HOT & DEAD: Maxtor 500GB HD for $90 at Fry's Electronics

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Devil2U

Senior member
Nov 11, 2004
514
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Through Tuesday, January 22nd, Fry's Electronics retails stores offers Maxtor 500GB internal HDs for $89.99 each.
Serial ATA/300 or Utlra DMA/100, your choice. I usually hold out and pay the extra $10 for Segates, but since they own Maxtor, w/e... your opinion.

SATA SKU #455137
IDE SKU #5090665
Limit 2 per customer.

Source: LA Times 1/18/08.
No linky, but you can find your local store HERE.

UPDATE: Deal is online at Frys.com also!
http://shop4.outpost.com/searc...site=sa:Homepage:Spot1
 
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MrCoyote

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,001
5
81
For those who think that Seagate is always best, read up on Seagate AAK firmware issue on their 500GB drives. Seagate has been dumping the drives on the market with the firmware problems. The Maxtor is just rebranded Seagate. So check if you have AAK firmware. It has poor performance issues. There is no updated firmware to fix this problem.
 
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alaricljs

Golden Member
May 11, 2005
1,221
1
76
Amusingly enough, I bought a couple of the Maxtor's last July when Fry's had them for $90. They're AAE... the Seagate's I bought a couple months prior are AAK. Methinks I may get a few more of the Maxtors.
 
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teatime0315

Senior member
Nov 18, 2005
646
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How do these compare to the 7200.10 series from Seagate?
NVM Haha forgot Seagate bought Maxtor.
 
R

Ricochet

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
6,390
19
81
Originally posted by: MrCoyote
For those who think that Seagate is always best, read up on Seagate AAK firmware issue on their 500GB drives. Seagate has been dumping the drives on the market with the firmware problems. The Maxtor is just rebranded Seagate. So check if you have AAK firmware. It has poor performance issues. There is no updated firmware to fix this problem.
Click to expand...

How can you check which firmware you have if you have an unopen box? I have two of these from prior deals through FRYS but haven't done anything with them yet.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Great price! Too bad - I mean - thank God I don't need any right now!
 
konakona

konakona

Diamond Member
May 6, 2004
6,285
1
0
Originally posted by: MrCoyote
For those who think that Seagate is always best, read up on Seagate AAK firmware issue on their 500GB drives. Seagate has been dumping the drives on the market with the firmware problems. The Maxtor is just rebranded Seagate. So check if you have AAK firmware. It has poor performance issues. There is no updated firmware to fix this problem.
Click to expand...

Not to mention it is the loudest of the pack and doesnt perform so well either, relatively speaking. I saw bunch of these sitting in a bin at the dallas fry's store last nite, didnt want any seagate though. If these were samsungs I would have been all over them..
 
K

KPACOTKA

Senior member
Oct 19, 2006
356
0
0
So how to check firmware version? I bought 500Gb at Fry's a month ago with similar price. So am I at risk to get AA firmware?
 
Spike

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
Just as a note I have two Seagate 500GB drives I purchased in the last month, one at that $99 deal at frys.com a couple weeks ago and one from Best Buy (used a giftcard). Both are open and installed in my new build (just awaiting the cpu) and I took at look... both say 3.AAK firmware on the side. Not sure what this means except lower performance from my computer which kinda sucks. Worst case I can swap one of these out with my AAE seagate 500GB currently in use in my other computer but that would be a pain.

Thanks for the heads up on this... I think. I'm not sure I would have even noticed the issue had I not read this thread.
 
Spike

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
Here is my thread in general hardware on the issue after testing my two AAK drives vs my one AAE. The results are much closer than in that review so maybe the first AAK drives had more issues or maybe, like someone suggested in my thread, the new HD Tune is better setup to test the AAK drives.

Either way for now I am leaning towards keeping my AAK's instead of bothering to exhange them. And no, I don't see anyway of determining what firmware by looking at the outside of the box.
 
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OddTSi

Senior member
Feb 14, 2003
371
0
0
Other than the possible AAK firmware issue, are there any other problems with these drives (noise, reliability, etc)?
 
Spike

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
My understanding is that reliability is not compromised by the possibly troublesome firmware and that with AAK the drive is just designed more towards servers than desktops.

For noise I cannot hear my drives in my main rig though that is a P180 so it's very good at being quiet. I can hear the AAE drive grinding clearly in my other computer but that is in an all aluminum CM Mystique case where there is only some plastic between the drives and the case. For comparison I can also hear my hitachi T7K250 clearly in that same CM case.
 
Throckmorton

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
FWIW, I have one of these drives (I think.. 500gb Maxtor from Fry's) and it's loud. Sometimes it keeps me from sleeping when I'm torrenting. I didn't notice until I moved back in with my parents where I have the computer in my bedroom.
 
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greg415

Junior Member
Jan 21, 2008
5
0
0
Agreed that it is very loud. If you buy one, I suggest saving the receipt, because it might have to be returned, except the pain of returning an installed drive.
 
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El Norm

Senior member
Oct 29, 1999
515
0
0
Apparently people got a hold of the firmware so it might not be as bad as they made it out to be. Sucks that seagate is not making it available publicly but there are plently of people that are willing to email it to you on that forum you guys linked.

EDIT: In fact look what I found -
http://www.mediafire.com/?30ddatf19xs
 
Spike

Spike

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,770
1
81
Originally posted by: sparhawk6
I also agree - they are loud when seeking.
Click to expand...

In a "normal" case yes, this is the case (my CM aluminum case and Antec super lanboy) but in quiet cases like my P180 you can't hear them until you put your ear up next to the case.
 
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