2TB Elements in for RMA. Do I get a refurbished unit back?

[Stephen010]

My 2TB Elements is in for RMA. It was 2months old when it died.

Will WD send a refirb unit back or a new one. I feel uneasy about storing things on a refurbished hard drive.

[Joe_S]

Normally a reburbed one.

Joe

[Keith]

Normally a refurbed one. If your disk is at the top of the capacity class then you are more likely to get a new disk.

A lot of refurb disks are larger disks with a failed surface, they just decativate the one trouble-making surface/head and bump the drive into the next lower size and voila! Instant refurb.

If you send in a 1TB disk for RMA for example, and last month someone sent in a 1.5TB disk that also failed.

They will deactivate a head/surface on the 1TB drive thereby making it a replacement disk for someone that sends in a 750GB drive for RMA. And you will receive the "faulty/repaired" 1.5TB disk. They deactivated a head/surface and the 1.5TB disk now passes certification at 1TB. And you receive the "repaired" disk.

Industry has been doing this for years and years.

In your case, you'll probably receive a previously failed 3TB disk, perhaps.. They turn off the faulty head(s) and retest at 2TB. Voila! A 3TB disk that certifies just fine at 2TB. This saves time, material, and allows for a fast RMA program to be in place.

These disks, like any other disk, can last a few weeks or live for 10 years!