Samsung Reliability problems?

Scottland · 17 Oct 2008 at 16:37

I replaced some older hard drives with new Samsungs a few months ago, one of them failed after about 6 weeks although I was lucky enough not to lose anything. Another one has just failed today from the looks of things, and it doesn't look like I'll be so fortunate this time.

Are there any known issues with Samsung's current drives? I know they'll send me a replacement out soon, but I don't really want to stick with these drives anymore if they're going to fail every month!

jimmy29 · 17 Oct 2008 at 18:26

They are generally very reliable. However, I know someone who bought some a few months ago as well and 6 of them died, so there seems to be a bad batch around.
Kind of an annoying situation, might be worth speaking to them and seeing if they will replace them all.

Scottland · 17 Oct 2008 at 20:06

I actually think the one that's died this time is the replacement lol.

It appears to be 'working' again, got another (Seagate) drive coming in the post, so I'll investigate further once it turns up and I've secured the data.

hernaldo · 17 Oct 2008 at 20:32

I wouldn't touch a samsung spinpoint for a RAID setup containing important data, put it that way.

Popov · 17 Oct 2008 at 21:10

I'm suprised to read this, I've never had any problems in my limited experience with Samsung drives, what I can say is that they are certainly the quietest drives I've owned.

Clive37 · 18 Oct 2008 at 17:57

Popov said:
I'm suprised to read this, I've never had any problems in my limited experience with Samsung drives, what I can say is that they are certainly the quietest drives I've owned.

+1

Scottland · 18 Oct 2008 at 18:02

Well the irony is I replaced 3 old drives (they were all out of their 3yr warranty) with 2 new Samsung 500gb's. Kept all the data on the old drives for a few weeks, then sold them. Less than a week later, one of them goes and now it's replacement has gone.

It's now reporting the same SMART error message as the previous one did, but hopefully all the data will be salvageable. I've got a Seagate coming next week to replace it with, but I don't know what to do with the Samsungs after they've failed.

If I keep them it'll be nagging me that they could fail at any time, but I don't really want to sell them and buy 2 more either...

I wonder, is there anyone at Samsung I could whinge at?

pc-modd · 18 Oct 2008 at 18:24

Don't be saying that.. I have just bought a samsung 1TB..

tsinc80697 · 18 Oct 2008 at 23:11

Eeek! Just looking at getting a 1TB one myself and another in a few weeks to use as backup. Really hope any of these problems are just part of a batch that has been sold!

celliott · 18 Oct 2008 at 23:38

Samsung drives start quiet then get really noisy and die from what i've seen. Had one die at home, so I sold the other to get some WD's and they have been rock solid. I've still got 2GB,6GB WD drives etc which have literally been catapulted across the garage floor and still work perfectly.

We get through loads of samsungs at work from RAID failures, I wouldnt use one in my own machine again TBH.

pc-modd · 19 Oct 2008 at 00:05

What is samsung's RMA process? Having second thoughts about using one now..

pjansell · 19 Oct 2008 at 00:26

Popov said:
I'm suprised to read this, I've never had any problems in my limited experience with Samsung drives, what I can say is that they are certainly the quietest drives I've owned.

Sames as, using one personally - recommended at least two at work, used a lot, no issues so far, almost 4 months old.

Scottland · 19 Oct 2008 at 00:50

pc-modd said:
What is samsung's RMA process? Having second thoughts about using one now..

Excellent, last time I used them I posted the drive on Tuesday and the replacement was delivered by UPS on Friday.

megatron · 19 Oct 2008 at 06:04

I have a spinpoint 200Gb, SP2004c. It has been very reliable, had it 2 years or more. I heard that the new 1Tb drives were unreliable. Its a shame cause up till now everything by Samsung has been quality kit. I also have a Samsung DvD-writer (DL) and a 2232 22" widescreen monitor.

Amp34 · 19 Oct 2008 at 13:50

Hmmm, that's good to know

I just bought a Samsung 1TB drive myself as a non backed up video drive (ie nothing important on it). Maybe I should think about backing it up...

I was also going to point out the drive is by far the noisiest thing in my case, noisier than my 2 year old Hitachis.

megatron · 19 Oct 2008 at 14:07

celliott said:
Samsung drives start quiet then get really noisy and die from what i've seen.

Amp34 said:
I was also going to point out the drive is by far the noisiest thing in my case, noisier than my 2 year old Hitachis.

Amp34 · 19 Oct 2008 at 14:17

Exactly...

Going to have to check that I think.

hernaldo · 19 Oct 2008 at 19:19

Amp34 said:
Hmmm, that's good to know I just bought a Samsung 1TB drive myself as a non backed up video drive (ie nothing important on it). Maybe I should think about backing it up...

I was also going to point out the drive is by far the noisiest thing in my case, noisier than my 2 year old Hitachis.

Or maybe just get rid of it. They have quite good resale value (People love them due to their speed\value, but sometimes forget about the value bit...sounds stupid but thats most people for you).

Then you won't need the backup.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, these Spinpoint drives are incompatible with most NAS units, I think that says it all...They're weird things and I don't trust them.

Like I don't trust "IBM Deathstars".

Give it a few more months and they will be labled as they were...(I'm guessing here but more and more people seem to be complaining about them).

tsinc80697 · 19 Oct 2008 at 19:31

Are the Seagate 1TB drives more/less reliable or are they the same boat, some people have problems but most dont?
Need a 1TB drive and was going to get an F1 but not if theres a good chance it will die

beefybarn · 19 Oct 2008 at 21:49

No more problems with samsungs than any other makes, infact in my experience samsungs and WD are the two best, highest failures out of about 500 drives ive fitted are seagate.