HDD
2) Before mac installation, format whole disk as MacOS-journaled -> 128GB mac journaled, 872GB exFAT (which is readable by both Windows and Mac)
3) install mac on 128GB partition.
--------------------
Stupidly, the following are what I have done.
What I have done is a silly mistake.
I reserve 128GB for it in Windows and format it as exFAT in Windows because mac recognize exFAT, and the remaining space is for the original data.

1TB HDD:
872GB - Original Data, NTFS
128GB - reserved for Mac, nothing in it, exFAT

I didn't move out all the files from the hard disk, then I restart and proceed to installation.
Before installation, I realize that exFAT cannot be the targeted installation disk, so I directly format the exFAT partition into MacOS disk format.

After a second, it prompted some message like 'format failure'.
I believe it is only a minor error, so I restarted the computer and try again.
Sadly, computer did not ever pass the Lenovo logo and came up with boot loop.

Now I can only boot with my internal hard disk taken out, once my hard disk is attached, the computer cannot boot even can't enter bios or boot menu. No response when attaching the hard disk when any OS is running.


Can anyone tell me that is my hard disk recoverable? Are there any solutions?
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[MarcelMoyer]

Are you able to boot in BIOS with HDD disconnected?

If the partition on the hard drive is corrupt or damaged, this would cause Windows to stop the format process or show an error message.
Check if HDD turns up with another SATA port on MOBO.
Check the HDD cables as well.

Thank you,
Marcel

 

[hcw12889]

Are you able to boot in BIOS with HDD disconnected?

If the partition on the hard drive is corrupt or damaged, this would cause Windows to stop the format process or show an error message.
Check if HDD turns up with another SATA port on MOBO.
Check the HDD cables as well.

Thank you,
Marcel

Unluckily I found that one of the line in the cable is corrupted/burnt into black today due to some unknown reason. I will request a fix from Lenovo for the cable.

Before the cable is burnt today,
1) I am able to boot to BIOS with HDD disconnected.
2) I can't find other SATA port available in my Y700.

Thanks.
I will follow up this post after fixing the cable.

 

[kiiroaka]

If it's a SATA cable, why not just go down to your local electronics store and pay the cable?

If you burnt the cable then chances are that it was connector disconnected with the power on. Or, the power cord was connected to the PC or MAC - that's a good way to burn up video cards, memory modules, etc. On a PC there is usually a LED that is always turned on when the AC Cord is connected, but not always on a MAC - so it's best to get into the habit of always pulling the cord and waiting 30 seconds before touching anything inside the PC or MAC.

And, yes, even after 40 years of working on PCs and Macs I still can make the same mistake. On a Mac one thing you never do is to power it up without a video card, and if the video card needs re-positioning one has to power down the Mac or PC and pulling the AC cord. And why would one need to re-position it? Usually because it was not screwed down, just to see if it works.

With a burnt SATA cable I wouldn't be surprised if your HDD doesn't have problems. I'd check the drive SMART codes just to be sure, along with any non-destructive diags that could be run on it (in OSX that would be Permissions Check, etc.)