Lycanthrope
Honorary Master
On Monday the 19th January my brand new 320GB Seagate 7200.11 Barracuda arrived. This was before I knew of the "potential" problem with them. So, I decided to try sell it off (originally for R450).
On Wednesday evening I spoke with a sole-trader I met on MyBB who deals with local computer hardware suppliers in Cape Town, offered him R500 along with my brand new (and still perfectly-working Seagate) in exchange for a brand new 320GB Western Digital. The offer was accepted and a trade was concluded.
The Western Digital drive arrived yesterday, bubblewrapped. I was asked if I'd like to inspect it and told that he hadn't inspected it yet, but is sure that it's fine. Naturally - excited to get back to my computer and install it - I just said that it's fine and that I'm sure it's perfect. I traded him the Seagate for the new Western Digital.
I got home, unwrapped the drive, put it in my chassis, plugged it in. Woohoo! I remember talking to a friend online saying how quiet the Western Digital was compared to the Seagate, and the Seagate was barely audible. About 30 seconds later I took that back and laughed saying, "Nevermind, it's louder than the Seagate" but it wasn't a "significant" loud so much as a ticking sound of the head moving.
I began installing Windows 7 Beta x64. The installation went slower than it did before, but I didn't pay this much attention at all. Windows loaded, I started installing the Windows updates, etc... And then of course, I had to restart for them to take effect. After rebooting there was a loud spinning sound which died down; during the Windows startup screen, it froze. Keyboard wasn't responsive - numlock, capslock, whatever - didn't work at all. So, I did a hard reboot. This time the drive span loudly and froze during the POST screen - freezing the computer again as well.
So, I contacted the seller and told him. First I mentioned that I would prefer a refund since this was complete crap and I'd prefer to have my old Seagate back - especially if I have to choose between WD reliability and Seagate reliability. Rather the devil I know. Plus, I liked my Seagate - had one for seven years that never acted up on me (still have it) - so I decided I was willing to wait for a firmware update.
He was unwilling to return the drive to me (even when I proposed paying him R200 and getting both the Seagate back as well as swapping out the Western Digital). He then made (what seemed like promises) that he'd get me a refund since the supplier agreed that if they can prove that it was mechanical failure, they would credit the seller and he'd credit me. The seller said he'd pick it up "Maybe Friday, but definitely Monday or Tuesday."
Fortunately, he came to pick it up today.
He phoned me at 11:00am telling me that the drive had been "chipped" and then later that it was more, "A point of impact than a chip."
Now, anyone who has ever seen me with my computer knows that I'm holier-than-thou around it. And when it comes to parts FOR my computer, even more-so.
The events after I was handed the drive by the seller were as follows:
And the rest has already been stated.
When I removed the drive after discovering it was faulty, it was the same process. Gentle and painless and back in its bubblewrap IMMEDIATELY after removing it. So how it could've gotten a "point of impact" or "a chip" while being IN bubblewrap is beyond me. Unless it was always there before the drive was even handed to me and I never noticed it. Regardless, I did not drop it. At all. That much I can promise wholeheartedly and swear on my life, my beloved's life and my mother's life
So what do you all propose I do? Get away from the seller as fast as possible and return to a normal - reputable seller such as Take2/Sybaritic - or wait and see? To be honest, I really feel as though I'm being fscked around with. Especially when I get a call asking, "Did you know there was a chip in the drive? It looks like it's been dropped?" Like, yeah... Sure... I know about that - I obviously threw a drive I traded my R680 Seagate for along with another R500 against the nearest frikkin wall for kicks!
I'm not impressed. Especially since he told me, "It might have to be sent back to Western Digital, so we'll have to see what they say."
I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. It's funny, your friends say, "Don't do it" but then you think you know better, and you put your trust in someone and this is how you are repaid?
Fan-fscking-tastic.
On Wednesday evening I spoke with a sole-trader I met on MyBB who deals with local computer hardware suppliers in Cape Town, offered him R500 along with my brand new (and still perfectly-working Seagate) in exchange for a brand new 320GB Western Digital. The offer was accepted and a trade was concluded.
The Western Digital drive arrived yesterday, bubblewrapped. I was asked if I'd like to inspect it and told that he hadn't inspected it yet, but is sure that it's fine. Naturally - excited to get back to my computer and install it - I just said that it's fine and that I'm sure it's perfect. I traded him the Seagate for the new Western Digital.
I got home, unwrapped the drive, put it in my chassis, plugged it in. Woohoo! I remember talking to a friend online saying how quiet the Western Digital was compared to the Seagate, and the Seagate was barely audible. About 30 seconds later I took that back and laughed saying, "Nevermind, it's louder than the Seagate" but it wasn't a "significant" loud so much as a ticking sound of the head moving.
I began installing Windows 7 Beta x64. The installation went slower than it did before, but I didn't pay this much attention at all. Windows loaded, I started installing the Windows updates, etc... And then of course, I had to restart for them to take effect. After rebooting there was a loud spinning sound which died down; during the Windows startup screen, it froze. Keyboard wasn't responsive - numlock, capslock, whatever - didn't work at all. So, I did a hard reboot. This time the drive span loudly and froze during the POST screen - freezing the computer again as well.
So, I contacted the seller and told him. First I mentioned that I would prefer a refund since this was complete crap and I'd prefer to have my old Seagate back - especially if I have to choose between WD reliability and Seagate reliability. Rather the devil I know. Plus, I liked my Seagate - had one for seven years that never acted up on me (still have it) - so I decided I was willing to wait for a firmware update.
He was unwilling to return the drive to me (even when I proposed paying him R200 and getting both the Seagate back as well as swapping out the Western Digital). He then made (what seemed like promises) that he'd get me a refund since the supplier agreed that if they can prove that it was mechanical failure, they would credit the seller and he'd credit me. The seller said he'd pick it up "Maybe Friday, but definitely Monday or Tuesday."
Fortunately, he came to pick it up today.
He phoned me at 11:00am telling me that the drive had been "chipped" and then later that it was more, "A point of impact than a chip."
Now, anyone who has ever seen me with my computer knows that I'm holier-than-thou around it. And when it comes to parts FOR my computer, even more-so.
The events after I was handed the drive by the seller were as follows:
- Shook his hand; said farewell
- Went back to my apartment, unlocked the door, entered, closed and locked the door
- Placed the drive (still in its bubblewrap) GENTLY down on the mattress alongside my PC's chassis
- Opened the chassis
- Removed the drive casing
- Removed the bubblewrap from the drive
- Inserted the drive
- Screwed the drive in (gently, but securely)
- Returned drive casing to the chassis
- Plugged in the SATA power and data cables
- Closed chassis
- Placed chassis back on the table
- Plugged in power, monitor, peripherals
And the rest has already been stated.
When I removed the drive after discovering it was faulty, it was the same process. Gentle and painless and back in its bubblewrap IMMEDIATELY after removing it. So how it could've gotten a "point of impact" or "a chip" while being IN bubblewrap is beyond me. Unless it was always there before the drive was even handed to me and I never noticed it. Regardless, I did not drop it. At all. That much I can promise wholeheartedly and swear on my life, my beloved's life and my mother's life
So what do you all propose I do? Get away from the seller as fast as possible and return to a normal - reputable seller such as Take2/Sybaritic - or wait and see? To be honest, I really feel as though I'm being fscked around with. Especially when I get a call asking, "Did you know there was a chip in the drive? It looks like it's been dropped?" Like, yeah... Sure... I know about that - I obviously threw a drive I traded my R680 Seagate for along with another R500 against the nearest frikkin wall for kicks!
I'm not impressed. Especially since he told me, "It might have to be sent back to Western Digital, so we'll have to see what they say."
I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. It's funny, your friends say, "Don't do it" but then you think you know better, and you put your trust in someone and this is how you are repaid?
Fan-fscking-tastic.
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