[ale] Refurbished HDDs

Tue Feb 3 15:23:10 EST 2026

I must mention that it is absolutely critical to make backups, disconnect
them (tape or disk) from any computer and store them offsite.  This could
be a bank safe deposit box or a trusted employee's house.

I know a company that stored their RAID array in an air conditioned
closet figuring that RAID would save them.  NOT!  The air conditioner
broke one weekend in Georgia and all disks got destroyed from the heat.

Another company pushed backups between company locations but the disks
remained connected to their computers that were connected to the Internet.
I warned them that a hacker could securely erase all backups and primary
disks.

Turn off and cover computers if you're going to do drywall work in the
computer room.  Duh.  I will say that the Linux firewall I build them
kept running with a dead disk for the weeks it took me to acquire and
configure a new firewall and fly it to TN to install it.

Bob

On Tue, Feb 03, 2026 at 08:37:03AM -0500, Boris Borisov via Ale wrote:
> Wow now we have AI overview in gmail.
> 
> Alex asked the list for online recommendations for purchasing refurbished
> HDDs, specifically over 10 TB, for a NAS.
> William suggested a link for new HDDs, while Bob recommended new Western
> Digital Caviar drives and using RAID6 for redundancy.
> Alex clarified they are seeking manufacturer refurbished drives due to
> budget constraints, despite having existing redundancy.
> DJPfulio--- shared positive long-term experience with WD Black drives but
> stressed the importance of backups over RAID.
> 
> On Tue, Feb 3, 2026, 08:33 Chuck Payne via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:
> 
> > Alex,
> >
> > When Jim offers hardware, he offers it. I recived a lot from him. Still
> > grateful for the haul. I just saying.
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 7:58???AM Jim Kinney via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Manufacturers don't refurbish hard drives. It doesn't happen. Third
> >> parties "refurbish" by wiping and resetting drive firmware. Manufacture
> >> warranties are void.
> >>
> >> I was not clear in my offer. I'm not asking for money. I just want this
> >> hardware hauled away by someone who wants it. I lack time and interest to
> >> be involved. So, Alex, if you want this stuff, let me know. Once Alex
> >> decides, I'll toss the rest on the group for another rehoming event. I want
> >> to unload the entire space formerly used as my test gear server closet. I
> >> have several thousand systems at work to wrestle with and I no longer
> >> experiment at home with new technologies. At the end of the day, I make
> >> tiny, wearable sculptures from silver and occasionally gold or platinum,
> >> semi and precious stones, and fused glass. I'm done making invisible things
> >> that 99.9% of humans don't understand.
> >>
> >> --
> >> James P. Kinney III
> >>
> >> Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you
> >> gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own
> >> tail. It won't fatten the dog.
> >> - Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain
> >>
> >>
> >> *http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
> >> <http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/>*
> >>
> >> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026, 11:54???PM Alex Carver via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I'm no stranger to drive failures but I'm also not exactly flush with
> >>> cash enough to buy a dozen drives at over $300 each. Recall I wasn't
> >>> asking about used drives, I asked about manufacturer refurbished which
> >>> is a bit different.
> >>>
> >>> This is going in a NAS already, redundancy is part of the process but
> >>> there's other backups, too.
> >>>
> >>> On 2026-02-02 10:20, Bob Toxen wrote:
> >>> > It's been my experience that high quality disks, such as the Western
> >>> > Digital Caviar series, will last 5 years and should be replaced at
> >>> > that time!!!  I find most other brands to be suboptimal, e.g., expect
> >>> > a head crash and catastrophic loss of all data.  The Caviar Black disks
> >>> > spin at 7200 RPM and carry a 5 year warranty!
> >>> >
> >>> > I've had poor luck with Seagate.  YMMV.
> >>> >
> >>> > I realize that a RAID array is redundant but is it worth being cheap to
> >>> > hopefully replace every failed disk before another one also fails?
> >>> >
> >>> > Understand that the MTBF is less than that for one disk increased by
> >>> > being able to continue until two disks fail.  This is because, assuming
> >>> > all disks of the same type and time in service are more likely to fail
> >>> > around the same time, same as incandescent light bulbs.
> >>> >
> >>> > I suggest, if you use refurbished disks, pick a RAID mode, such as
> >>> RAID6,
> >>> > with double redundancy due to two different parities that can withstand
> >>> > two disk failures in the array.
> >>> >
> >>> > Wikipedia's "RAID" entry is excellent.
> >>> >
> >>> > If the cost isn't out of your pocket buy new WD Black!
> >>> >
> >>> > Bob
> >>> >
> >>> > [Bob's political comment suppressed by Bob]
> >>> >
> >>> > On Sat, Jan 31, 2026 at 06:25:39PM -0800, Alex Carver via Ale wrote:
> >>> >> Anyone have recommendations for an online place to buy refurbished
> >>> HDDs (not
> >>> >> SSDs)? I want to add a few more drives to the NAS.
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>
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> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Terror PUP a.k.a
> > Chuck "PUP" Payne
> > -----------------------------------------
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