What's The Catch Here?

[Virgorising]

Hi.

I just came upon a drive identical to the one I am writing from on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...akeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

I also got mine on ebay used. It arrived close to perfect, and it is dead silent and FABULOUS AND FAST. I would not mind owning another one!

But, I paid around $50 for mine, I think....and, there is a long way to go in the auction, and it could go high toward the end....right now, it is almost free even with shipping.

Anyone feel I could luck out a second time wit this one I just found??

I got mine from a private vendor, not some big commercial one. And this one too is from a private individual.

Pls nobody say get an SSD. My heart is not there yet, pls accept that.

Thank you.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

As you point out, it'll probably increase in price towards the end of the auction.

Personally, I don't trust used hard drives. I don't trust new ones either, but for different reasons.

 

[Soundmanred]

It's an auction, that's the only "catch".

 

[Virgorising]

As you point out, it'll probably increase in price towards the end of the auction.

Personally, I don't trust used hard drives. I don't trust new ones either, but for different reasons.

Hey. I agree.

Hardly for the first time, I got too happy too fast. I DO THAT.:|

Plus, some of the specific drives in question are not good; I truly did luck out with mine, cause even before I made an offer on mine, I saw the not so hot reviews n Newegg re failure rates. I prolly would not get that lucky again.

As I shared, all the drives I have bought have been used. The one new WD I bought was a total mess and I RMAed it.

Do you use only SSDs? And, if so, do you trust them?

 

[Virgorising]

It's an auction, that's the only "catch".

Is true. But, it could also be a bad one! I need to slow down and learn to be more cynical.....thanks, Soundmanred.

We are going to my GF's wedding, but, I am going to track this on my phone (covertly, lol) and after. I think I might also email the person and ask if it's quiet and if he or she ran diagnostics on it. I mean, why not? Vendor has 100% feedback, tho is also clearly a private individual with the level activity consistent with one.

The little optimist in me never really dies.

But I don wanna overpay, and I do not wanna push my luck.

 

[Virgorising]

K....I just sent her this (she appears to be female, and oddly, the vendor I got mine from was as well):

Dear dewdropp50,

Hi, dewdropp!

I have a drive identical to this, also bought used here, it is perfect and I would like another one, but would like to know more before I bid.

Can u pls share how noisy this drive is if noisy at all? And, have you run WD diagnostics on it (or even SMART diagnostics),, and if so, what were the results?

Many thanks!
Jill

 

[Virgorising]

Just now received reply from dewdropp. Any clarified takes on this puppy? I think these are optimism-fostering data. But, does anyone else? I din know she had more than one, not even sure she does. Why did she have to wipe them if they were never used?

And, if she can nuke/zero out a drive, why can't she run diagnostics?

Am pasting:

Hi

The drive is quiet...no noises from what I can tell during the wipe. I received them opened but I was told that they have never been actually used. I have not run any tests nor do I have the capibillity to do so.

Thanks

- dewdropp50

 

[Elixer]

If it sounds too good to be true...

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Do you use only SSDs?

No.

And, if so, do you trust them?

Of course not.

 

[Virgorising]

If it sounds too good to be true...

My mom would jus LUV U!!!

I fear you are right.

But I am still dying to be party to the end of the auction. Hopefully, not as a participant.

 

[Virgorising]

No.

Of course not.

I LIKE this cryptic stuff!!!!!

Reflects subtlety and intelligence.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The drive is quiet...no noises from what I can tell during the wipe. I received them opened but I was told that they have never been actually used. I have not run any tests nor do I have the capibillity to do so.

Can't boot a Linux DVD, and start Disk Utility? Something's fishy there, would avoid.

 

[Virgorising]

Can't boot a Linux DVD, and start Disk Utility? Something's fishy there, would avoid.

EXACTLY.

But, I try not to assume most people know anything much about computers, despite they all use them every day... given, in my persona, depressing experience, most people don't. I will never understand that.

I will try very hard now, to stay away from this thing, and just count my MAJOR blessing re the reality of that drive's twin from which I am writing at this very moment. (And I posted somewhere it has 16 cache, shame on me, I forgot, it has 32.)

When we get greedy, it comes back to bite us in the butt.

 

[Virgorising]

Update:

I sent her this:
One more, pls....I am unclear now, do you have more than one of these?

Jill

She responded with this:

I only have the one Black Caviar 500GB drive. I have several Green Caviar 2.0TB drives

- dewdropp50

I am now having more positive feelings about this drive. Cept for for testing is is beyond her capabilities part.

Anyone here interested in her litter of WD Greens? They are big ones, 2TBs!!

And, make note of she wrote "2.0 TBs"....as opposed to the 2TBs we would have written. That alone told me she is not puter savvy, but took it from the label. So, it is possible she does have no clue how to run diagnostics on a drive.

It seems she is putting up one WD Green at a time. Here is the first one, 3 bids on it as of now.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Dig...Internal_Hard_Disk_Drives&hash=item20e2eb02eb

 

[corkyg]

Does she have a "Buy It Now" price? I have never had any luck with auctions. Seems like at the last moment a shill jumps in and offers the buyer's "take" price. I have often scratched my head and wondered why anyone would pay more than a new one from Newegg would cost.

I have had good luck with the "Buy It Now" scenario. I say go for it.

 

[Virgorising]

Does she have a "Buy It Now" price? I have never had any luck with auctions. Seems like at the last moment a shill jumps in and offers the buyer's "take" price. I have often scratched my head and wondered why anyone would pay more than a new one from Newegg would cost.

I have had good luck with the "Buy It Now" scenario. I say go for it.

I am trying to type with wet nails, very challenging.

interestingly, Corky, the twin wD Black I am writing from, I got via Best Offer. When I found it, there was one offer submitted. I just guessed and submitted $50 as I recall....I think she was asking $55. And she took my offer immediately.

But dewdropp does not do Best Offers. Plus she is not rich, witness she is offering used snow boots.

Sometimes I am good at eBay auctions. I decide my max bid, peruse the underbidders, make mine an odd number re the cents, and leap in in the last 2 seconds. It's called SNIPING. That is an official ebay term!

Sometimes, an underbidder's auto bid reflecting a higher max bid than mine, will kick in automatically and I will loose the item. But sometimes, not.

I dunno, I am again gravitating toward bidding on this twin to mine puppy.

I trust her now, after the email exchange. But again, the one I am on is a perfect ooe, this model has a pretty significant early failure rate.

 

[MongGrel]

The only time I ever bought a HDD off an auction was years ago when I tried putting 5 Raptors in one RAID0 array many years ago for grins and giggles.

I'd bought a couple new at the time, one has died over the years and the other 4 are still in various systems purring along.

I personally wouldn't and haven't bought used ones again myself.

 

[Virgorising]

The only time I ever bought a HDD off an auction was years ago when I tried putting 5 Raptors in one RAID array many years ago for grins and giggles.

I'd bought a couple new at the time, one has died over the years and the other 4 are still in various systems purring along.

I personally wouldn't and haven't bought used ones again myself.

Well, yr marmalade feline (nice feline) has bought many used ones, and never had a problem with them. ()

And, I share his or her experience as I have posted.() Including the identical one I am on right now. Got it in November, I checked.

Hold on....I just went and got the feedback I left for the vendor I got this one from:

Great HDD, great condition, fav vendor, FAB communication, I AM SO HAPPY!!!Seller: Member id valpovi ( Feedback Score Of 163

)
Nov-16-13 10:19 -- (#181252286267)

And here is what she left for me:

Great buyer, easy to with, left feedback right away! ) hope to see you again!Seller: Member id valpovi ( Feedback Score Of 163

)
Nov-16-13 21:05 -- (#181252286267)--
Best Offer Price was Accepted

I've also bought tested mobo pulls on ebay and not once had a problem with any.

FIVE DRIVES IN A RAID 0 ARRAY? How unsafe! Speed at the expense of safety? You could have lost ALL THAT DATA at ANY SECOND. Talk about risky, OMG:|

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I LIKE this cryptic stuff!!!!!

Reflects subtlety and intelligence.

My system specs are in my sig, complete with hard drive models.

I back up everything, because everything and anything breaks without warning.

 

[Elixer]

My mom would jus LUV U!!!

I fear you are right.

But I am still dying to be party to the end of the auction. Hopefully, not as a participant.

Sorry, I can't divulge where I picked up that saying from....but, be sure to say HI to mom from me! :whiste:

I would be more curious as to how they ship the HD, since, if they are not packed correctly, then, you will be dealing with a DOA unit. Especially shippers that don't know how to run a simple SMART scan on said drive.
I would also ask for serial #, so you can do a warranty check on it.

I still think anything from fleabay isn't worth the hassle 90% of the time.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I think the WD Black series has been great from SATA-II through SATA-III. I have several of the older ones running here in the house. I think those had a factory warranty of 5 years.

And I recycle or reuse drives in the household for various purposes. I just don't think -- for the difference between the EBay price offering and the actual price at resellers -- that I'd buy a used drive even if the seller said it "hadn't really been used (or much).

 

[Carson Dyle]

I've purchased a number of used HDDs, but I'd never do so without a SMART report from the seller. There's no assurance that the drive doesn't already have bad sectors, or that it's on its way to failing.

 

[Virgorising]

Update:

I am VERY upset with myself. VERY We were out until early his AM and then crashed. Only just woke up. My guy was posed to wake me up at 10 so I could bid on/SNIPE the WD Black at the end of the auction. But he never woke up, nobody set phone alarms or any alarms.

I just now see the puppy went for UNDER TWENTY THREE DOLLARS plus modest shipping. When I looked just now, I could almost not believe it.

I expected it to go to close to $40. Remember, I paid $50 for this IDENTICAL, PERFECT one I am writing from now, the exact same drive....and still consider it a big bargain and a blessing.

I am VERY upset with myself!!!!!

 

[Virgorising]

My system specs are in my sig, complete with hard drive models.

NOW....I C them!!! Impressive. But I remain convinced overclocking is sadistic.

I back up everything, because everything and anything breaks without warning

I too back up everything. of course things breaking is the potential. But re drives ahve had only one start to go, and I picked upon it immediately, and in time to save my data.

This, tho is not true for some I know wherein I hadda arrive, get the drive had died, and try to find a way to saved data, often taking it home with me....and sometimes it's just too late, esp with people who only use laptops and do not back up in any way.

 

[Virgorising]

Sorry, I can't divulge where I picked up that saying from....but, be sure to say HI to mom from me!

No, I think YOU should text her. She would SO approve of AND ENDORSE you re yr pragmatic caution and self protective premises!!!!:biggrin:

[

I would be more curious as to how they ship the HD, since, if they are not packed correctly, then, you will be dealing with a DOA unit. Especially shippers that don't know how to run a simple SMART scan on said drive. I would also ask for serial #, so you can do a warranty check on it.

First, I have close to 300 purchases on eBay. Only ONE was an absolute NITEMARE, and i spent much time putting it right with the vendor... myself, and made sure I got this pirated box set of The West Wing (made in China) (worthless disks) back to her in Puerto Rico, even tho at some point she said just throw them out. And, I gave $100 for this garbage.

Most vendors pack wonderfully. And, I include the HDDs I have gotten there!

I still think anything from fleabay isn't worth the hassle 90% of the time.

Again, close to 300 purchases there for me to date, only one misery and cumulatively, I have saved a TON OF MONEY. A veritable ton.