OT Both my HDD's going bad at same time.

[Steven Vollom]

> Can you open the box and install another drive with any confidence?  I have
> 2 or 3 drives that are long in the tooth, in the 160 to 200GB size range. 
> They still worked when I pulled them for bigger drives.  Contact me off
> list.
If by that you mean do I have the ability to install a hard drive, Yes.  But I 
purchased a Maxtor OneTouch III  1TB exterior drive.  It did not work out of 
the box and Maxtor would not help, because I did not have their approved 
systems, XP, Vista, or Mac.  The drive had the 800, 400, USB2 connectors.  It 
just would not work.  After about 6 months of trying to get help, I just got 
rid of it.  It was pretty but useless and they would not help me because I use 
Linux Kubuntu, I think Feisty at the time.

I really believe I am excellent at installation, because I follow instructions 
and am meticulously careful when I work.  I have installed many cards and 
drives and CD and DVDroms and rw's.  I have changed memory, replaced a 
motherboard, installed power supplies.  I am not a technician, but only the 
installation of the Maxtor OneTouch and my current problem with an ASUS 
motherboard have I ever had a problem.  I have fixed and installed many such 
items for people in the church too.  I have never had a problem where I felt I 
had any responsibility.  I believe both items that were a problem had defects.  

I just can't afford to make any more mistakes.  If my HDD's are both going bad, 
I will have to spend much needed money, because my computer is a high priority 
in my life.  Without it I would go nuts.  I know I am a big burden to you 
guys, but I just can't help it.  I would give anything to be less of a 
problem.

I can not afford another Maxtor mistake.  What I purchase has to work.  Writing 
off that big a loss at this time is unthinkable, nonetheless, I still need to 
replace what I have.  My larger drive had a long list of Old age and early 
failure warnings, but also tested as PASSED for now.  The smaller drive had 
many more old age and early failure warnings, about 3 pages.  There is a hum 
that could be a fan motor going bad, but I think it is a hard drive, about to 
die.  It seems to speed up and slow down rather than maintain a consistent hum 
sound. I don't have space for backup, so if I lose a drive, I lose the data.  
I can live with that, but would prefer not to.

Where are you?  I am in Dayton, Ohio.  I will pay you what you think they are 
worth and also shipping.  I only need to survive a little longer until my new 
computer is working.  I don't understand ASUS.  They have made probably 20 or 
30 time and service promises over the past 3 months and have never kept even 
one.  When I RMA'd the motherboard, they said it would be returned in 9 or 
less days.  I confirmed their receipt of the board and have been waiting 11 
days if you count from when they received it and 15 days from the day I 
shipped it.  I am about to believe this is another Maxtor situation, and am 
looking for another board that will suite my needs.  I don't seem to be very 
lucky lately, other than the List.  It is the best thing that has happened to 
me in years.  Whatever you suggest I will do; I trust you implicitly.

Steven