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compusa 120G $99 2MB was REALLY 8MB CACHE!! CONFIMED!

StuckMojo

Golden Member

BWAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! 🙂 🙂 🙂

i just went and picked up 2 of these, the're advertised as "compusa brand", but they say Maxtor right on the box. anyway, they're supposed to be:

7200rpm 120GB 2M cache

well, i just got them home and even though the outside of the box says 2MB cache, guess what was in BOTH BOXES?

6Y120P0 <-- the P = 8M cache! confirmed in linux using hdparm!
this is the Diamondmax Plus 9 Ultra!

this was at the Rochester, NY store. Lowest pricewatch on this drive is $151.00

beware that these are supposed to be the 6Y120L0, the 2M model, so ** YMMV!! **

o, these are $149 - 10 instant - 40 mail in = $99. Today is the last day for the rebate, so get there before 9pm 🙂
 
Ack, stupid me paid $117 for the same drive yesterday. Well, not the CUSA one but the retail 8 meg cache one.
 

i can use the digi cam to take a picture of both drives if you want.
worst case, you return them
the model number is on the outside of the drive bag, so you might be able to get around the 15% restock. you'd have to open the box, but not the drive bag.
 
Originally posted by: StuckMojo
i can use the digi cam to take a picture of both drives if you want.
worst case, you return them
the model number is on the outside of the drive bag, so you might be able to get around the 15% restock. you'd have to open the box, but not the drive bag.
compusa 15% restocking fee for opened merchandise
 
I picked one up last week for my TIVO but didn't open it -- just sent in the rebate.

I opened it when I saw this post, and sure enough, StuckMojo is right. At the top of the drive it says

DiamondMax Plus 9
120GB ATA/133 HDD

and the last bar code says

6Y120P0040601

It does not state the ache amount anywhere, but I'll take StuckMojo's word for it. So now, I have a question: if it's a DiamondMax Plus 9, it's probably too good for a TIVO, no? Should I swap it with the 100GB Western Digital 2MB I have in my computer -- that is, will it be significantly better (other than the extra 20mb)? If so, I can use that in my TIVO instead...
 
Originally posted by: InvaderZim
I picked one up last week for my TIVO but didn't open it -- just sent in the rebate.

So now, I have a question: if it's a DiamondMax Plus 9, it's probably too good for a TIVO, no? Should I swap it with the 100GB Western Digital 2MB I have in my computer -- that is, will it be significantly better (other than the extra 20mb)? If so, I can use that in my TIVO instead...

I would place the 8MB 120GB drive in your computer and put the 2MB 100GB drive in the TIVO. Tivo can't really take advantage of that 8MB cache.
 
i would actually put both of the drives in your computer and buy a 5400 rpm drive for the tivo. You want the least amount of heat as possible in the tivo and your tivo wont benefit from a 7200rpm drive as compared to a 5400 one.
 
Thanks for the info!! I had bought one earlier in the week to sell in a PC I was building, and never checked the model number when I put it in.
rolleye.gif


Luckily I made it back to my local CompUSA before closing time last night. I was so happy that the drive has the 8MB cache that it didn't hit me until this morning to check on the warranty. I know Western Digital still gives 3 years on their 8MB cache drives, but I wasn't sure about Maxtor. The box stated 1 year, but after plugging in my serial number, model and the other identifying stuff they ask for at Maxtor's website, I am very happy to report that this drive is under warranty until 3/27/06

😀😀😀
 
Thanks for the TIVO advice! 5400rpm drives are getting harder to find (except in external USB2/1394 drives). I doubt I could find a 120GB 5400rpm drive for the $99 this 7200rpm 8MB drive cost.

My computer is pretty much maxed out for drives (d*amn Dell minitowers), so I started putting additional drives (used for video editing) into external $50 Firewire cases from CompGeeks. They work well, but I'm not sure if this could benefit from an 8MB buffer either. So I'll have to do some swapping.

I sure wish TIVO would support external, daisy-chained disk drives. I don't think even the series-II does, even though it has USB ports. Oh well, now I'm in ramble mode...

Thanks for all your advice.
 
Originally posted by: benchmarq
Thanks for the info!! I had bought one earlier in the week to sell in a PC I was building, and never checked the model number when I put it in.
rolleye.gif


Luckily I made it back to my local CompUSA before closing time last night. I was so happy that the drive has the 8MB cache that it didn't hit me until this morning to check on the warranty. I know Western Digital still gives 3 years on their 8MB cache drives, but I wasn't sure about Maxtor. The box stated 1 year, but after plugging in my serial number, model and the other identifying stuff they ask for at Maxtor's website, I am very happy to report that this drive is under warranty until 3/27/06

😀😀😀

you know, that had occured to me, but i didn't think to use the website to check
this is awesome!! 🙂

 
Originally posted by: InvaderZim
Thanks for the TIVO advice! 5400rpm drives are getting harder to find (except in external USB2/1394 drives). I doubt I could find a 120GB 5400rpm drive for the $99 this 7200rpm 8MB drive cost.

My computer is pretty much maxed out for drives (d*amn Dell minitowers), so I started putting additional drives (used for video editing) into external $50 Firewire cases from CompGeeks. They work well, but I'm not sure if this could benefit from an 8MB buffer either. So I'll have to do some swapping.

I sure wish TIVO would support external, daisy-chained disk drives. I don't think even the series-II does, even though it has USB ports. Oh well, now I'm in ramble mode...

Thanks for all your advice.

I agree that the tivo cannot take advantage of the 8mb drive however nowerdays 2 platter HDD designs use way less energy than the older 3 and 4 platter designs. Most 7200rpm IDE drives barely get warm - you can also check the amps - I'd be surprised if it took more than 500mA and 12V = 6W. So don't bother finding a 5400rpm drive.

Yo

 
I was just at Best Buy here in Mancherter, NH and they had this exact same deal.

Maxtor 100GB 2MB chache HD with a bonus 20GB free, thus it's a 120GB drive. 149.99 - 50.00 mail in rebate = 99.99

I don't know if they are in actuality 8MB inside, but the box at Best Buy said 2MB....

They had atleast 10+ of them on the shelves., too bad i didn't have 150 bucks on me or i would have bought one.
 
I purchased my two HDs at Staples last Saturday (PM to BB) and according to what I find at Maxtor - courtesy of another forum - it appears mine is still a 2MB...

Here is what to look for, according to some friends at Chubby:

1) Shows the 6Y120P0 as a 8MB cache drive. If you got the L0 you got a 2MB drive, according to this.
2) L6Y3 outside -- 2mb , 3yr warranty.
P6Y3 outside -- 8mb, 3yr warranty...but these are LABELED as 8mb drives, so no surprise. There was a BIG thread about this stuff earlier this year or late last year...look for it, it had a lot of codes listed.
3) Maxtor Drive Sheet

I hope this helps.
 
My Maxtor drive does say P6Y3 on the barcode label on the side of the outer box. However, the rest of the label reads

Maxtor
DiamondMax Plus
Buffer Size:
2 MB
Average Seek Time:
<9.1 MS
Data Transfer Rate:
133 MBytes / sec
(Ultra ATA/133)
Rotational Speed: 7200 RPM
KIT L01J100

followed by the serial number.

On the front there is a big sticker that says, among other blurbs, "Maxtor 1-year limited warranty". But I confirmed it's 3 years using the Maxtor website.


 
i just got the 2mb version 120gb from costco, still 2mb installed (120L0). However, are the 8mb version any quieter. This drive is so loud compared to my Seagate barracuda IV 80 gb which was whisper quiet, can only tell it writing when the light is on.
 
I just picked one up at Best Buy and i got a 2MB version. On well for 99.99 it's still better then nothing.
 
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