Maxtor reliability?

I've been reading the newsgroups via Google for a few hours, and Maxtor
seems to get a bad name for reliability. One person after the next made
comments like "bought a Maxtor brand-new and within two months it died".

Are they *that* bad? I only ask because Western Digital, who seem to get a
good name, don't make the size of drives I need, where-as Maxtor does. I
find it hard to believe they are so bad, yet, I don't want to buy a couple
then have it fail then remember all the "evidence" I saw in the newsgroups.
:-)

@drian.

In article psIlb.11447$Ec1.1027267@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I've been reading the newsgroups via Google for a few hours, and Maxtor
seems to get a bad name for reliability. One person after the next made
comments like "bought a Maxtor brand-new and within two months it died".

Are they *that* bad?

No but with anything mass made, you'll get a few that go wrong.


--
Conor

Hi. This is my friend, Jack ****, and you don't know him.

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 04:05:41 GMT, "@drian" wrote:

I've been reading the newsgroups via Google for a few hours, and Maxtor
seems to get a bad name for reliability. One person after the next made
comments like "bought a Maxtor brand-new and within two months it died".

Are they *that* bad? I only ask because Western Digital, who seem to get a
good name, don't make the size of drives I need, where-as Maxtor does. I
find it hard to believe they are so bad, yet, I don't want to buy a couple
then have it fail then remember all the "evidence" I saw in the newsgroups.
:-)

@drian.


IMHO, Maxtor's Diamondmax 60 series was less reliable than the
next-gen D740, or later "plus" series. Other than that I haven't
noticed any trends towards Maxtors being any worse than WDs, and I
often hear of people who had their WD 120GB BB drives fail too, so
it's happening in both brands, but at relatively low rates considering
how popular they are.

FWIW, I have over a half-dozen Maxtor D740 and Plus 8 drives here,
none of which have had any problems. Also I have fewer, at least 4 WD
drives, also with no problems, but the WD drives are much louder,
annoyingly so once you're used to quiet drives.


Dave

"kony" wrote in message
...but the WD drives are much louder,
annoyingly so once you're used to quiet drives.

Is that because the WD drives don't use fluid-bearings? I'm unsure, but I
remember reading that Maxtor and Seagate are the only ones to use
fluid-bearings, but I'm not sure on the significance of doing so. I assumed
it was for noise suppression.

@drian.

Does any one know what a fluid bearing is? I have a feeling it's a
marketing ploy, or an illusion of a shaft spinning in "fluid".


On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 05:45:53 GMT, "@drian" wrote:

"kony" wrote in message
...but the WD drives are much louder,
annoyingly so once you're used to quiet drives.

Is that because the WD drives don't use fluid-bearings? I'm unsure, but I
remember reading that Maxtor and Seagate are the only ones to use
fluid-bearings, but I'm not sure on the significance of doing so. I assumed
it was for noise suppression.

@drian.

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 05:45:53 GMT, "@drian" wrote:

"kony" wrote in message
...but the WD drives are much louder,
annoyingly so once you're used to quiet drives.

Is that because the WD drives don't use fluid-bearings? I'm unsure, but I
remember reading that Maxtor and Seagate are the only ones to use
fluid-bearings, but I'm not sure on the significance of doing so. I assumed
it was for noise suppression.

@drian.

Yes, and yes.


Dave

".Aba" wrote in message
...

Does any one know what a fluid bearing is? I have a feeling it's a
marketing ploy, or an illusion of a shaft spinning in "fluid".

Pure guess here, but I thought it would be the spindle in the middle of the
platters is somehow immersed in a light oil instead of miniature ball
bearings.

@drian.

"@drian" wrote in message
news
I've been reading the newsgroups via Google for a few hours, and Maxtor
seems to get a bad name for reliability. One person after the next made
comments like "bought a Maxtor brand-new and within two months it died".

Are they *that* bad? I only ask because Western Digital, who seem to get
a
good name, don't make the size of drives I need, where-as Maxtor does. I
find it hard to believe they are so bad, yet, I don't want to buy a couple
then have it fail then remember all the "evidence" I saw in the
newsgroups.
:-)

@drian.


Maxtor gets more complaints because they sell more drives.

Keep the drive very cool, buy a quality PSU, only use windows defrag, check
the drive only using the manufactures utilities, and make sure your computer
is on a dedicated circuit.

end of 99 percent of the problems with hard drives.

Lane

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 04:05:41 GMT, "@drian" wrote:

I've been reading the newsgroups via Google for a few hours, and Maxtor
seems to get a bad name for reliability. One person after the next made
comments like "bought a Maxtor brand-new and within two months it died".

Are they *that* bad? I only ask because Western Digital, who seem to get a
good name, don't make the size of drives I need, where-as Maxtor does. I
find it hard to believe they are so bad, yet, I don't want to buy a couple
then have it fail then remember all the "evidence" I saw in the newsgroups.
:-)

@drian.


I have had Maxtors and Western Digital go bad. I would go with a
well-known brand with longer/better warranty. Too bad IBM screwed
up--they used to be the best drives manufactured. Currently I have a
80 GB Maxtor, and it has been running fine for 18 months.

Thanks all for your comments. Much appreciated.

@drian.