Western Digital w/ 8MB cache

[Kinki]

I'm looking into buying the Western Digital 80GB Special Edition. But I've been snooping around forums and it seems that the WD Special Edition's failure rate is pretty high! Can someone confirm this? Should I just buy the regular WD drive with no 8mb cache?

 

[pillage2001]

WD SE failure rate is very high?? Can you provide some links to prove it??

 

[Pariah]

I haven't seen anyone report having a failed SE drive.

 

[Rand]

I havent heard of any unusually high failure rates either, compared to the rest of the industry Western Digital's generally had fairly good RMA rates the last 0-3 years, though they had a few years prior to that in which their previously exceptional reliability went straight down the drain.

On a personal level I don't deal with the "JB" series of drives frequently enough to make any comments but the mainstream "BB" series based on the same technology have had very good failure rates, so I'd be somewhat surprised if the situation was reversed with the "JB" line.

 

[Kinki]

well there's just comments made by individuals (reliable? maybe not)... that's why i'm asking here hoping to get a clearer answer.

http://forum.clang2g.co.uk/view.asp?topicID=625&max=0

Dont know about ATA133 drives have not sold any or used any in the shop yet. I advise you stay away from the WD special editions with 8Mb cache we have sold 5 of these and 4 have come back (2x80Gb 3 x 100Gb).

some of the hard members complaining:
http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=434080

 

[Utterman]

Those could be been a few bad ones in a batch. Compared to IBM hard drives, I would say that Western digital has a much lower failure rate.


My WD JB driver has been running for 3 months non stop with no problems at all.

 

[John]

The WD "JB" drive is one of the most, if not the most, popular drive among performance enthusiasts. They seem to be very reliable, and very fast.

 

[Gimic]

I had a "JB" that had the Click of Death as I was installing Windows onto it for the first time. I RMA'd it and got a new one that has been running great for a couple of weeks now.

 

[GT1999]

Just remember, the 75GXPs were fine at first, too.. months later is when all RMA hell broke lose What's funny is to this day if you call up IBM they still will not recognize a problem with the 75GXP line, at least to the techs I've spoken too. Heh.

 

[sharkeeper]

I have a 1200JB that is clicking. It's not the usual WD "click-clack" sound that's real loud, but a rattling noise that sounds like a BB is loose in the drive! :Q It only seems to do this when I use a NLE program. I don't know if I'm going to wait around and have the damn thing take a dump or not. I'm tempted to grab an AMI MR 1600 Enterprise and six 36LP's off the shelf and stuff them in the box! So much for peace and quiet! LOL

Cheers!

 

[Kinki]

man!!! haha u just um... hmm.... u just made me think more!!! damn... should i or should i not!!? lol anyways.

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
I have a 1200JB that is clicking. It's not the usual WD "click-clack" sound that's real loud, but a rattling noise that sounds like a BB is loose in the drive! :Q It only seems to do this when I use a NLE program. I don't know if I'm going to wait around and have the damn thing take a dump or not. I'm tempted to grab an AMI MR 1600 Enterprise and six 36LP's off the shelf and stuff them in the box! So much for peace and quiet! LOL

Cheers!

 

[RGN]

do it. I've got a 120 that has run for 4 months without a hiccup and I won't go back to anyhting less.

 

[Kinki]

i remember that too. i remember ppl asking "what hard drive should i get?" then a few minutes later the post is filled with "get IBM 75GXP! get IBM 75GXP! get IBM 75GXP!" hehe

good thing i wasn't looking for hd then... but now!! will the WB JB walk in the same shoe as 75gxp foot step? awww.... *confused* my head hurts.

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Just remember, the 75GXPs were fine at first, too.. months later is when all RMA hell broke lose What's funny is to this day if you call up IBM they still will not recognize a problem with the 75GXP line, at least to the techs I've spoken too. Heh.

 

[Kinki]

lol... *tempted* *tempted* *tempted*

Originally posted by: RGN
do it. I've got a 120 that has run for 4 months without a hiccup and I won't go back to anyhting less.

 

[Whitney]

I just picked up a brand new Maxtor 7200rpm ATA133 fluid bearing job.

Started making ugly noises as I was installing the OS! Now has developed a slow--like 1 beat per minute chunking sound that is so bad that if you put your hand on the case you can actually feel it vibrating in time to it.

The part that I'm really worried about is that I have a new 80gig WD 8mb arriving tomorrow to replace it. I hope they aren't crapping out!?!?

 

[microAmp]

Originally posted by: Pariah
I haven't seen anyone report having a failed SE drive.

 

[sharkeeper]

As long as it doesn't sound like this I guess it's ok!

Cheers!

 

[bigboxes]

Does anyone have any numbers for the 8mb advantage over 2mb? I was just curious if the data transfer rates are that significant or should I wait for SATA? Anyone?

 

[pillage2001]

Just buy it. There will be no regrets. The drive is FAST and reliable to say the least.

 

[krackato]

I've got an IBM 75GXP inside a firewire case still running strong! Scares the hell out of me, though. I've used to it edit video, and I was getting close to finishing a HUGE project a few weeks ago. Lets just say that I was sweating bullets and praying that it wasn't going to die in the last few hours before I mastered to DVD. Thankfully it came through. But I don't trust that drive at all. I have got to figure out a sensible backup strategy.

 

[littlegohan]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
As long as it doesn't sound like this I guess it's ok!

Cheers!

dont ever post that sh$t again! wtf is that noise anyways?

 

[sharkeeper]

It's an old compressor that powers a lift.

Cheers!

 

[SteelCityFan]

Originally posted by: bigboxes
Does anyone have any numbers for the 8mb advantage over 2mb? I was just curious if the data transfer rates are that significant or should I wait for SATA? Anyone?

Storagereview.com has reviews of the 120GB and 80GB special edition drives.

I have had my 80 since the first week Newegg.com began selling them. No problems.

 

[BD231]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
As long as it doesn't sound like this I guess it's ok!

Cheers!

lol, thats some funny stuff!!

 

[Kinki]

well!!!! i bought the drive!

it's in my hands as we speak. Going to install it with a few minutes.

*crosses* finger and hope it'll last me forever!!!! hehe maybe not forever... but at least 3-4 years!