Question Testing my HGST 4TB refurbs

[mikeford]

My 6x 4TB HGST refurbs from ebay arrived today, and luckily so did the cheap USB 3.0 to Sata (incl wall wort for 12v on 3.5 drives) so I can somewhat parallel my initial testing, 8 hrs for long format, and 6 hrs for WD Tools long test, seconds for CDI, where I am doing as I was told and getting a before and after snapshot. Without the USB/Sata total time would be about 90 hrs, with more like about half that. Fortunately the two drives, one formatting and one being tested seem happy enough running while I browse on the PC.

So far it "looks like" smart data was wiped, but I'm still learning to read the reports. Here is first drive before and after long format

 

[aigomorla]

I think the vendor wipes the smart data on refurbs to see how long the refurbs can last before they come back for an RMA, if they ever do.

 

[mikeford]

Maybe so, but it also hides things like power on hours errors, etc. BTW this vendor, dbskyusa88, has in the past replaced drives without requiring returning them, but they may go by the smart info with SN etc in it.

My guess is that most drives are pulled from service proactively with no issues, end of warranty, or upgrading the drive sizes. Beyond those, drives vary from worthless junk to minor issues, and various tiers within the recycling industry attempt to squeeze as much money out of them as possible via testing, swapping bad boards and bad mechanisms, and my favorite of all categories, selling the known worthless junk as "untested" as is, no warranty, very short warranty etc etc.