I have a ST2000DX001 (2TB Seagate SSHD) that has been causing me occasional issues in an Thunderbolt enclosure.

 

It would lock up my MacBook Pro and occasionally cause transfer errors.

 

I've replaced it with a 4TB SSHD (5 year warranty for less than a WD Black/Red Pro!) and put it into my UnRAID box for some stress testing.

 

First preclear ended with the drive not responding (but SMART errors didn't change).

 

Reset the drive, prevented the pre-read and then did 3 full cycles with no errors.

 

I've now set it off on another 3 cycles with the pre-read.

 

 

So my question is - the warranty is up in November, do I keep the drive or RMA it given it will probably do six full preclear cycles without an issue?

 

I'm thinking now the enclosure I had it in was causing it to have a few issues (maybe lack of power?)

 

Thoughts - RMA to be safe or stress tests prove it is OK?

The problem I think is that it's a "SSHD" <-- I presume it's a hybrid.

Your problem might very well be the solid state part that is playing up and not the moving part.

 

I don't think Pre-Clear would be testing the solid state part that extensively as sooner or later the chip probably realises it's a full disk write and not use the cache any more.

So you might still have a problem with that.

 

I personally would RMA if the seller agrees.

Run Seagate's diagnostics.  The results of a 3rd party stress test mean nothing to them.  They're not going to replace it unless it fails the official Seagate diagnostics.  If it passes, you're stuck.  If it fails, RMA it.  It'd be silly not to replace a failing drive that's under warranty.

Never seen Seagate (or WD for that matter) refuse an RMA regardless of pass/fail on SeaTools, unless you've been flagged by them for some reason or another.

 

 

Never seen Seagate (or WD for that matter) refuse an RMA regardless of pass/fail on SeaTools, unless you've been flagged by them for some reason or another.

I agree.  I've returned disks with a single relocated sector before.  It passes the manufacturer tests just fine. 

Seems they've sent me back a "new" disk!

 

I'll have it early next week!