IBM Deskstar 60GXP 40 GB ATA-100 Hard Drive

Pros: 2 MByte cache, 2 Platters , 7200 RPM , ATA/100
Cons: ATA/100 could be ATA/133, cache could be 8 Mb

This is the second hard disk I have been using in my office. This is a 40 Giga Byte capacity hard disk from IBM. IBM Storage Technology has , since then , merged with Hitachi Storage to become Hitachi Global Storage Technologies. The product still forms...

Pros: Low cost drive for the average user.
Cons: Only 2MB cache, not ATA133, ONLY 1YR WARRANTY.

ADDED INFO: It has come to my attention that many people have found several of my hard drive reviews "too similar." I apologize for any confusion on this point. If you read the entire review, you will find that, aside from the general information that ...

Pros: Very nice features
Cons: It mysteriously broke :(

When I built this computer 3 years ago I had one of these, unfortunately it broke after about a year. I will tell you what happened. First impressions: Drive was packed in a little transparent plastic box in an anti-static bag, I promptly installed ...

Pros: After it fails, it makes an impressive bookend.
Cons: Fails after one year or less. Unreliable and a big disappointment.

Put bluntly, this is an atrocious hard drive. I have personally had two of these fail on me after less than two years of service. A friend of mine had the same drive and it failed after one year. He warned me but I didn't listen. I should have because I lost a lot of important data that I must now consult a recovery expert to retrieve. I now use much higher capacity non-deathstar drives. Everyone whom I speak (including two network technicians) about these drives has the same complaint. They are unreliable, prone to failure before a year if put to prolonged heavy use, and less than two years with regular/light use. In most cases the Deathstar will freeze without warning robbing you of your important data. Do yourself a favor and get a Maxtor, a Western Digital, or anything other than the IBM/Hitachi Deathstar.

Pros: Fast & quiet when new and functioning properly.
Cons: High failure rate. AVOID at all costs, even if offered for free.

A few years ago I made the unfortunate decision to make these the drives of choice for my installations. A little more that one year later they began to fail. Of the almost a dozen or so that I installed only 3 of the originals are still in service. IBM's RMA service was atrocious, but at least since Hitachi has taken over, The RMA procedure now runs well. Now the replacement drives are beginning to show signs of imminent failure. Soon they will all be out of warranty and I can begin to toss them in the trash. If you have one of these drives be sure to back up your data. Do not put anything critical on it.