Faulty Western Digital Caviar

[Mike]

Model number WD400BB-0CCFC0

I really need to send this back and RMA it, but to send it to Germany
from the UK with a signature on delivery service they ask for is going
to cost me 30 GBP. On a disk that cost about 80 GBP this isn't a very
good deal

If I choose the option from the diagnostics to write zeros - is this the
same as a low level format ?

Personally I think it's a bit more serious than that cos I heard
crackling from it today

 

[Rod Speed]

Model number WD400BB-0CCFC0

I really need to send this back and RMA it, but to send
it to Germany from the UK with a signature on delivery
service they ask for is going to cost me 30 GBP. On
a disk that cost about 80 GBP this isn't a very good deal

Some choose to not use a receipted delivery service in that situation.

WD should cross ship, send you the replacement if you
cite a credit card and they're unlikely to actually charge
the card if they do get the dud back in the original packaging.

If I choose the option from the diagnostics to write
zeros - is this the same as a low level format ?

That term is so losely used that the answer is complicated.

Thats certainly what modern drives do if you
say use the LLF item in the motherboard bios.

Hard drive manufacturers tend to call the function
that does defect managment a LLF now. That
certainly involves more than just writing zeros.

Personally I think it's a bit more serious than
that cos I heard crackling from it today

Yep, thats likely the drive recalibrating when it cant read
the platters properly and usually does indicate that its dying.

 

[Mike]

Some choose to not use a receipted delivery service in that situation.

WD should cross ship, send you the replacement if you
cite a credit card and they're unlikely to actually charge
the card if they do get the dud back in the original packaging.

That only works if you're in the USA or Canada

Over here, there's a company in Ireland (Fujitsu or Seagate) who offer
this service.

Yep, thats likely the drive recalibrating when it cant read
the platters properly and usually does indicate that its dying.

Many thanks for the confirmation of that

 

[Rod Speed]

That only works if you're in the USA or Canada

Nope.

And you'll likely find that they wont refuse the drive
if its sent in the usual non receipted delivery way.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

That only works if you're in the USA or Canada

Over here, there's a company in Ireland (Fujitsu or Seagate) who offer
this service.


Many thanks for the confirmation of that

Yeah, nevermind that "usually" exception in that sentence.

 

[Mike NG]

Yeah, nevermind that "usually" exception in that sentence.

Well it sounded pretty convincing to me

 

[Mike NG]

Nope.

Well this page makes you believe so!
<http://websupport.wdc.com/warranty/rmainfo.asp?custtype=end&lang=en>

Although you can go on to fill in a European country for it to tell you
to use the "contact us" link to do this - so I will let you know how I
get on