Maxtor HD has messed up a couple times, no error code with their diagnostic program- can I still get an RMA?

[goog40]

Two times my Maxtor hard drive has had problems for no apparent reason. I partitioned my 40.9(really 38.0) gb drive into two 19 gb drives. The first time, the second partition just didnt show up in Windows. I booted up with a system disk and ran fdisk, it only showed the first partition too. I ran Maxtor's disk that had saved the partition info when I first installed it, and I used it to restore the rack information. That seemed to work and I could see both partitions fine now. But then one day a couple weeks ago it just got a DMI pool error when I tried to boot up the system. I booted up with a system disk, and the only thing that showed up on the c drive was some gibberish file(made up of weird symbols) that was like ~3 gb, with ~10 gb free, and no d drive. I tried restoring the track info again, and the second partition still had all my files, but the first one was still only 14 gb total(should be 19) and was empty except for that one file. I put the hard drive as the second hard drive on my other computer, with the same results. So I gave up and formatted the first partition. When I booted up using the disk and run fdisk, it shows the partition info correctly(19 gb each). But it still showed the first partition as 14 gb free in windows(same thing in dos when i type dir).

So that was my messed up experience, and my drive is still 14 gb+19gb now. I ran Maxtor's diagnostic utility but it showed no errors, and they say you need an error code to get an RMA from them. No Quibble service my ass. Anyways, I could backup my data and totally re-format and repartition the drive, but I don't want this same BS to happen again and I want an RMA, but don't know if there's any way to get one without their utility saying my drive is defective. Any advice on what I can do? Thanks

edit: I see their page for requesting an RMA without an error code, but my worry is that they'll get my drive, run the same utility, get no error, and charge me for the drive they send me, so I really need some advice.

 

[Bartman39]

Might be worth trying a low level format on this one either it will make it or break it???

 

[joeyjojoe]

I spoke with a Maxtor technician recently about some issues I was ahving with my drive. He indicated that Maxtor will not RMA a drive unless the diagnostic (can be downloaded from their website) says there is an error. Basically, he told me that if you send it in ... they use the same utility and see if your drive still works.

 

[NutBucket]

That's odd. I've sent back two drives on three seperate occasions w/o any diagnostic code. The online RAM process was painless, and I got back better drives 2 out of the 3 times. The one time i send in a 5.7 gig 5400 drive, I get back the same one!

 

[FreeIsFun]

Oh no Goog. I just had this same nightmare with a Maxtor drive! It would see my cd-rom drive then it wouldnt, then it would, it would keep the cdrom drivers when it felt like it, then on the 3rd fdisk and reformat it wouldnt copy window files to my hard drive at all. Then I had the same dma error, yep dma is as far as it would go, couldnt boot into windows. I could go on and on about all the WIERD, make no sense things that were happening. I called the manager of the store I just purchased it from and I'm getting a replacement 7200rpm drive. The drive I had all these problems with is a 20 gig 5400 rpm (actually I had 2 of the hard drives) with a microstar K7t pro2a also tried with and without the ata100 pci card. I am thinking that the motherboard doesnt like the 5400 rpm (I don't think this makes sense though, just desparate). Oh and one more thing, I had 2 MSI motherboards and switched those out, same problem. Wish I could help because I know that you might be bald by now. I wonder....is it a known and they don't want to admit it.

 

[Edski]

goog40, check your PM's. I will help you

 

[4824guy]

I called into them for a RMA and told them the drive was sometimes clicking. This was without their software test. THey send out a replacement drive quickly to me.

 

[goog40]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm callin them later on today