Is the Seagate 7200.11 the new "deathstar?

I've just updated my 3 ST3500320AS drives to the latest SD1A after the checker told me that my drives were affected, no problems but looking at the Seagate forums the original release of this on 19/01/2009 ended up bricking 500gb drives, a fixed/updated version which is what is currently on the Seagate website fixed the bricked drives but it does make you wonder doesn't. Seagate list a number of drives that are affected and it seems that they've either not tested the firmware with all the models that they say the firmware is applicable too or they've not understood that there is a difference in the manufacture of these drives between China and Thailand, all in all very worrying.

This together with the fact that warranty on drives purchased after Jan 2009 is now only 3 years means that for me personally there's no compelling reason to choose Seagate anymore, I've always been a loyal Seagate customer but I feel the wind of change. :)
 
I've been cleaning my drives for what seems like weeks, I bought a ST3500320AS as backup but don't feel secure using it. Last night just as I was about to backup the final batch of files my old Maxator drive started to fail and I lost a load of data. I can live without it but it's a pain.

In total I have three Seagate drives all of which show SMART as failed including the new drive.

I don't trust the ST3500320AS even though is says mine isn't affected, the other two Drives are a few years old so aren't part of the current problem.

My next drive won't be Seagate I just don't trust them or like the way they've managed the current problem.
 
I think it is the way that seagate handled this that will cost them more then the drives themself being dodgy. It was certainly a consideration i made when i recently purchased two new hd's and would suspect many others will also do likewise. Lowering your gaurantee period at a time when you have a problem with a range of models is plain stupid.
 
For me it was worth paying the slight extra for the extra 2 years, Seagate can go sing if they think that joe public will still keep paying premium prices without getting anything in return.
 
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