Recommend me some HDDs

So;i I got tired of my Seagate 3TBs failing repeatedly (another 1 today), and am now on the hunt for some drives to replace my Seagate 3TB Barracudas as they die:

I would like:
Price at around ~£30quid/TB (Personally I think 3-4TB drives are the sweetspot for this)
Reliable - Getting really annoying having to post them back every 2 months!
Reasonably quiet would be good (but not super important)

What drives are people recommending these days? WDs or HGSTs or?

Some relatively recent data here and http://www.hardware.fr/articles/927-8/conclusion.html on HDD returns (the latest installment is due anytime soon). It looks like 3/4TB drives are returned more often than 2TB generally, some Enterprise class models don't have any returns logged.

If you're getting recurring failures, I'd suggest checking the PSU, power cable(s) and their connectors carefully.

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Originally Posted by satrow

If you're getting recurring failures, I'd suggest checking the PSU, power cable(s) and their connectors carefully.

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This.

But apart from that, HGST without a doubt. Only drives which have never given me any kind of grief. That's out of 20-25 specimens, which obviously isn't statistically significant in any way. Still, similar numbers of WDs and Seagates have seen typically 2 or 3 drives die, either immediately or along the way.

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Originally Posted by Agrippa

This.

But apart from that, HGST without a doubt. Only drives which have never given me any kind of grief. That's out of 20-25 specimens, which obviously isn't statistically significant in any way. Still, similar numbers of WDs and Seagates have seen typically 2 or 3 drives die, either immediately or along the way.

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Note the 3.5in HGST drives are now made by Toshiba, so check both names out when buying.

The fact that WD had to offload some 3.5" manufacturing capability and intellectual property to Toshiba in 2012, some 3 years ago, does not mean that all HGST drives are made by Toshiba and will be made by them in perpetuity. That's a misconception held by (too) many, but it's not actually true.

That's not to say that Toshiba may not be producing some HGST-labelled models, but HGST does in indeed manufacture their own hard drives. Ultrastar and Ultrastar He drives for instance, are certainly manufactured by HGST themselves in Thailand. Deskstars I haven't seen in the flesh for a while, but I'd happily put money on them being made by HGST in Thailand too. The remainder (Travelstar, Endurastar and Cinemastar) I neither know anything about, nor care much about.

For what reason?

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Originally Posted by Agrippa

The fact that WD had to offload some 3.5" manufacturing capability and intellectual property to Toshiba in 2012, some 3 years ago, does not mean that all HGST drives are made by Toshiba and will be made by them in perpetuity. That's a misconception held by (too) many, but it's not actually true.

That's not to say that Toshiba may not be producing some HGST-labelled models, but HGST does in indeed manufacture their own hard drives. Ultrastar and Ultrastar He drives for instance, are certainly manufactured by HGST themselves in Thailand. Deskstars I haven't seen in the flesh for a while, but I'd happily put money on them being made by HGST in Thailand too. The remainder (Travelstar, Endurastar and Cinemastar) I neither know anything about, nor care much about.

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I was talking labels rather than who made them as honestly I have no idea just which drives come from which factories, hence I said to look for both.

AIUI Toshiba only made 2.5in drives before the deal, so any 3.5in Toshiba drives are from the old HGST factory and can for now at least be considered HGST drives with a Toshiba label on. I think that is where the DeskStar and CinemaStar range went.

There are indeed still HGST labelled 3.5in drives around, but I think that is mostly enterprise class stuff that they are making now.

I would love to see a nice Venn diagram to explain exactly which bits ended up where, but I am pretty sure the DeskStar range that I expect the OP would be interested in would be a Toshiba labelled drive now.

OTOH, if the Seagates rattled themselves apart from being in a RAID array, then paying a bit more for HGST UltraStar or WD RE (Raid Edition, not a typo of RED) might be a better bet.

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Originally Posted by satrow

Some relatively recent data here and http://www.hardware.fr/articles/927-8/conclusion.html on HDD returns (the latest installment is due anytime soon). It looks like 3/4TB drives are returned more often than 2TB generally, some Enterprise class models don't have any returns logged.

If you're getting recurring failures, I'd suggest checking the PSU, power cable(s) and their connectors carefully.

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Nah it isnt the PSU; the STD3000M001s have a "feature" of horrendous deathrates:

See here: They sampled ~41000 drives.

https://www.backblaze.com/blog/best-hard-drive/

WD Purple?

Also, in what condition where the previous HDDs kept if they are happy to go to the silicon heaven?

Personal experience is key with hard drives as generally they're roughly the same so it's whatever has happened to you that's important, for me I avoid seagate like the plague as I have a 2 drives die on me which is unacceptable to me.

Western digital drives have never broke for me, still got one that is going from when I first built my own PC ha.

What is the hdd for? The WD red I have now in my main machine is great, quiet(as humanly possible with hdd) and still performs solidly. WD blue would be next choice.

I have 2 Hitachi / toshiba 3tb drives in my nas and they perform excellently, it's another company I'm happy to buy drives from (only one Hitachi drive died on me and it was a very old deathstar, forgiven them as of 2007). However these drives are pretty loud, the spindle speed seems rather off so that's why they're in my nas in my loft away from me, if noise was a factor I'd avoid them personally.

I have always had mainly WD and only ever had 1 fail on me.

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

I was talking labels rather than who made them as honestly I have no idea just which drives come from which factories, hence I said to look for both.

AIUI Toshiba only made 2.5in drives before the deal, so any 3.5in Toshiba drives are from the old HGST factory and can for now at least be considered HGST drives with a Toshiba label on. I think that is where the DeskStar and CinemaStar range went.

There are indeed still HGST labelled 3.5in drives around, but I think that is mostly enterprise class stuff that they are making now.

I would love to see a nice Venn diagram to explain exactly which bits ended up where, but I am pretty sure the DeskStar range that I expect the OP would be interested in would be a Toshiba labelled drive now.

OTOH, if the Seagates rattled themselves apart from being in a RAID array, then paying a bit more for HGST UltraStar or WD RE (Raid Edition, not a typo of RED) might be a better bet.

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Conditions wise;

Around 20-25C Ambient; with 2x 120Mm fans in push pull over them
Some were in raid arrays; some werent. Though I wouldnt have said they had exceptionally heavy use - maybe 20Terabytes written (AT most, likely 6-8) before they died. - Which is an exceptionally short lifespan for a 3tb Drive (tho I am aware TBW has little effect on HDDs)

At the moment the HGSTs look tempting. - Possibly will go with 4tb drives.

EDIT: Had another one fail today and as they are out of warranty I took them apart; both the dead drives showed heavy scratching on the top and bottom platters.

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Originally Posted by Marcvs

Conditions wise;

Around 20-25C Ambient; with 2x 120Mm fans in push pull over them
Some were in raid arrays; some werent. Though I wouldnt have said they had exceptionally heavy use - maybe 20Terabytes written (AT most, likely 6-8) before they died. - Which is an exceptionally short lifespan for a 3tb Drive (tho I am aware TBW has little effect on HDDs)

At the moment the HGSTs look tempting. - Possibly will go with 4tb drives.

EDIT: Had another one fail today and as they are out of warranty I took them apart; both the dead drives showed heavy scratching on the top and bottom platters.

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That is quite cold for hard drives, but should be OK. They don't like vibration though, just shouting at one can cause read errors and slow them down. The vibration of nearby drives can shake a drive apart, so raid/enterprise rated drives have uprated bearings to cope better.

Out of interest, did you buy the Seagate drives all at the same time from the same place such that they all would have been made in the same batch? The truly paranoid buy from multiple sources.

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

... The truly paranoid buy from multiple sources.

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How do you know where I buy? Is it you that's been rummaging through my bins at night? Or you that's .... oh wait, you didn't mean me, did you?

Or, or .... did you?

DID YOU...??

It's you, isn't it?

You're the one hiding my medication, too, I bet.

I'm going to lay down now. After I've checked for hidden cameras.


PS. Yes, I do tend to buy from different sources. ;)

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

That is quite cold for hard drives, but should be OK. They don't like vibration though, just shouting at one can cause read errors and slow them down. The vibration of nearby drives can shake a drive apart, so raid/enterprise rated drives have uprated bearings to cope better.

Out of interest, did you buy the Seagate drives all at the same time from the same place such that they all would have been made in the same batch? The truly paranoid buy from multiple sources.

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Over a period of 1-1.5 years from 6 different retailers.. (Scan, OCUK, Aria, Amazon, Novatech and NewEgg)

They have different batch numbers and firmware for the most part.

The one that failed today; has resized itself down to 4gb and threw ~250k read erors in 5mins :).

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Originally Posted by Marcvs

Over a period of 1-1.5 years from 6 different retailers.. (Scan, OCUK, Aria, Amazon, Novatech and NewEgg)

They have different batch numbers and firmware for the most part.

The one that failed today; has resized itself down to 4gb and threw ~250k read erors in 5mins :).

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Ow, that's pretty bad. I admit I have a personal dislike for Seagate but it comes from a string of failures a couple of decades ago so I try and give them some benefit of the doubt. I do have a few Seagates in the house, but they are 5 years old ones thrown out from work after being used in test raid arrays, so enterprise drives and whilst infernally noisy seem fairly robust (and at 5 years old I don't put any data I care about on them).

As you have taken the drive apart though, have you noticed how powerful the magnets are for the head servo? Fun things if you strip them out of the drive, but treat them with some care :D

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Originally Posted by Saracen

How do you know where I buy? Is it you that's been rummaging through my bins at night? Or you that's .... oh wait, you didn't mean me, did you?

Or, or .... did you?

DID YOU...??

It's you, isn't it?

You're the one hiding my medication, too, I bet.

I'm going to lay down now. After I've checked for hidden cameras.


PS. Yes, I do tend to buy from different sources. ;)

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You will never find all the cameras. Is that a good book you are reading there? ;)

Last time I looked into it the best were Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.

Of course though, pipped to the post on Hexus. Nice one Hexites (Hexusites? Hexuses? :))

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

You will never find all the cameras. Is that a good book you are reading there? ;)

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Not bad. Michael Connelly. I'll leave it in a plastic bag to the left of the bins, for your next bin-dive.

Gotta say I'm disappointed in your hiding place for my meds. Underneath my favourite tinfoil hat? Terribly uninspired, there, dude. :D

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Originally Posted by Saracen

Not bad. Michael Connelly. I'll leave it in a plastic bag to the left of the bins, for your next bin-dive.

Gotta say I'm disappointed in your hiding place for my meds. Underneath my favourite tinfoil hat? Terribly uninspired, there, dude. :D

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Ah, but were those your real meds?

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

Ow, that's pretty bad. I admit I have a personal dislike for Seagate but it comes from a string of failures a couple of decades ago so I try and give them some benefit of the doubt. I do have a few Seagates in the house, but they are 5 years old ones thrown out from work after being used in test raid arrays, so enterprise drives and whilst infernally noisy seem fairly robust (and at 5 years old I don't put any data I care about on them).

As you have taken the drive apart though, have you noticed how powerful the magnets are for the head servo? Fun things if you strip them out of the drive, but treat them with some care :D

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They were decent but not as good as the old HDDs I had. Even the platters felt distinctly "bendy"

I ended up with going for 2x4TB HGSTs - Will test them and see how they fare - Though I doubt they can do worse than the seagates (which I have literally 0 faith in at this point)

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

Ah, but were those your real meds?

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Well, as I wasn't sure, I fed them to the yappy little mutt my neighours call a pet, and got some fresh from my secret (locked) storage. Said mutt hasn't tried to fly yet, so I think they were okay. Better safe than sorry, though. ;)

This topic ended up in a strange direction...

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Originally Posted by Marcvs

I ended up with going for 2x4TB HGSTs - Will test them and see how they fare - Though I doubt they can do worse than the seagates (which I have literally 0 faith in at this point)

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Hope it works out well, that is probably where I would have put my money. Did you go DeskStar or the whole UltraStar hog?

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Originally Posted by Marcvs

This topic ended up in a strange direction...

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lol, well I guess that means the HDD advice was sort of done :)

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Originally Posted by DanceswithUnix

Hope it works out well, that is probably where I would have put my money. Did you go DeskStar or the whole UltraStar hog?



lol, well I guess that means the HDD advice was sort of done :)

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Deskstar NAS version;

The ultrastars were goign closer to £45/TB which with raid for redundancy is a bit meh

I've never had a Hitachi / HGST or WD fail me ever so far, only seagates. I tend to find Hitachi drives to run cooler and quieter too

Had both Hitachi and Seagate drives going to heaven. Silicon heaven that is.

No desktop WD drives but loads of 2.5" WD drives.

I seen little difference in temps for same speed drives kept in same environment.