Subman
<< Picard
I have 2 IBM 75GXP 30g drives - one died in 5 days and the second one died 2 days back. I bought these drives exactly one month back. These drives are connected to a Promise ATA66 controller. I also have 2 Seagate 17g drives in the same computer connected for over a year to my ASUS P3BF's ATA33 controller abd they are still working perfectly. I have a 350w SMPS and Motherboard Monitor shows its voltages as quite accurate and steady.
In my 20 years of computing I have never before had a Drive fail on me - and now 2 drives in one month. IBM - never again. >>
Not really sure why you addressed me in your post, but I'll respond anyway. Only two drives in 20 years is quite a record. I've seen dozens of drives fail. Of course, I work in IT, so I'm likely to see more. Most of the drives I have seen fail are seagates and western digital, followed by fugitsu and hitachi. Have yet to see an IBM drive fail. Personally, I've had one drive fail on me six years ago, a Conner drive, but that was due to a faulty power connector on the Power supply - not the drive's fault.
You mentioned that the two drives that failed were connected to a Promise ATA66 controller. Did you change the drive's modes to ata66? Seems to me there were issues with the Promise Ultra66, can't recall what they were. Did you keep the drivers and firmware up to date?
Those seagate drives are not ATA100 are they?
I have two IBM Deskstar 5 HDs, one at 2.1 GB and one at 3.2 GB, that have been in use since 1996. I also have two IBM 6.4GB drives in use since 97. I also have 1 IBM 14GXP(7200RPM) in use since they came out(Spring 1998, I think). Also, two Western Digital Expert 18GB(7200RPM, and made by IBM) that have been used on various controllers(always set to the same mode as the controller)that I sold to a workmate are still in use after just over two years. Lastly, I have 2 IBM 75GXP drives on a Promise Fasttrack66 for just over a year(drive mode changed to ATA66, most recent firmaware and drivers) with never a hiccup. A western digital 850 MB drive I used to have years ago, but gave to my brother, died a couple years after I gave it to him.
To everybody else, pay attention. You will notice that no one will post a link to any official and reliable information on the alledged issue with IBM 75GXP drives. they will merely relate what they believe their experience to be - and in that you will notice only minimal details - and they will pass along second hand stories. I urge you to challenge them. You will find that most, or rather, all, have done very little, or rather, nothing at all, to confirm, or derive, the cause of the drive failure. They all assume that because the drive crashed, the drive is defective. In fact, in many cases, the drive has not failed at all, it is just corrupted, and a wipe would restore it. Also, note that some will say they had the same model fail over and over, and fail to even comprehend any possibility that there is something wrong with their configuration that's causing the problem, and until they acknowledge that, and change it appropriately, the drive will continue to crash. Also, you will note that none of them will have any credentials relating to IT. They are generally users that have in the recent past learned to put together a pc, but don't really know how to troubleshoot, or have any experience to aid in the process of trouble shooting. Lastly, you will note that they will not listen to anything you have to say.