question Frys
- Thread starter LunarMist
- Start date
ddrueding
Fixture
Unless they have changed in the few years since I stopped buying there, it isn't safe to by anything at the Frys. At one point, there was nothing but returned product on the shelf; as they would simply repackage and restock (without testing) any returns. It wasn't until their third or fourth return that they were RMA'd.
BingBangBop
Storage is cool
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- Nov 15, 2009
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My local Frys clearly labels restocked merchandise.
ddrueding
Fixture
As do those around me. And it isn't uncommon for all the merchandise to have one or two "returned" stickers on them.
BingBangBop
Storage is cool
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- Nov 15, 2009
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My point really is that as long as you avoid the restocked labels, I really don't see how Frys is any less safe than any other retailer.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
The one in Oak Brook had a great deal of returned merchandise on the shelf the one time I visited. I wasn't terribly impressed. There's nothing Fry's has that I can't get at the Microcenter that's two miles away.
BingBangBop
Storage is cool
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Ahh, but Microcenter is not everywhere though I would agree that MicroCenter would be much preferable to Frys. It is a bit of a drive to the nearest MicroCenter being 619 miles away. Frys is a bit more convenient at 32 miles, at least for me. Without Frys then the only retail alternatives would be Best Buy or something like Office Depot and that does really limit what is possible to purchase.
I once returned a small item at Frys and explained that it was defective. I looked for another one but there none remaining in stock. The I resumed shopping, looking for other products. About 30 minutes later I was in the same aisle again and sure enough the one I had returned was on the shelf with no return label. :roll:
OTOH, I had a defective retail drive one time that would not be recognized on any computer. In that case a tech conected it to a MB that was set up in an open configuration within view. She quickly confirmed that the drive would not mount in Windows as I described and got me a new one.
OTOH, I had a defective retail drive one time that would not be recognized on any computer. In that case a tech conected it to a MB that was set up in an open configuration within view. She quickly confirmed that the drive would not mount in Windows as I described and got me a new one.
time
Storage? I am Storage!
Sure, just use HDDScan, SpeedFan or any other tool that can issue SMART self-test commands.
BingBangBop
Storage is cool
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I've got multiple Fry's and Microcenter to choose from. I usually go to Fry's so that I can look for specials on oddball things like tools, LED flashlights, odds'n'ends, and electronic crapola. I rarely buy this stuff, but every once in a while they have something I need for low $$$, like a microscopic HP 8 GB flash drive for $17.
Concerning the hard drives I've bought at Fry's and restocked items in general at Fry's Electronics:
I rarely ever buy any restocked Fry's items unless the item is sufficiently discounted, an item that is not very susceptible to damage, and something that's obviously just an open package. I bought a nice Antec Earthwatts power supply this way once. It has worked perfectly for the past three or so years. Saved 11 dollars.
Hard drives? The few times I've bought hard drives at Fry's, I first got a hard drive purchase ticket in the "storage area" of the store, which I later handed to some minimum wage geek at the cash register area so they could retrieve the hard drive from a big walk-in caged area where other small / fragile / expensive stuff was stored. The hard drives they always handed me were a "bare" drive in an anti-static bag, meaning they pulled it out of an OEM box'o'drives for system builders.
The drives I bought at Fry's were a couple of cheap cheap cheap Maxtor 250 GB SATA drives used for a CPU build for someone else, then, later on, a cheap last generation WesternDigi 150 GB Raptor for me. These drives only came in anti-static bags.
Most of the Fry's restocking discounts are only 5% or something. I do find one value to the restocked Fry's items in that if there is pile of a particular product, that is probably not a good purchase.
I only buy the retailed drives at Fry's and do not trust the OEMs. I have seen some piles of cheap OEM hard drives at a Microcenter, but they were out in the open and who knows how they had been handled by customers or staff. I think they keep the better drives out of sight. I ended up with a 2TB WD for the replacment I needed at the time.
I only buy the retailed drives at Fry's and do not trust the OEMs. I have seen some piles of cheap OEM hard drives at a Microcenter, but they were out in the open and who knows how they had been handled by customers or staff. I think they keep the better drives out of sight. I ended up with a 2TB WD for the replacment I needed at the time.
time
Storage? I am Storage!
Damn, that Acronis caused my machine to rebot spontaneously. Maybe I have a problem.
Sorry, I missed this follow-up.
You obviously didn't read this thread.
Was there a definitive outcome to all this kerfuffle?
Obviously not. I have restored the boot image many times since then, so there is nothing to be concerned about.
time
Storage? I am Storage!
Both those utilities can be configured to display drive temperature in the tray.
According to TaskManager, HDDScan shrinks to only about 2MB (under 32-bit Windows) when it's minimized to the tray. It can display temperatures for multiple drives at once: just start a temperature monitoring task on each drive and minimize the program.
According to TaskManager, HDDScan shrinks to only about 2MB (under 32-bit Windows) when it's minimized to the tray. It can display temperatures for multiple drives at once: just start a temperature monitoring task on each drive and minimize the program.