Can I sue Maxtor / Seagate?

***June.H*** · 04-27-2007, 03:10 AM

...either that or I'd like to kick the living snot out of whoever works there.

So here's a little story.

Back in October, my Maxtor 200GB was being super flaky, where it would randomly corrupt itself, and progressively get worse (as in, I'd format it, and put files on it, then those would get corrupt more frequently). Low level formatting, and everything I tried didn't work, and no utilities I had detected anything wrong with the drive.

Finally, Maxtor agreed that they'd take the drive back and take a look at it.

I shipped the drive out in November.

Since then, I checked out my RMA # online, and I kept getting an "error, please try again later" message. Late December, I finally asked them where the hell was my HDD? They had no idea, and I gave them my RMA, and I never received a response ever again.

February came around, and I messaged them again, and finally they told me that my RMA may have been lost due to the Seagate acquisition. OK, so where's my HDD? They asked for the UPS tracking number, which I provided, and then they never responded to me again.

3 weeks ago, I called them up, completely fed up (in a calm manner though), and explained the entire situation, and that my problem never got resolved, 6 months later, and I'm still without a 200GB. So they said they'd find my HDD and work on it.

So I got it two days ago, I pop it in, and it's DOA. I plug it in different power cables, nothing happens. Different IDE slots, no dice. BIOS doesn't detect it (which wasn't a problem before).

Tomorrow, I'm ready to call them up and rip them a new one, but of course I'm not really in the position to...or am I? They said it's within warranty, but I'm sick of this bullcrap.

Anyone have any suggestions what I can do, and I thought Maxtor cleaned up their act, was I just misinformed?

**dieKatze88** · 04-27-2007, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baka of the Orochi

...either that or I'd like to kick the living snot out of whoever works there.

So here's a little story.

Back in October, my Maxtor 200GB was being super flaky, where it would randomly corrupt itself, and progressively get worse (as in, I'd format it, and put files on it, then those would get corrupt more frequently). Low level formatting, and everything I tried didn't work, and no utilities I had detected anything wrong with the drive.

Finally, Maxtor agreed that they'd take the drive back and take a look at it.

I shipped the drive out in November.

Since then, I checked out my RMA # online, and I kept getting an "error, please try again later" message. Late December, I finally asked them where the hell was my HDD? They had no idea, and I gave them my RMA, and I never received a response ever again.

February came around, and I messaged them again, and finally they told me that my RMA may have been lost due to the Seagate acquisition. OK, so where's my HDD? They asked for the UPS tracking number, which I provided, and then they never responded to me again.

3 weeks ago, I called them up, completely fed up (in a calm manner though), and explained the entire situation, and that my problem never got resolved, 6 months later, and I'm still without a 200GB. So they said they'd find my HDD and work on it.

So I got it two days ago, I pop it in, and it's DOA. I plug it in different power cables, nothing happens. Different IDE slots, no dice. BIOS doesn't detect it (which wasn't a problem before).

Tomorrow, I'm ready to call them up and rip them a new one, but of course I'm not really in the position to...or am I? They said it's within warranty, but I'm sick of this bullcrap.

Anyone have any suggestions what I can do, and I thought Maxtor cleaned up their act, was I just misinformed?

Unfortunately, it sounds like theres nothing you can do, because Maxtor/Segate was going through "Were merging" teething problems.

HOWEVER

I think you demanding a brand new hard disk at this point is not without reason, and you could probably get away with it.

Geschpooklichkeit · 04-27-2007, 10:23 AM

While you're at it, ship them a brand-new Western Digital drive in the box you got.

*phuzion* · 04-27-2007, 02:56 PM

You don't have a case for a lawsuit, but you can probably talk to a supervisor, ask to talk to his supervisor, etc, then rip that person a new one (of course, calmly) and chances are you may end up getting a brand new 500GB drive or something like that.

Oh, and if you want to get real serious, mail them a letter. As in, print it out, put it in an envelope, use the USPS (United States Postal Service, for those of you who don't know what that is anymore) to send the letter to them. Companies act REAL quick when you start sending letters for one reason or another. Maybe because they don't want the next one to be from you and your lawyer, headed straight to their legal department.

**cstarflare** · 04-27-2007, 03:16 PM

It's probably because the ones who take the time to write a letter, find their address, spend money on postage, etc. are usually a hell of a lot more serious than people who take 5 minutes to throw out a short email.

**dieKatze88** · 04-27-2007, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excel-2007

While you're at it, ship them a brand-new Western Digital drive in the box you got.

No no, what you do is you ship them their drive in the brand new Western digital box you got.

If you need a Western Digital Box, I have several.

noisy doll☆ · 04-28-2007, 09:04 AM

There are *so* many people that I know who have had horrible problems with Maxtor and Seagate drives; isn't there anything we can do, like a class-action lawsuit or something? I doubt the packaging tells the customer "watch out, because anything you put on here is likely to be corrupted soon enough"

**dieKatze88** · 04-28-2007, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisy doll☆

There are *so* many people that I know who have had horrible problems with Maxtor and Seagate drives; isn't there anything we can do, like a class-action lawsuit or something? I doubt the packaging tells the customer "watch out, because anything you put on here is likely to be corrupted soon enough"

Except for me. I don't have problems with Seagate product. Maxtor Ive got a few dead ones, but a good number of live ones to counterbalance it.

The last class action lawsuit against a hard disk manufacturer to my knowledge was the IBM DeathStar (tm) where the hard disks were actually defective.

Now, the thing people need to realize, is that hard disks are very precise devices to within 1/1000th of an inch, that move really fast, have parts in extreme proximity to each other, and generate alot of heat, therefore, given enough time:
All hard disks have a 100% failure rate.

It could be tomorrow, it could be 30 years from tomorrow, but all hard disks will eventually fail. Fact of life.

Use S.M.A.R.T To predict failures, And backup everything you need on Tape or DVD. DVD + R for perminant Data backup, DVD - R for movies.

Geschpooklichkeit · 04-28-2007, 03:16 PM

I do it the other way around: DVD-R for data and +R for movies.

I think the bigger message is that everything has a 100% failure rate.

By the way, use HD Tune or SpeedFan to check the S.M.A.R.T. status of your drives. If you use Vista (heaven forbid) and HD Tune, be sure to right click on the icon to run as administrator or the thing will crash.

***June.H*** · 05-01-2007, 10:18 AM

I've been reading it's more effective as +R for archiving and -R for movies unless the +R dyes suck.

So I called Maxtor/Seagate, they connected me to yet another idiot who doesn't speak English, and they said that they have a policy that doesn't allow them to send a new drive. Instead, they'll send me another refurbed drive. I asked, then what's preventing them from sending me yet ANOTHER dead drive? He answered "well all our refurbished drives go through stringent tests of the highest Maxtor standards, and we guarantee all our drives to be working 100%." Of course I had to reply "OK, so then how can you explain this refurbished drive in my hands that you guys sent me that's dead?" The poor guy took a good 10 seconds to reply "...oh...well...um, I'm sorry to hear that."

Those saps over there said that line about 10 times, and wouldn't let me speak to a supervisor either. The moron kept putting me on hold too and mumbled stuff.

Here's hoping they send me a drive that works and isn't Maxtor. I'm sick of dealing with this crap.

**dieKatze88** · 05-01-2007, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baka of the Orochi

I've been reading it's more effective as +R for archiving and -R for movies unless the +R dyes suck.

So I called Maxtor/Seagate, they connected me to yet another idiot who doesn't speak English, and they said that they have a policy that doesn't allow them to send a new drive. Instead, they'll send me another refurbed drive. I asked, then what's preventing them from sending me yet ANOTHER dead drive? He answered "well all our refurbished drives go through stringent tests of the highest Maxtor standards, and we guarantee all our drives to be working 100%." Of course I had to reply "OK, so then how can you explain this refurbished drive in my hands that you guys sent me that's dead?" The poor guy took a good 10 seconds to reply "...oh...well...um, I'm sorry to hear that."

Those saps over there said that line about 10 times, and wouldn't let me speak to a supervisor either. The moron kept putting me on hold too and mumbled stuff.

Here's hoping they send me a drive that works and isn't Maxtor. I'm sick of dealing with this crap.

They cant tell you they "cant speak to their manager" Tell them that you don't want to speak to their manager. Tell them you demand to speak to their manager. If they refuse/hang up, call them back. send them emails. Do whatever it takes, but get a manager or upper management person on the line.

Call from different phone numbers, write down every name you speak with, because if they disrespect you (hang up/insult your intelligence/etc), when you DO get your hands on a manager, you can give them a list of people that you have a grudge against, and if its longer than 3, thats huge leverage. Remember, You don't have time to cock around. You are the customer, you are right, and you want what you paid for. Get to it!

Geschpooklichkeit · 05-01-2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baka of the Orochi

I've been reading it's more effective as +R for archiving and -R for movies unless the +R dyes suck.

I don't know of any reliable brands for +R media that are sold around here so it's either -R only or $30 for 25-packs.

*phuzion* · 05-01-2007, 10:01 PM

Get Taiyo Yuden -R DVDs, and you ought to be set.

***June.H*** · 05-02-2007, 02:34 PM

Hrm? Every site I know seems to say Taiyo Yuden +R's are top-notch. Didn't know they did -R's too.

Go for Fujifilm discs that are made in Japan (I don't find 'em often, but those are Taiyo Yuden usually), which you can check on the wrapper near the UPC code. Most places usually sell discs made in Taiwan though.

DeusExMachina · 05-03-2007, 04:38 AM

mmm I don't know. I personally don't think there is a significant difference for DATA in using - or +. Once the data has been written and verified its set in stone for at least 50 years.

For PS2 games I use - R because the ps2 has trouble reading + rs occasionally.