Windows 7 - Western Digital Cuts Hard Drive Warranties – Seagate Follows Suit

Brink · 12-18-2011

Quote:

Western Digital and Seagate are leaders in mechanical hard drives to be sure, but I think we can all agree this time they are leading the industry in a very negative direction. Back in 2008 Seagate lowered the standard HDD warranty from 5 years to 3, and as expected, just about everyone followed suit shortly after. Now they are dropping the coverage period on some products to as little as one year depending on the model.

Here is what we’ve hammered down so far:

Read more at:
Maximum PC | Western Digital Cuts Hard Drive Warranties

Lebon14 · 12-18-2011

That's sad knowing that hard drives can be quite unpredictable.

PwnFrnzy · 12-18-2011

Well this is horrible, seems these industries can care less about their consumer base these days.

oneextraid · 12-18-2011

Make them cheaper, die sooner, sell more and make more money. American automobile industry business model.

Phone Man · 12-18-2011

Its only on some models. WD will still have 5 yr on the Black and enterprise models. Seagate will also still have 5 yr on some models. I have not seen any direct information from WD or Seagate as to the exact changes but need to check their sites and see what can be found. I did read some were that Seagate would have a different warranty period for "retail drives" and "bulk drives" like they and WD had years ago. The retail drives are the ones in the fancy box and you usually find in a retail shop. The bulk drive are the ones is a plain box and found online and usually cheaper. Will have to see after Jan 1 and see how this shakes out. As a consumer we will really have to watch what we buy and from whom. Here is a link to WD current policy. Will have to check after Jan 1 and see what changes.

WD Support / Warranty Services / End User / Worldwide Warranty Policy and Limitations

Jim

MilesAhead · 12-18-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by oneextraid

Make them cheaper, die sooner, sell more and make more money. American automobile industry business model.

For some reason this quote popped into my head:

"Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse"

seekermeister · 12-18-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by Phone Man

Its only on some models. WD will still have 5 yr on the Black and enterprise models. Seagate will also still have 5 yr on some models. I have not seen any direct information from WD or Seagate as to the exact changes but need to check their sites and see what can be found. I did read some were that Seagate would have a different warranty period for "retail drives" and "bulk drives" like they and WD had years ago. The retail drives are the ones in the fancy box and you usually find in a retail shop. The bulk drive are the ones is a plain box and found online and usually cheaper. Will have to see after Jan 1 and see how this shakes out. As a consumer we will really have to watch what we buy and from whom. Here is a link to WD current policy. Will have to check after Jan 1 and see what changes.

WD Support / Warranty Services / End User / Worldwide Warranty Policy and Limitations

Jim

I wonder if that warranty data is the most current, because it conflicts with the info in the Maximum PC article on the length of the Caviar Blacks? It is times of shortages that changes like this seem to occur. I wonder if it will remain the same when the supply returns to normal?

EDIT: I think that you may be right about needing to check back after the first of the year, because I had missed the part about the delayed changes. But I didn't see anything on their warranty page that seemed to specifically say that Black and Enterprise drives would remain as they have been.

Sammy888 · 12-18-2011

Realistically, most people do not typically use their HD more than 3 years. Most of the time, they upgrade to a larger HD. Perhaps this change in warranty is more in line with the direction of SSD hard drives where most people are now heading towards.

mjf · 12-18-2011

At least drives purchased prior to 2012 seem subject to the warranty terms at the date purchased.
The build quality must be such that the manufacturers feel their drives may normally fail after 12 months! WD appear to be acquiring Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. Does that leave Samsung?

SledgeDG · 12-18-2011

my latest WD died just 20 days out of warranty!!!!
I'm not wasting any more money on them that's for sure

-DG