Need major help: Accidentally deleted "Mac HD"

[HelplessWTech]

I just erased everything from a Bootcamp partition to make a new one with more room. When I went to restart everything in Mac OS X it just gave me the apple symbol with the spinning wheel below. Eventually I tried to turning off the my mac by holding down the power button (I never should have done it but I didn't know how else to get rid of the screen). Now when I try and restart my mac it comes up with "Non-System Disc, Press any key to reboot". I try pressing any key and nothing happens.

When I tried to start it up with the install disk the only thing I can use to start up is the Install DVD and Network Startup. If anyone can help at all I would greatly appreciate it but by now I have come to the fact that I essentially lost everything

I do however have a full back up on an external hard drive and when I tried to back it up the only "destination" I had to choose from was my old bootcamp partition.

 

[eagandale4114]

I just erased everything from a Bootcamp partition to make a new one with more room. When I went to restart everything in Mac OS X it just gave me the apple symbol with the spinning wheel below. Eventually I tried to turning off the my mac by holding down the power button (I never should have done it but I didn't know how else to get rid of the screen). Now when I try and restart my mac it comes up with "Non-System Disc, Press any key to reboot". I try pressing any key and nothing happens.

When I tried to start it up with the install disk the only thing I can use to start up is the Install DVD and Network Startup. If anyone can help at all I would greatly appreciate it but by now I have come to the fact that I essentially lost everything

I do however have a full back up on an external hard drive and when I tried to back it up the only "destination" I had to choose from was my old bootcamp partition.

The only real good I can see here is that you have an external backup. I would suggest moving your windows stuff there too if you already haven't.

If you have lion this is what I suggest.
Next try starting up in recovery partition mode. When boring up hold the option key and you should see an option for recovery. If that fails try Lion internet recovery. The last method requires that your EFI supports it.

If your system came with snow leopard you should be able to use the install disk that came with it. Put the DVD in and boot from there. Press the option key as soon as you start up and boot from the DVD.

 

[gentlefury]

I just erased everything from a Bootcamp partition to make a new one with more room. When I went to restart everything in Mac OS X it just gave me the apple symbol with the spinning wheel below. Eventually I tried to turning off the my mac by holding down the power button (I never should have done it but I didn't know how else to get rid of the screen). Now when I try and restart my mac it comes up with "Non-System Disc, Press any key to reboot". I try pressing any key and nothing happens.

When I tried to start it up with the install disk the only thing I can use to start up is the Install DVD and Network Startup. If anyone can help at all I would greatly appreciate it but by now I have come to the fact that I essentially lost everything

I do however have a full back up on an external hard drive and when I tried to back it up the only "destination" I had to choose from was my old bootcamp partition.

how did you delete it? You can only delete the system externally. So you would either have to use recovery partition, or an older install disk. If you delete Bootcamp, but don't reset your startup disk you will get this warning of non-system disk....because it is trying to boot into a partition that doesn't exist.

Restart. Hold the option key until a boot selection screen comes up, pick macintosh HD...then when you are in OSX go to settings, startup disk, and change it to Macintosh HD..or else it will always start like that.

 

[HelplessWTech]

The only real good I can see here is that you have an external backup. I would suggest moving your windows stuff there too if you already haven't.

If you have lion this is what I suggest.
Next try starting up in recovery partition mode. When boring up hold the option key and you should see an option for recovery. If that fails try Lion internet recovery. The last method requires that your EFI supports it.

If your system came with snow leopard you should be able to use the install disk that came with it. Put the DVD in and boot from there. Press the option key as soon as you start up and boot from the DVD.

When I hold down the option key to restart I get the option to restart in Windows (which is now empty) and the Install DVD. I choose the DVD and it brings me to the Mac OS X install but like I said, when I try to re-install it I can only choose to install it to my external or bootcamp and not the hard drive itself.

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I went back and when I went to quit "Mac OS X Installer" I didn't choose a startup disk to restart in (I don't know if that made the difference). But ever since then it won't restart normally and I see no place where Macintosh HD used to be.

 

[eagandale4114]

When I hold down the option key to restart I get the option to restart in Windows (which is now empty) and the Install DVD. I choose the DVD and it brings me to the Mac OS X install but like I said, when I try to re-install it I can only choose to install it to my external or bootcamp and not the hard drive itself.

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I went back and when I went to quit "Mac OS X Installer" I didn't choose a startup disk to restart in (I don't know if that made the difference). But ever since then it won't restart normally and I see no place where Macintosh HD used to be.

I take it that you are on snow leopard. There should be something called disk utility on the install disk. Use it to wipe your HDD and start from scratch. Instructions here. IT WILL DELETE EVERYTHING. THIS INCLUDES YOUR BOOTCAMP PARTITION.

You should be able to SL to your internal and then repartition.

 

[HelplessWTech]

I take it that you are on snow leopard. There should be something called disk utility on the install disk. Use it to wipe your HDD and start from scratch. Instructions here. IT WILL DELETE EVERYTHING. THIS INCLUDES YOUR BOOTCAMP PARTITION.

You should be able to SL to your internal and then repartition.

I'm definitely going to do this right now and yes I am on snow leopard. If this works will it just start as if I just got it out of the box and first installed everything? If that's the case all I'd need to do after is put my back up from my external. I just want to make sure so I don't cause any more problems for myself and to know if I'll get my files back that I backed up before.

 

[eagandale4114]

I'm definitely going to do this right now and yes I am on snow leopard. If this works will it just start as if I just got it out of the box and first installed everything? If that's the case all I'd need to do after is put my back up from my external. I just want to make sure so I don't cause any more problems for myself and to know if I'll get my files back that I backed up before.

Yes it will restore the system to the way it was when you got it.
You will need to reinstall everything.

 

[AfzalivE]

Yep, delete everything (even the EFI and recovery partitions). Internet recovery is brilliant!

 

[HelplessWTech]

I'm currently erasing everything so I can start fresh and reinstall everything later. I really appreciate everything you all have said so far and for trying to help me out. I'll post on here again either later tonight or tomorrow morning to say how it went but I'm hoping this works well enough.

Thanks again!

 

[eagandale4114]

Yep, delete everything (even the EFI and recovery partitions). Internet recovery is brilliant!

The OP is on Snow Leopard. No internet recovery there. Also correct me if I am wrong doesn't the EFI handle internet recovery?

I'm currently erasing everything so I can start fresh and reinstall everything later. I really appreciate everything you all have said so far and for trying to help me out. I'll post on here again either later tonight or tomorrow morning to say how it went but I'm hoping this works well enough.

Thanks again!

Good luck.

 

[blueroom]

Snow Leopard, just put in the DVD, reinstall and restore. A Time Machine restore will pretty much put everything back minus the Windows partition.

 

[HelplessWTech]

A huge thanks to all of you that helped me out with this problem! I have everything restored back on my mac and it's just as it was. Thanks again!

 

[AfzalivE]

The OP is on Snow Leopard. No internet recovery there. Also correct me if I am wrong doesn't the EFI handle internet recovery?



Good luck.

Well I removed all the partitions, even EFI so I'm guessing there's some ROM that deals with the initial connection.