Which Hard Drive should I pick?

911aaron · 05-17-2008, 03:47 AM

So is this OEM that I provided below, "unbranded" and can be used on three personal/family systems?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116056

So if I understand you correctly, if I were to replace my hard drive with another hard drive, I am legally allowed to transfer the OEM disk onto the new hard drive as long as the hard drive was the only thing being replaced?

StrangleHold · 05-17-2008, 04:31 AM

Yes you can install a new harddrive. Dont know where he got that you could install a unbranded OEM on 3 Computers, but I dont know where he gets much of his nonsense. But no a unbranded OEM is tied to the computer just like a branded OEM. Unbranded is just for System Builders no different. Please ignore PCeye.

Use of this OEM System Builder Channel software is subject to the terms of the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. This software is intended for pre-installation on a new personal computer for resale. This OEM System Builder Channel software requires the assembler to provide end user support for the Windows software(( and cannot be transferred to another computer once it is installed)). To acquire Windows software with support provided by Microsoft please see our full package "Retail" product offerings.

PC eye · 05-17-2008, 04:33 AM

You would simply be reinstalling Windows on the exact same machine with a simple hardware change namely the drive. I moved Vista off of an ide drive here to see that reinstalled fresh on a larger sata model.

It's common for someone with a full install disk to decide to replace one drive with a larger one or even reinstall Windows in a dual boot with another version or a Linux distro. No problem simply install Windows on the new drive. MS isn't worried about you replacing or upgrading a drive. That's still well within the licensing snce this is on the exact same system. The information on the OEM for XP happens to come from someone who beta tests for MS directly.

911aaron · 05-17-2008, 04:50 AM

Oh I see. Knowing this, I guess I will go with the Seagate just because of the 32mb cache. But before I purchase it, I got a question about Newegg's warranties. Lets say I bought a product that has a Limited 30-Day Return Policy. If I want a replacement I must send it back to Newegg before the 30 days is over. Let's say I did so and I got my replacement a few days later. Does this mean the Limited 30-Day Return Policy will start over again on the day I receive my new replacement or does it continue to live off the original Limited 30-Day Return Policy I started off with?

EDIT: What do you guys think about this HDD?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152052

PC eye · 05-17-2008, 05:58 AM

Samsung, Hitachi, and other off names are rather recent brands and not always the best of quality. Personally I wouldn't tough any of the recent brand names for sure.

There's nothing wrong with either to the two drives you were looking despite the noise made by a few there. When you ask around to people that use WD drives rarely do you hear any complaints.

I occasionally will see a pm where someone can't figure why all the noise was made on other threads when they have reliable results using SE and other models by WD or Seagate. The way you maintain a case keeping any drive from overheating and cold hard starts generally sees any good brand drive last to start with.

911aaron · 05-17-2008, 06:09 AM

Well I'm using a Hitachi HDD right now and it seems to be working quite well so far in the 8 months I've had it. No problems I've noticed. I'll stick to seagate or WD anyways, probably the seagate cause of the 32mb cache. I'd still like to know how newegg's policies work.

Lets say I bought a product that has a Limited 30-Day Return Policy. If I want a replacement I must send it back to Newegg before the 30 days is over. Let's say I did so and I got my replacement a few days later. Does this mean the Limited 30-Day Return Policy will start over again on the day I receive my new replacement or does it continue to live off the original Limited 30-Day Return Policy I started off with?

PC eye · 05-17-2008, 06:30 AM

When the first board here on the present build quit only after 3 days I contacted newegg for an rma number and saw that taken care of within the 30day period fast. They stick to that with anything problems later seeing a need to contact the manufacturer to ship it to them under their own limited manufacturer's warranty. That goes for just about any hardware while they generally honor their own return policy if you catch the 30day limit in time.

911aaron · 05-17-2008, 06:32 AM

Oh okay. Thanks. I'll be purchasing everything tomorrow. Thanks very much PC eye and everyone else!

EDIT: Actually I do have one more question. Yes they never cease to stop

Let's say there were two HDD that had the same exact specs except that one of them was a 250GB HDD while the other was a 500GB HDD. Would the 250GB be faster then the 500GB? I think the 250GB HDD would be faster because theres less space that it needs to look through. Am I correct? If I am correct, how fast of a difference would this be and is it something I should really be concerned about?

I'm asking because I'm thinking about getting a 250GB HDD and installing my OS and games on that while putting the rest of my media onto a 500GB HDD.

myPCrocks · 05-17-2008, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirKenin

They just raised that too.. Up until summer of last year it was one year. I guess they had to do something to compete.

But yeah.. there's a very good reason why I ditched my "WD Authorized Reseller" status... Cuz... They are total garbage.

That is such BS, I have installed hundreds of WD HDD in the last 8 years and had only one fail.

Yep, they are garbage.

SirKenin · 05-17-2008, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 911aaron

Well I'm using a Hitachi HDD right now and it seems to be working quite well so far in the 8 months I've had it. No problems I've noticed. I'll stick to seagate or WD anyways, probably the seagate cause of the 32mb cache. I'd still like to know how newegg's policies work.

Lets say I bought a product that has a Limited 30-Day Return Policy. If I want a replacement I must send it back to Newegg before the 30 days is over. Let's say I did so and I got my replacement a few days later. Does this mean the Limited 30-Day Return Policy will start over again on the day I receive my new replacement or does it continue to live off the original Limited 30-Day Return Policy I started off with?

Ok. ANY Windows can only be installed on one computer at a time. The difference between OEM and retail is that retail is transferable, OEM isn't.

The warranty is 30 days, period. Even if you have to send it back the warranty doesn't start over again. After the 30 days you have to send it back to Seagate.

A caviar SE has troubles with the following issues:

Heat. They can't handle heat. A poorly ventilated case is death to a Caviar SE.

Significant write/rewrite transactions. Disk errors develop and eventually the drive will stop loading Windows.

They are infamous for a) the click of death and b) corrupting the MFT. Unmountable Boot Volume errors are exceedingly common with Caviar SEs.

Multiple users accessing shares. A Caviar SE self destructs as it can't handle the volume of transactions.

Losing security descriptors. People will be told they are opening files "read only" or not having appropriate permissions for transactions they once had.

The newer ones have significant issues with aftermarket external casings. Delayed write failures are disturbingly frequent. $MFT errors pop up regularly. The drive will actually shut down, causing it to disappear altogether from "My Computer".

Another example. I have a computer that's sole purpose is to record video off the cameras in my store. The software records every time the cameras detect motion. For fun I put a WD Caviar SE that I had lying around. The drive lasted a month before it quit.

I have a friend that was contracted by the government for IT work. His first day on the job consisted of RMAing two boxes full of dead WD Caviar SE drives.

I repair or replace a Caviar SE 3 or more times a week. My estimate is 90% of all drive problems I encounter on the job site are Caviar SE drives.

I've been selling computers full time since 1999. I've been using them since the mid 80's. I've owned, sold and serviced every brand of drive available. The three worst were the Connor, Fujitsu desktop line and the WD Caviar SE. Connor went under, Fujitsu stopped making desktop drives and I ditched the Caviar SE lineup.

Notably bad drives:

Maxtor DiamondMax 8
Maxtor Fireball 3
Maxtor DM740
Any Fujitsu desktop drive
Caviar SE
Connor
Hitachi 60/75 GXP "Deathstars"

I'm not talking a few drives here and there... I'm talking thousands of drives.

Take it for whatever you feel it's worth.

05-17-2008, 03:47 AM	#21 (permalink)
911aaron Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Inside your computer as a virus Posts: 195	So is this OEM that I provided below, "unbranded" and can be used on three personal/family systems? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116056 So if I understand you correctly, if I were to replace my hard drive with another hard drive, I am legally allowed to transfer the OEM disk onto the new hard drive as long as the hard drive was the only thing being replaced? __________________ * Processor: Intel core 2 Quad Q6600 * Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L * RAM: G. Skill 2GB F2-6400CL5d-2GBNQ * Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s * VGA: EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 * PSU: Ultra X-Finity 500-Watt * OS: Windows XP Home Edition 32-bit * Monitor: Samsung 906BW LCD 2 ms response time 2000:1 Contrast *CPU cooler: Arctic Cooler 7

05-17-2008, 04:31 AM	#22 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 7,542	Yes you can install a new harddrive. Dont know where he got that you could install a unbranded OEM on 3 Computers, but I dont know where he gets much of his nonsense. But no a unbranded OEM is tied to the computer just like a branded OEM. Unbranded is just for System Builders no different. Please ignore PCeye. Use of this OEM System Builder Channel software is subject to the terms of the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. This software is intended for pre-installation on a new personal computer for resale. This OEM System Builder Channel software requires the assembler to provide end user support for the Windows software(( and cannot be transferred to another computer once it is installed)). To acquire Windows software with support provided by Microsoft please see our full package "Retail" product offerings. __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600-3.3ghz. Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 1066-944mhz. 4gbs. PNY 8800GT/VD964 Cooler W/D Sata 3.0 500gb RE2 Humans are curious creatures and by nature insane. Lock us all in a room together and within hours we're dividing into groups, creating Gods and plotting on how to kill one another. Last edited by StrangleHold; 05-17-2008 at 04:35 AM.

05-17-2008, 04:33 AM	#23 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,730	You would simply be reinstalling Windows on the exact same machine with a simple hardware change namely the drive. I moved Vista off of an ide drive here to see that reinstalled fresh on a larger sata model. It's common for someone with a full install disk to decide to replace one drive with a larger one or even reinstall Windows in a dual boot with another version or a Linux distro. No problem simply install Windows on the new drive. MS isn't worried about you replacing or upgrading a drive. That's still well within the licensing snce this is on the exact same system. The information on the OEM for XP happens to come from someone who beta tests for MS directly. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

05-17-2008, 04:50 AM	#24 (permalink)
911aaron Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Inside your computer as a virus Posts: 195	Oh I see. Knowing this, I guess I will go with the Seagate just because of the 32mb cache. But before I purchase it, I got a question about Newegg's warranties. Lets say I bought a product that has a Limited 30-Day Return Policy. If I want a replacement I must send it back to Newegg before the 30 days is over. Let's say I did so and I got my replacement a few days later. Does this mean the Limited 30-Day Return Policy will start over again on the day I receive my new replacement or does it continue to live off the original Limited 30-Day Return Policy I started off with? EDIT: What do you guys think about this HDD? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822152052 __________________ * Processor: Intel core 2 Quad Q6600 * Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L * RAM: G. Skill 2GB F2-6400CL5d-2GBNQ * Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s * VGA: EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 * PSU: Ultra X-Finity 500-Watt * OS: Windows XP Home Edition 32-bit * Monitor: Samsung 906BW LCD 2 ms response time 2000:1 Contrast CPU cooler: Arctic Cooler 7 Last edited by 911aaron; 05-17-2008 at 04:54 AM.*

05-17-2008, 05:58 AM	#25 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,730	Samsung, Hitachi, and other off names are rather recent brands and not always the best of quality. Personally I wouldn't tough any of the recent brand names for sure. There's nothing wrong with either to the two drives you were looking despite the noise made by a few there. When you ask around to people that use WD drives rarely do you hear any complaints. I occasionally will see a pm where someone can't figure why all the noise was made on other threads when they have reliable results using SE and other models by WD or Seagate. The way you maintain a case keeping any drive from overheating and cold hard starts generally sees any good brand drive last to start with. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

05-17-2008, 06:09 AM	#26 (permalink)
911aaron Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Inside your computer as a virus Posts: 195	Well I'm using a Hitachi HDD right now and it seems to be working quite well so far in the 8 months I've had it. No problems I've noticed. I'll stick to seagate or WD anyways, probably the seagate cause of the 32mb cache. I'd still like to know how newegg's policies work. Lets say I bought a product that has a Limited 30-Day Return Policy. If I want a replacement I must send it back to Newegg before the 30 days is over. Let's say I did so and I got my replacement a few days later. Does this mean the Limited 30-Day Return Policy will start over again on the day I receive my new replacement or does it continue to live off the original Limited 30-Day Return Policy I started off with? __________________ * Processor: Intel core 2 Quad Q6600 * Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L * RAM: G. Skill 2GB F2-6400CL5d-2GBNQ * Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s * VGA: EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 * PSU: Ultra X-Finity 500-Watt * OS: Windows XP Home Edition 32-bit * Monitor: Samsung 906BW LCD 2 ms response time 2000:1 Contrast *CPU cooler: Arctic Cooler 7

05-17-2008, 06:30 AM	#27 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,730	When the first board here on the present build quit only after 3 days I contacted newegg for an rma number and saw that taken care of within the 30day period fast. They stick to that with anything problems later seeing a need to contact the manufacturer to ship it to them under their own limited manufacturer's warranty. That goes for just about any hardware while they generally honor their own return policy if you catch the 30day limit in time. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

05-17-2008, 06:32 AM	#28 (permalink)
911aaron Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Inside your computer as a virus Posts: 195	Oh okay. Thanks. I'll be purchasing everything tomorrow. Thanks very much PC eye and everyone else! EDIT: Actually I do have one more question. Yes they never cease to stop Let's say there were two HDD that had the same exact specs except that one of them was a 250GB HDD while the other was a 500GB HDD. Would the 250GB be faster then the 500GB? I think the 250GB HDD would be faster because theres less space that it needs to look through. Am I correct? If I am correct, how fast of a difference would this be and is it something I should really be concerned about? I'm asking because I'm thinking about getting a 250GB HDD and installing my OS and games on that while putting the rest of my media onto a 500GB HDD. __________________ * Processor: Intel core 2 Quad Q6600 * Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L * RAM: G. Skill 2GB F2-6400CL5d-2GBNQ * Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s * VGA: EVGA 256-P2-N751-TR GeForce 8600GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 * PSU: Ultra X-Finity 500-Watt * OS: Windows XP Home Edition 32-bit * Monitor: Samsung 906BW LCD 2 ms response time 2000:1 Contrast CPU cooler: Arctic Cooler 7 Last edited by 911aaron; 05-17-2008 at 07:00 AM.*

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