Seller accidentally sent me 3 refurbished HGST Enterprise HDD - keep or return?

[traderjay]

While building my FreeNAS server and sourcing HDDs, a seller accidentally sent me 3 HGST 7K4000 Ultrastar manufacturer refurbished HDDs. These are sealed in original HGST bags and I ran a battery of tests such as long SMART test and badblocks on them, without any errors.

The seller has since exchanged the 3 drives with brand new ones and offered to take them back or I can buy them for $50 a piece (3TB drives).

Should I keep them or send it back to the seller OR use it for non-critical data?

 

[WilliamM2]

Why did you open the seal if they were the wrong item? I'm surprised he'll still take them back. But if he will, I wouldn't keep them.

I've never had refurbed drives last very long at all. We don't even both sending drives in for warranty anymore, as we always get refurbs back.

 

[traderjay]

Why did you open the seal if they were the wrong item? I'm surprised he'll still take them back. But if he will, I wouldn't keep them.

I've never had refurbed drives last very long at all. We don't even both sending drives in for warranty anymore, as we always get refurbs back.

There is no indication on the seal that the drive is refurbished. I had a whole case of drives and and only after opening the anti-static seal did I then discover the drives were refurbished. There was a manufacturer label on the bag but it did not indicate the drive as refurbished, only the label on the physical drive indicates so.

 

[corkyg]

It depends on where your honor is and how much you value it. How can you return them to the seller and use them for data? I would send them back unused.

 

[traderjay]

It depends on where your honor is and how much you value it. How can you return them to the seller and use them for data? I would send them back unused.

Sorry it was a typo on my end. Should I keep them or send it back to the seller OR use it for non-critical data?

The drives are unused other than the initial SMART test and badblock test which I run in parallel during the server build. Due to the heat build up, I had to install more fans in the case and pulled out all the drives that's when I discovered three of the drives have refurbished label on them.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

For all you know, the refurbished drives will last longer than the new drives.

That model number seems to be 4 TB rather than 3 TB?

I'd keep them if I had any use for 12 TB more storage in the foreseeable future. Hitachi drives are highly regarded and $50 for 4 TB is a good price. You may be able to sell them yourself for more than $50---retail price for a new one seems to be above $200 somewhere.

 

[traderjay]

For all you know, the refurbished drives will last longer than the new drives.

That model number seems to be 4 TB rather than 3 TB?

I'd keep them if I had any use for 12 TB more storage in the foreseeable future. Hitachi drives are highly regarded and $50 for 4 TB is a good price. You may be able to sell them yourself for more than $50---retail price for a new one seems to be above $200 somewhere.

My drives are the 3TB version of the 7K4000 Ultrastars. I've read conflicting opinion on refurbished drives, some says it fails out of the gate, while others say it underwent more rigorous testing and will last longer. But $150 for 9TB is very tempting.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I've read conflicting opinion on refurbished drives, some says it fails out of the gate, while others say it underwent more rigorous testing and will last longer. But $150 for 9TB is very tempting.

Yeah--anecdotal experience is likely all you'll find--with little or no statistical significance. Just like reviews of new drives.

Keep 'em if your space requirements growth rates indicate you may need more space in the next 2 or 3 years. You aren't likely to beat that price for some time.

 

[rchunter]

It depends on where your honor is and how much you value it. How can you return them to the seller and use them for data? I would send them back unused.

nm