Can't make up mind.

spud17

I'm after a new HD only needs to be 80gb and after my recent experience with a Western Digital hard drive which lasted approx 50 hrs, I'm obviously wary, probably irrationally, of WD.

As an alternative to debates about XP/Vista and Windows/Linux/Apple, what's the thinking on hard drives.

I've got a Maxtor which is 6 years old, silent and runs perfectly.
I also know of old Seagate drives still going 12 years on, but rattling a bit.

Help me choose between something like Seagate or Maxtor (Yes, I do know they are the same company).

Where do Samsung and Hitachi fit in?

Thanks R

Marty_J

I've been using a WD in my iMac for two years now without problems. I've had a Maxtor that died on me, and another Maxtor that has been going forever.

I don't really think you can go wrong if you stick to the main manufacturers.

albertross_2

Hitachi/IBM disks aren't known for reliability.

All hard disks seem a little less reliable than they used to be, too much data packed into a small space.

deejayen

Hitachi drives of 500GB + seem to be unreliable but after reading up on these from another forum I took the option and bought a 250GB Hitachi 3 years ago and it still going strong and silent in use also --- Just purchased another 2 a couple of months ago -- Dave

superjaggybunnet

I have a Lacie 80gb external HD which has run problem free for years.

Very nice design as well.

This is not the exact same but it is similar and a very reasonable price.

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4YN1&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=lacie+external&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=396920000

[Deleted User]

I personally won't use anything other than Western Digital now, they're usually the most reliable and quietest drives around. It's unfortunate that you had one that didn't last long at all, but with something as complex as a hard drive the smallest fault can render it useless, and nothing is ever perfect 100% of the time.

Seagate, I had issues with their Barracuda's being perhaps the noisiest hard drive in 18 years of computing I have ever heard. Long warranty though.

Samsung get good reports, so I'd go with Samsung or WD if I were you.

cowbutt

Maxtor is pretty much Seagate's "budget" brand these days; they seem to end up using the old designs after they debut in Seagate-branded drives. Anecdotally, everyone I know who has had a disc fail on them unexpectedly in the last six years or so was using a Maxtor drive.

Seagate offer five years warranty on all their drives, and Western Digital offer three years on their 'Special Edition' drives (five on their Enterprise drives), and I use this to inform my purchases.

esuhl

I generally opt for Western Digital drives because I have found them particularly reliable - I guess our own experiences are pretty limited when so many drives are produced each year. I agree with Cowbutt, thought, the warranty reflects the manufacturer's confidence in their product far better than any MTBF figures.

BillScarab

Samsung get very good reviews and are supposed to be very quiet but I'v enot used them myself. I've had a couple of issues with Maxtor drives so tend to stick to Seagate now. I've found with both Seagate and Maxtor if they are noisy use the software that comes with them and knock the drive speed from 100% to 99% and then they're almost silent and you won't notice the speed difference.

chris667

I've built and fixed thousands of PCs, all with different specs. All I can say about hard drives is they're really much of a muchness. I have no statistic to back this up, but anecdotally I can say all hard drives, regardless of manufacturer, fail within a few hours of purchase or they last for years.
Solid state hard drives are the future; more reliable, faster and silent but for now they are incredibly expensive. Crucial memory sell them.

espresso

spud17 wrote: »

I'm after a new HD only needs to be 80gb and after my recent experience with a Western Digital hard drive which lasted approx 50 hrs, I'm obviously wary, probably irrationally, of WD.

Surely the WD was replaced under warranty?