HDD question

[omerco]

Hello,

I'm about to buy a new HDD and I wonder if 8MB buffer instead of 2MB worth the 20% price difference?

Which one is more recommended: Maxtor 9 plus 80GB or IBM? I currently have IBM 40GB ATA 100.

Thanks.

[Dr Mordrid]

For video drives? Not really.

Most all of the files you'll be dealing with are far larger than the HDD's buffer, which means it saturates almost immediately.

Large buffers are of advantage on boot drives though.

I wouldn't buy another IBM HDD on a bet. Not after the GXP fiasco.

OTOH I have well over 30 Maxtor HDD's and have yet to have one fail on me.

Dr. Mordrid

[omerco]

Thanks Doc,

By the way, what is the difference between the 9+ and the 740? Is it only a new model?

[Debbie]

I will bet by Maxtor. Both my HDDs are Max and I am quite pleased with the performance.

My IBM is back to the maker after only a couple of months. It was going crazy and so was I

Debbie

[GNEP]

I have exactly that Maxtor. Actually the 8mb cache version was only a little more than the 2mb one, so I went for it

V. Happy with it so far, next to my older 30gb 5200rpm maxtor

[mits]

Well, i agree with the maxtor since i got 3 of them (2 D740 and 1 Dmax40+) but right now i'm also considering buying a WD JB model (with 3 yr warranty), since maxtor have reduced their warranty to only 1 year. Any opinions, advices plz ?



PS. I believe that this is not a place for posts for hot chicks....

[Dr Mordrid]

It's not the length of the warranty, it's if you'll need it or not. My experience is with WD and IBM you likely will and with Maxtor you likely won't.

Dr. Mordrid

[Ray Austin]

Originally posted by mits
PS. I believe that this is not a place for posts for hot chicks....

Well it could be although it would be highly unlikely... normally it's middleaged men arguing about tech and it's shortcomings.... sexuallity rarely surfaces here. "Doesn't mean we still aren't thinking about it"

[KRSESQ]

One dissenting voice here. In the past year I've had 4 Maxtor drives die on me (out of 6 altogether). I was lucky they were all under warranty (3 just barely and the 4th was brand new). The news that Maxtor was shortening its warranty period was very disappointing, as I've used Maxtor almost exclusively for 6 years now with no problems at all until recently. The incidents of the past year have made me a little gunshy.

OTOH I replaced the dead new maxtor with an IBM 60 gig, 7200 RPM ATA100 (can't recall the model number off the top of my head) and its doing very well so far (fingers crossed) and its a remarkably QUIET drive.

I'll probably try Maxtors again eventually, as soon as I'm confident that whatever problems they had have been ironed out.

(Incidently, IBM appears to have recently partnered with Hitachi in the manufacture of IBM-branded hard drives, FWIW.

Kevin

[Sciascia]

I have used WD HD's exclusively for soem years and never had a moments problem, but I am goign to take a chance on either Samsung or IBM in a new PC I am building this week just because of noise. The IBM is more likely to be the choice since it is 7200 and the Sammy is 5400. The slower drive would be quieter, but I need some performance.

How quiet is that IBM?

[Fred H]

My IBM is back to the maker after only a couple of months. It was going crazy and so was I

Me too.
I've got a new (?) warranty replacement of a 60 GB IBM, because the older 40 GB failed after 13 months, which is 1 month over the resellers warranty but, fortunately covered by the IBMs warranty.
I was forced to send the defective drive to Netherlands for repair.
The fact is, that 90 % of people I know have had problems with their IBM HDD.
I also have 2 Max. and 1 WD. WD 15.3 GB is my trusty backup drive, as basis for later burning the files to CD (except my Ghost-backups). The WD is safe as rock. So the Maxtor are, but they are even faster.

Fred H

[Ray Austin]

Originally posted by KRSESQ
(Incidently, IBM appears to have recently partnered with Hitachi in the manufacture of IBM-branded hard drives, FWIW.

Kevin

Actually Hitachi is buying the IBM hard drive business. IBM is moving to more profitable ventures. Within a few years or less, I suspect there will be no more IBM branded drives.

On another note: The seagate barracuda's are a very good Hard drive. Kinda surprised no one has mentioned them yet. I have [2] 80gb and they have performed flawlessly and quiet too.

I think I prefer them just a slightly bit more than the Maxtors.

[Elie]

WD have come a long way, their drives are fast and run pretty cool and quiet, It looks like I will be buying more of the 8MB version, they simply rock.

By the way, the computer store I deal with has two Seagate 120 GB SATA Baracuda drives he is seeling for $245 Canadian each, is that a good deal? They both have 8MB cache

Cheers,
Elie

[KRSESQ]

How quiet is that IBM?

VERY quiet. Drive spinup is much less audible than the distinctive whine of my Maxtors, and you really have to listen for the actuator noises, lest you think the drive isn't working (that might be a plus or a minus. I'm not sure).

The seagate barracuda's are a very good Hard drive. Kinda surprised no one has mentioned them yet. I have [2] 80gb and they have performed flawlessly and quiet too.

I agree. Some of those new Barracudas look very attractive. I've never had any problems with any of the Seagates I've used.

Kevin

[Fred H]

How quiet is that IBM?

VERY quiet.

My first IBM was quit as.... death. It WAS death...
Fred H