WD HD problem Please help (advice needed)

Kyo · 10 Sep 2009 at 08:40

Hi

My WD 500GB 7200rpm Sata HD just failed.

I was in Windows at the time when i heard a clicking sound coming from my case. Right after that my pc crashed and would not boot after POST. Suspect it was one of the 3 sata drives making the noise. So i removed each one and through a process of elimination found it to be my newest replacement drive which i got only 4 months ago.

Firstly - BIOS won't even detect it, once i removed it from the system my pc booted up regularly again. reseated it a few times but made no difference. Can't even run anything software wise because hardware won't pick it, even when it the only device attached.

I take it the drive has gone and there nothing much i can do about it? Sounds like something mechanical has gone inside but nothing loose as far i can tell inside

ie head gone perhaps?

This was a replacement hard drive i got from WD when the original didn't even last 12 months, This replacement one didn't even last half the time

I know HD can go anytime and it the luck of the draw but that 2 brand new HD of the same type going in less than 15months! It wasn't even used for OS/Applications as it was pure storage, it appalling!

Never had a HD problem before and i use to swear by the WD brand but it obviously made me loose confidence in their drives. there was no heat issues or any problems with the case or environment.

I know I can go back to warranty again but tbh i don't want another replacement drive, I have lost all faith in them.

Do you think i can opt to get my money back?

First time round it was hard to bare losing masses of data but go through that again it disastrous

I should have RAIDed my disks when i had the chance

Any advice would be much appreciated.

CaptainCrash · 10 Sep 2009 at 09:45

Kyo said:
I know I can go back to warranty again but tbh i don't want another replacement drive, I have lost all faith in them.

Do you think i can opt to get my money back?

There is a possibility of getting at least a partial refund, but it could get a bit messy given the length of time since the original purchase, and given the relatively low value of the goods I wouldn't really pursue this unless you're determined to prove a point.

If I were you, I'd just suck it up and get another warranty replacement, which is at least a relatively quick and painless procedure - I know consecutive failures don't exactly inspire confidence, but you probably really did just get unlucky (if it's any comfort, I recently went through a similar experience with a bunch of Samsung drives).

Needless to say, whatever you choose to do, backups are your friend.

BeeP · 10 Sep 2009 at 10:09

Get a replacement & sell it on if you really hate WD so much.

Zarf · 10 Sep 2009 at 10:41

Just replace it again, It sucks, but it happens. I think the numbers are between 10%-15% failure per year, so with three drives you should expect a drive to die roughly every two years. It was unlucky to only get 15 months between failures, but not a statistical anomoly.

All drive manufacturers are pretty equal with regards to reliability at the moment, If anything WD are your safest option.

The enterprise offerings, the WD RE3 and upcoming RE4 range, are tested and build to a higher standard, so if you want a little more piece of mind they are an option.

Honestly though it's best just to accept that drives will fail, and take that into consideration - RAID arrays and regular backups to an alternate location are recommended.

Kyo · 10 Sep 2009 at 14:36

thing that put me off most about getting another replacement is that they clarified it was going to be another "refurbished" HD which doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence.