Seagate sent replacement HD - refurbished - makes noise

lozina

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
11,711
8
81
My cousin had a problem with his laptop where the HD failed. It was so bad I couldn't even get KNOPPIX to mount it. So I tell him to have it replaced by Seagate since the HD was only 4 months old it was still under warranty.

He gets the replacement yesterday, it's packaged in a box with tape that says "Refurbished". Is that typical now for a company like Seagate to send Refurbished drives as warranty replacements? Yikes...

Anyway, I am now installing windows and everything on it but I am immediately noticing something is not right with this drive. Its making clicking noises. From my experience this means there's something wrong with the drive- maybe the reader head crashing into something or whatever- but almost anytime I hear clicking noises like this the drive ends up crashing a few days later.

Would you agree with that?

Should I tell him to call Seagate again and complain about this and ask for a NEW one?
 

lozina

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
11,711
8
81
Youll never get a new hd from a hd warranty

really? that's a bit discouraging.

But regardless, this thing is making disturbing noises. do you think they'd replace it because of that or they going to expect us to wait until it crashes again?
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
21,977
4,836
136
really? that's a bit discouraging.

But regardless, this thing is making disturbing noises. do you think they'd replace it because of that or they going to expect us to wait until it crashes again?

Run the Seagate Diagnostics on the drive, If it passes don't worry about it. If it fails get Seagate to replace it.

pcgeek11
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
it's hit and miss whether or not you get a new hdd from warranty.

I think it may have to do with supply and circumstances. On older drives there may just not be any supply left of new replacements. For newer drives, I think it depends on how quickly it failed. I recall (and it was probably Seagate) a question during the RMA process on whether it failed within the first month after purchase. That was probably to guarantee a new replacement.
 

RebateMonger

Elite Member
Dec 24, 2005
11,586
0
0
But regardless, this thing is making disturbing noises. do you think they'd replace it because of that or they going to expect us to wait until it crashes again?
Fill out another RMA and Seagate will replace the disk. Again, they don't guarantee they'll give you anything but a refurbished drive.

I wouldn't put a disk that's making unusual noises into a system.