On Fri, 15 Jun 2018 16:15:49 -0000 (UTC), "Yes"
wrote:

wrt Seagate, I have just finished installing a Seagate BarraCuda
ST3000DM007 3TB internal hard drive. It took three tries. The first
two drives were DOA. The third time the drive seems to be working;
only time will tell. As I understand it, this drive (3TB size) is
fairly new.

I'm not happy that it took three times to get one that works. I bought
the first drive through newegg but contacted Seagate directly with
regard to the replacement/warranty process. I placed the order with
newegg in late April and finished getting and installing the working
drive around June 2. The reviews at newegg suggested that about 25% of
the users panned Seagate for DOA drives, so I did have some warning
that DOA drives were a problem. Looking at reviews for Western Digital
drives, I got the impression that WD had a similar problem, just not as
big - may 20% of the reviews citing a DOA drive.

The only good thing was that I was very satisfied with the the service
at Seagate Support. Their reps answered my questions about the return
procedure and what I should expect to happen. The shipping worked as
expected. The reps had their notes on hand to see what we had talked
about from the previous conversations.

The other thing is that I chose to deal directly with Seagate to handle
the warranty replacements. Seagate will replace the defective drive
but not substitute. I could have done the RMA through newegg but
figured it'd be faster all around to use Seagate. After the 2nd DOA
drive, I felt like I made a mistake; I began thinking that I should
have gone through newegg to have the option of refund, replacement or
substitution. My initial thinking was that it would take less time to
resolve the problem and that surely I wouldn't be hit with multiple DOA
drives. Sigh.

John

Tiered for their pricing, they're using increments of a one terabyte
at 25% less for the most common drive sizes on the EZRZ series I
bought, i.e. $44 for 1T, $60 @ 2T, and $75 @ 3T. At 4T linear pricing
allowances change to closer to a 40% increase, initially at least,
perhaps due to a change from build constraints, such as newer
"shingled" track read/write technology.

Is this your first time up with a 3T installation? Were you given a
RMA for no shipping costs, if not at your expense, to return the
drive, having to print your own shipping label, a shipping agency
recognizes as paid for and legal, or did Seagate sent you box no
different then to place a HDD to be returned, for you to deliver the
box to a shipping agency physically located near you?

Paying shipping on a new drive is another 25% cost increase, but
straight-down depreciation. Which I'd already factored on mine from
prestated assurances, I would not be charged, by an intermediary
jobber policy interests to be honored for 30-days after haven taken
delivery of a contract.

At times I don't get far behind an anonymous browser, not that I need
to if failure rates are sensitive and difficult for manufacturers to
represent themselves. IT lobby interests may also bear some relevance
for what drive failure abstracts they may provide.

And then their are the models, an IT's specialty in part his bread and
butter, in knowing to equip customers with relative serial numbers
known characteristically secure for longevity and lack of problematic
issues.

I can as well see the numbers you're citing, although the question
remains, how much incontrovertible faith are you willing to place in
what you are told by others, and what you are told by slick-gloss
experts published in trade material, or as much the manufacturer and
how they are to account a benefit derived from your buying their
product.

Perhaps it is time now that a 3T HDD ought to be as plain, at least as
plain is to me, as it is determine with very little doubt a
distinctiveness apparent between an operational 2T HDD and one that
exhibits deficiency.

I should think. To have even one 3T, or larger, HDD among stacks of
HDDs I do keep. Which I don't.