Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!iuvax!purdue!decwrl!shelby!polya!rokicki From: rokicki@polya.Stanford.EDU (Tomas G. Rokicki) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Seagate. Message-ID: <10403@polya.Stanford.EDU> Date: 4 Jul 89 22:31:34 GMT References: <8907020047.AA15716@lilac.berkeley.edu> <3671@ddsw1.MCS.COM> Sender: Tomas G. Rokicki Organization: Stanford University Lines: 31 In article <3671@ddsw1.MCS.COM>, karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes: > We've been using and selling Seagate drives for over three years. Here's > our experiences with them: > ST225 - Junk. But then again, what do you want for $200 or so? If you > ST251/251N/277R - SOME models have problems. Older drives will get > ST4038/4051 - Garbage. These were unreliable, often exhibiting > ST4096/ST4144R - A good unit. We've had no undue problems with these. Fine, but then, he describes the machines within reach: > 3 ST251 - One running RLL which it's not rated for, but > nonetheless works flawlessly! > 1 ST4096 - Again, running RLL (and not rated for it) > 1 ST4144R - RLL as well, and rated for it Boy, howdy, you just shot your credibility in my eyes to nothing with that. Anyone who runs things out of spec---non-RLL drives RLL, 10MHz parts at 15MHz, etc., is just asking for trouble. And I will never go to such a person for advice. I will never buy a Seagate drive. I have seen many fail. I know for a fact my data is worth more than a cheap drive. I paid $1000 for a CDC Wren and $750 for a Quantum 80S---both excellent drives, neither of which I have heard of or had any problems with. Other people, more financially strapped than I, may take their chances. But talk to someone who does not run things out of spec. Talk to someone who respects engineering, who understands why things are spec'ed at all. (On the other hand, doesn't Seagate own CDC now?) -tom