Looking for a Hard Drive

[i_love_burritos]

Well, since my 120 GB one has filled up, and the 250 GB on my Desktop is also filled up, I'm looking for a good Hard Drive. I'm looking for 250 GB and above. Any particular models, price ranges, brands ?

 

I've heard Seagate is reliable and reasonably priced, unfortunately it's only 500GB and 1TB models here. Though, I might settle on 500 GB if I get a particularly good price. :thumbup:

 

Any suggestions ?

 

* Seagate "Freeagent Go" 320 GB - $75.60

* Seagate Portable HDD 500 GB - $99

* Seagate "Freeagent Go" 250 GB - $61.60

* WD 500GB Portable 500 GB - $97

[Tim]

Seagate and WD are good ones. If your looking for storage go for a WD/SeaGate 1 TB External. only $220 or so these days in Office Works.

[Sbrideau]

Seagate and WD are good ones. If your looking for storage go for a WD/SeaGate 1 TB External. only $220 or so these days in Office Works.

 

Even less in online stores: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136469&cm_re=wd_external_hard_drive-_-22-136-469-_-Product $89

[Skeptical]

Those are really not very good prices: Western 2tb hard-drive at Costco, $160. They had a 1tb too, but I can't remember the price.

[Jernlov]

Western Digital is the way to go. I have two Green advanced format drives and they're fantastic.

[thunderlord]

You could also buy a samsung spinpoint F3, Friends of mine have them, and they say it is great. It also isnt expensive (around 60 euros)

For perfomance/price ratio I would definately advice this one

[qeltar]

The major drive makers all make pretty good quality products. I've had good success with most brands; I prefer WD but that's just out of habit.

 

You'll get the most benefit out of replacing your main system drive, but that requires transferring data which is more work and has to be done carefully.

[OldJoe]

Seagate and WD are good ones. If your looking for storage go for a WD/SeaGate 1 TB External. only $220 or so these days in Office Works.

 

Even less in online stores: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136469&cm_re=wd_external_hard_drive-_-22-136-469-_-Product $89

*Note Sydney*

[Sbrideau]

^ Oops.

 

As for drives, I also prefer WD, I've never had one of their hard drives fail on me.

[Solartide]

lol seagate.

 

So I decided my computer was getting along in age, and it was time to start backing up my files in case of HD failure. So last year I bought this Seagate external hard drive and used it as backup. Well, a few weeks back, my Seagate died while my computers HD is still running along fine.

 

So I thought, well, I still have 3 years on the warranty, so I'll just fill out the form and send it back to them to get a new unit.

 

But then, I received instructions on how to pack to HD for shipping:

 

The hard drive MUST be included in very specific packaging.

We will not tell you where you can buy this packaging.

We do not make this packaging.

If it is not in the packaging, your warranty is void!

 

So I figured, well, that's not so bad. I went down to the local FedEx. I showed them the packaging requirements that I printed out from the Seagate website, and they looked at it and told me they couldn't help me. They suggested I try the Postal Annex down the street.

 

Well, I had an hour of lunch break, sure, might as well run over there. Go to the Postal Annex, they had no idea where I could get the packing materials. They told me to try the main post office. Still 50 minutes of lunch break to go, so I drove down to the main Postal Office, beautiful building, but they couldn't help me either.

 

Finally I decided to get some lunch and go back to work.

 

Near the end of the work day I thought, I know! I'll call customer support, they'll tell me where I can get the packaging! So I called them and they said:

 

Have you tried FedEx?

-Yes, they couldn't help me, neither could the post office.

How about the post office?

-I just said they couldn't help me.

Have you tried UPS yet?

-Well, no, I'll check that out right now.

 

So I go down to the UPS, and sure enough, they can't help me either.

 

Now I don't exactly live in some backwater town, I live in one of the most populated cities in California. Acer USA headquarters is down the street from where I'm sitting right now. If I can't get the right packaging here, where in the United States can I get the packaging?

 

Also in the packing instructions:

 

For External Hard Disk Drives:

Please send entire unit back to Seagate including all accessories.

 

This includes the following:

- All Cables and Adapters

- Product Literature and Manuals

- Installation CD’s

- Power Supply

 

Direct quote. Product literature? Manuals? Were we supposed to keep those?

 

Bottom Line: If you're getting a Seagate hard drive, just pray it doesn't go bad on you.

[Quorra]

I bought one of these

 

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Western-Digital-WD-1000GB-1TB-64MB-7200RPM-SATA-ExpPost-/200475112159?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Components&hash=item2ead3f72df

 

Works perfectly.

 

@Solar I've got a 250gb and a 500gb Seagate and they've been working perfectly for well over a year.

[Sam]

-post-

 

I guess it's because they are made in conditions which require absolute cleanliness - you may not believe it but that cardboard box may not be the best transport for it.

[OldJoe]

-post-

 

I guess it's because they are made in conditions which require absolute cleanliness - you may not believe it but that cardboard box may not be the best transport for it.

Even tho it's dead i suppose they still require you to put it in an anti-stat bag first and then solidify it in a box.

[qeltar]

lol seagate.

 

So I decided my computer was getting along in age, and it was time to start backing up my files in case of HD failure. So last year I bought this Seagate external hard drive and used it as backup. Well, a few weeks back, my Seagate died while my computers HD is still running along fine.

 

So I thought, well, I still have 3 years on the warranty, so I'll just fill out the form and send it back to them to get a new unit.

 

But then, I received instructions on how to pack to HD for shipping:

 

The hard drive MUST be included in very specific packaging.

We will not tell you where you can buy this packaging.

We do not make this packaging.

If it is not in the packaging, your warranty is void!

 

...

 

Odd that they were so cryptic; the instructions on their site seem clear enough:

Use original packaging when possible, such as packaging sent with Advanced Replacement Order:

 

* Enclose each drive in an ESD (electrostatic discharge) bag, in an anti-static plastic shell (SeaShell) or anti-static bubble wrap.

* Secure each unit in 2 inch-thick foam rubber in a corrugated box. Do not use popcorn, peanuts, bubble wrap or newspaper. If packaging more than one drive, use a separate container for each drive.

* Print the order number on the outside of each box.

* For more information on how to pack your unit, please view: http://www.seagate.com/support/service/pdf/pack.pdf

 

The main reasons they want the items properly packaged are:

 

1. They don't want whatever is wrong with the drive made worse. They refurb these drives.

2. They want to keep track of problems that aoccur with various models and don't want shipment damage to complicate this.

3. Some large percentage of "defective" drives are perfectly fine.

[Solartide]

Oh I'm very familiar with the refurbishing process, but when I got a shipment of 200 pcs from dell, one of them had a defective power supply.

 

I called service, they put me on hold for 15 minutes (sucked), but I got my replacement power supply 2 days later, and sent the old one fine without a hitch.