[lug] Re: LUG Digest, Vol 14, Issue 3

[will]

> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 8
> Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 08:26:40 -0700
> From: Chris Brotherton <chris at protonlab.net>
> Subject: [lug] Hard Drive Manufacturer Suggestion
> To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> Message-ID: <20041203152640.GA17299 at colorado.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> I used to be a big fan of Western Digital, but lately I have had problems with
> them.  My current drive just died after 5 months.
> 
> I was curious what manufacturers you guys liked.
> 
> Chris.
> 
> 

Here's my 2 cents:
I've built computers since 1989, and in that time I've ended up using
most everything. The IBM drives are largely bulletproof. I've got a 4GB
SCSI that is still running since 1997. I've never had to send one back
so I don't know what their warranty setup is like.
Hitachi drives are very fragile, at least the older SCSI's were. I've
had them die if you bumped the machine while they were on, and one died
when the machine was OFF and got bumped. They were out of warranty, so
there was no point in trying to RMA them.

WD's were indeed problematic when the caviar series first came out. We
told their rep that we called them "Fish Face" drives, and he groaned
deeply. Alot of those died early. 

In my machines, I tend to get Maxtors. They are a decent drive, from
what I can tell, and their warranty is quite good. 

A friend gave me a 40GB that he FOUND at ecocycle sitting on a pile of
scrap metal. I used it until about 1 week(!) before the warranty was up,
when it suddenly died on me. I called Maxtor and sent it back, they sent
me a reconditioned 40 gig that I am still using to this day. I've also
sent them back a 10GB drive and gotten back a 15GB in return! I consider
that a good warranty.

That's only my opinion, though...

Will