Sounds like the connection on the motherboard wasn't tight enough. Probably had nothing to do with plugging it in backwards. The connection on the motherboard is probably the more likely culprit when drives aren't being detected. I know this becase I've dropped my Empeg hard twice now and each time the drives were fine (the shock absorbing really is amazing) but the ide cable was pulled enough off the motherboard that I had to open the Empeg up and reconnect it.