Hey unRAIDers, 

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on hard drives being sold New (other) or Manufacturer refurbished on eBay?

This is all that's in the condition description: “Manufacture Recertified with Zero Hours, Made in 2018”

No warranty information stated.

 

The price of one I have my eye on is about $20 cheaper than new in box ones. Not sure if its worth the 'risk' to save a few bucks. Thanks.

Edited September 2, 20187 yr by Joseph

On 9/2/2018 at 11:27 AM, Joseph said:

This is all that's in the condition description: “Manufacture Recertified with Zero Hours, Made in 2018”

No warranty information stated.

  Typically warranties aren't transferable from one user to another, and sometimes manufactures will request a POP (proof of purchase - store/website receipt).  So if the seller appears to be an individual, most likely your warranty is zero.  Refurbished hardware usually has only a one year warranty (if that), reason being: it's used component, but also most users get refurbished units as warranty replacements (and manufactures don't want users 'double-dipping' their warranty periods). As for, "made in 2018," that's when the seller got them, or when they were processed at the factory, so the batch is recent. 

 

My thoughts, "buyer beware."  I recommend looking for new OEM drives (without the retail packaging), with three or five year warranties.  I am a little picky about drives though.

 

I hope that helps.

Another thing also.  Warranties for the drive are not necessarily valid if they are not returned in the same originating country.  IE:  A drive which was purchased (by the reseller) in say China may (or may not) have a valid manufacturer's warranty at all if you attempt to RMA it in the US.

Edited September 5, 20187 yr by Squid

Thanks guys. I think I've asked this before and know the answer already. Those cheap White Label drives... avoid?

Edited September 6, 20187 yr by Joseph

Not my first choice or second choice; I wouldn't make them the bulk of your array.  Like you said before, " Not sure if its worth the 'risk' to save a few bucks." You'd probably be alright with one or two drives, I wouldn't use them for your parity drive - because of the probably of failure likely to be higher as a refurbished drive.  Bit torrent downloads drive - sure; mission-critical storage - avoid.

Thanks. The frustrating thing is, IMHO, enterprise class 4TBs HDDs should well be below $89 in 2018. 

Edited September 6, 20187 yr by Joseph

4 hours ago, Joseph said:

Thanks. The frustrating thing is, IMHO, enterprise class 4TBs HDDs should well be below $89 in 2018. 

You're welcome, fall is around the corner with that is black-Friday and cyber-Monday, perhaps price point will drop then. 

16 hours ago, Jcloud said:

You'd probably be alright with one or two drives, I wouldn't use them for your parity drive

I'd much rather have a parity drive fail than a data drive.

14 minutes ago, jonathanm said:

I'd much rather have a parity drive fail than a data drive.

Makes a lot of sense really. Mentally I was picturing like parity and data drive being white drive, and not liking that possible scenario. For me my torrent destination drive is what I care the least about.

 

EDIT: I asked a co-worker this question as a hypothetical, he too said parity.  Sorry Joseph for the weak info.

Edited September 6, 20187 yr by Jcloud