Maxtor Drive Died

50 cent · Mar 24, 2006

http://www.ontrack.com/

i never tried them.

Bernard111 · Mar 25, 2006

Quote from FuturesTrader71:

The only thing I lost are Camtasia videos that I just don't back up due to their size.

So we will not able to appreciate any more your lessons on trading with Camtasia?!

FuturesTrader71 · Mar 25, 2006

Quote from Bernard111:

So we will not able to appreciate any more your lessons on trading with Camtasia?!

Funny.... don't worry... I still have a bunch on DVD.

This thriller series of 12 disks will be available on the shelves of a Best Buy near you for the outstanding, one-time price of $19,990 for a limited time. If you buy the set before March 31, we will throw in a refurbished MAXTOR hard drive FOR FREE!!! (limited supplies. One hard drive per household. Taxes and shipping not included) The price will be $29,990 after March 31, so hurry on down.

FuturesTrader71 · Mar 28, 2006

Quote from FuturesTrader71:

I cancelled my order for the WD 250. I was lucky it didn't ship. I went with this deal instead:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...ffiliateID=Es5Ekr9eEBk-PbD9Mx7VAL41ZOy5Nmctfg

It gives me a Seagate 250GB in an enclosure that is both firewire and USB 2.0 ready. There is a rebate of $50 until the end of the month. The whole package costs $108 delivered. The drive is a bit slower than a SATA or a 10,000 rpm drive, but the USB 2.0 interface limits the transfer rate anyway, so why bother. I can always upgrade the drive later.

This drive works beautiful. I am amazed. Truly fantastic.

I partitioned the drive and was able to create an image using Acronis for a 40GB harddrive in about 29 minutes. The fan in the case is quite loud but I took the suggestion from the reviews and sprayed it with WD40 before installing the hard drive inside the enclosure and it just blows my mind how well it works. It is like having a 250GB USB flash drive except you can't stick this one on your keychain.

My plan is to create a fresh image every week and to store it in a fireproof box in my office. The drive runs fast and just registers itself as a removable drive in WinXP without the use of any drivers.

I ultimately decided to send the Maxtor back after figuring out how to get the drive's plates completely wiped without accessing it (don't ask). I sent it in and got a replacement 250 GB Maxtor which I'm just sticking on the shelf as a worst case temporary backup for a future date. I was lucky to find out that the drive that Maxtor sent was not a refurb, but a newer and bigger drive. They currently don't have any refurbs ready to ship to me and they don't have the 160GB drive any more. Apparently, the refurb is simply the replacement of the drive motor which was a manufacturing defect. The agent said that they are currently shipping these brand new 250GB hard drives as a replacement because the motors they have been replacing are on backorder. In any case, I don't plan on using it for production purposes. It will serve well as my "in-between" drive.

EliteInterest · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from FuturesTrader71:

This drive works beautiful. I am amazed. Truly fantastic.

I partitioned the drive and was able to create an image using Acronis for a 40GB harddrive in about 29 minutes. The fan in the case is quite loud but I took the suggestion from the reviews and sprayed it with WD40 before installing the hard drive inside the enclosure and it just blows my mind how well it works. It is like having a 250GB USB flash drive except you can't stick this one on your keychain.

My plan is to create a fresh image every week and to store it in a fireproof box in my office. The drive runs fast and just registers itself as a removable drive in WinXP without the use of any drivers.

I ultimately decided to send the Maxtor back after figuring out how to get the drive's plates completely wiped without accessing it (don't ask). I sent it in and got a replacement 250 GB Maxtor which I'm just sticking on the shelf as a worst case temporary backup for a future date. I was lucky to find out that the drive that Maxtor sent was not a refurb, but a newer and bigger drive. They currently don't have any refurbs ready to ship to me and they don't have the 160GB drive any more. Apparently, the refurb is simply the replacement of the drive motor which was a manufacturing defect. The agent said that they are currently shipping these brand new 250GB hard drives as a replacement because the motors they have been replacing are on backorder. In any case, I don't plan on using it for production purposes. It will serve well as my "in-between" drive.

You probably already know this but temporarily install another hard drive, and load the newly saved image back onto that drive to make sure the image works. Maybe you have already done this. Just wanted to make sure.

winter · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from FuturesTrader71:

This drive works beautiful. I am amazed. Truly fantastic.
...
I ultimately decided to send the Maxtor back after figuring out how to get the drive's plates completely wiped without accessing it (don't ask). I sent it in and got a replacement 250 GB Maxtor which I'm just sticking on the shelf as a worst case temporary backup for a future date. I was lucky to find out that the drive that Maxtor sent was not a refurb, but a newer and bigger drive. They currently don't have any refurbs ready to ship to me and they don't have the 160GB drive any more. Apparently, the refurb is simply the replacement of the drive motor which was a manufacturing defect. The agent said that they are currently shipping these brand new 250GB hard drives as a replacement because the motors they have been replacing are on backorder. In any case, I don't plan on using it for production purposes. It will serve well as my "in-between" drive.

Glad to hear everything worked out so well. You really lucked out with Maxtor giving you a new & larger drive to replace your dead one. I've heard some horror stories with regards to TigerDirect handling of rebates but hopefully that will not be your experience (be sure to save photocopies of everything before mailing it in, just in case)

MR.NBBO · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from winter:

Glad to hear everything worked out so well. You really lucked out with Maxtor giving you a new & larger drive to replace your dead one. I've heard some horror stories with regards to TigerDirect handling of rebates but hopefully that will not be your experience (be sure to save photocopies of everything before mailing it in, just in case)

Yeah, I've had rebate problems with the company they use to process the rebates, the new set up they use can be a real pain.

...speaking of drive enclosures: Here's a great universal one I've got:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1699319&CatId=2213

No loud fan (and still keeps plenty cool), USB 2.0 and can connect either SATA or IDE drives inside. Nice thumbscrews on top to swap out drives easily. Nothing like having a bridge between the old drives and the new.

FuturesTrader71 · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from EliteInterest:

You probably already know this but temporarily install another hard drive, and load the newly saved image back onto that drive to make sure the image works. Maybe you have already done this. Just wanted to make sure.

Good idea. I haven't done that. I need to make sure it works. Thanks for pointing that out.

FuturesTrader71 · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from winter:

Glad to hear everything worked out so well. You really lucked out with Maxtor giving you a new & larger drive to replace your dead one. I've heard some horror stories with regards to TigerDirect handling of rebates but hopefully that will not be your experience (be sure to save photocopies of everything before mailing it in, just in case)

Ol' man winter... I hope you are wrong about the rebates. I actually didn't make any copies before I sent it off. They use an online registration deal. I should have made a copy of the UPC before sending. They promise payment within 4 weeks, so we will see. Even if something goes wrong there, I still think the drive is a good deal.

winter · Mar 29, 2006

Quote from FuturesTrader71:

Ol' man winter... I hope you are wrong about the rebates. I actually didn't make any copies before I sent it off. They use an online registration deal. I should have made a copy of the UPC before sending. They promise payment within 4 weeks, so we will see. Even if something goes wrong there, I still think the drive is a good deal.

True (good deal even if the rebate doesn't pan out). I have no personal experience about TD rebates but over on FatWallet whenever someone mentions a TD deal that involves a rebate the folks go crazy like its a sure thing that the rebate check will never show.

Example: http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?catid=18&threadid=594942

At least one poster said that he has always gotten his rebates from TD though so maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones.