Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 16:39:14 +0100 (MET) From: grog@lemis.de To: aat81@dial.pipex.com (Simon Reading) Cc: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.org (FreeBSD hardware Users) Subject: Re: Support when getting DDS drives repaired Message-ID: <199701081539.QAA04077@freebie.lemis.de> In-Reply-To: <3.0.32.19970108135447.006976cc@pop.dial.pipex.com> from Simon Reading at "Jan 8, 97 02:05:02 pm"
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Simon Reading writes: > In comp.sys.hp.hardware "Stephen Whitlock" <swhitloc@easyway.net> wrote: >> My experience with Hewlett Packard and the C1553A has been >> less than satisfactory. My company had a C1553A for >> backing up its main server. It stopped working after about >> 13 months. The problem seemed to be attributable to the >> heads. The backup loads were not unreasonable (never >> exceeding 3.5 hours a night, 5 days a week). But it >> completely failed and left us without a backup. >> >> The biggest problem came with trying to get the failed >> drive serviced. I spent at least 12 hours over several >> days on the phone with HP trying to find some way to get it >> fixed, replaced, serviced, etc. Finally, they informed me >> of the Express Exhange program which is where they ship you >> a refurbished drive. Then you send in your broken one. I >> was given a ship date from them of 3-5 days (as opposed to >> the advertised 24 hours). After three weeks, I called >> again, and they said it was back ordered for at least >> another 7 days. After a month from the original order >> date, they said that no refurbished drives would ship >> before a month. (This is in addition to the month I had >> already waited!) > > Greg > > When you have had your drives repaired, did you have to send them back to > the manufacturer (HP or EXABYTE) or did you return the drive to your dealer > and he fixed it (replaced the heads etc)? I went to a place on Stevens Creek in Santa Clara, called Digital Repair Technology. Really a rather primitive looking joint. > If you returned your drive to the manufacturer, what was their support like? > > Is getting the heads repaired on a DDS drive expensive? Yes. The 35480A cost $250, the Exabyte $300. > PS. That exabyte drive that was giving you problems, did you ever get it to > work with freebsd? The problem wasn't with FreeBSD. It worked fine until it failed. I gave the tape to a friend of mine, and just today he said he had trouble with it on a different machine, so there's a possibility that it was the tapes (I tried several) and not the drive. The jury's still out on this one, but I'll keep you posted. Greg
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