MDT Harddrives? Who are they?

[LiamC]

Saw this new product in an online retailer in Aus. Harddrives from a mob called MDT. Anybody know who makes them?

http://www.gamedude.com.au/hd.html

 

[Tea]

Maxtor Diamond Thingie, perhaps?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Maxtor Diamond Thingie, perhaps?

:stpd:

Another "joke" like this and you'll bring polar winter in the northern hemisphere, ape.

 

[Jake the Dog]

yes i've seen them around and have asked the same question. apparenly MDT, whoever they are, have bought a stack of Seagate's and Maxtor's old 10gb platter stock as Seagate and Maxtor are selling their stock dirt cheap in expectations of a lack of interest in small capacity parrallel ATA drives in the future.

interesting answer i thought... don't know how true it is but i guess it makes sense.

 

[Tea]

Actually, I wasn't joking. I really figured it might be Maxtor Diamond somethingorother. I mean they have or had Diamond Max and a few other Diamond thingies.

(runs and hides)

 

[Jake the Dog]

i'd be guessing Mostly Defunct Technology.

 

[time]

Magnetic Data Technologies. Bought by Solectron in June. MDT is a repair company and Solectron is a waffle* company. If I was horribly cynical, I might suggest that their drives are made from parts cannibalized from failed drives, i.e. used media/controllers.

Fortunately, I see nothing but saintliness in modern corporations, particularly computer-related companies. It's undoubtedly as Jake's source said.

* waffle: The art of presenting rather pretty blurb with lots of nice, commercially hip terms and managing to make it absolutely bloody impossible for anyone to find out what it is that your company actually does.

 

[Tea]

Waffle.

 

[Tannin]

Apparenly MDT, whoever they are, have bought a stack of Seagate's and Maxtor's old 10gb platter stock as Seagate and Maxtor are selling their stock dirt cheap in expectations of a lack of interest in small capacity ... drives in the future.

Not being the all-things-sweetness-and-light-all-round-nice-guy that Time is, I have my doubts about this. Hey, if you are suddenly not bothering to provide two-thirds of your normal warranty service anymore, what do you need a large stock of spare parts for? Or, conversely, if you have just sold off your stockpile of spare parts so as to stave off the bankers for a little longer, then it's wise to make sure that you aren't going to need them in the future.

 

[Tea]

Tannin, you are completely paranoid. That is a ridiculous accusation. I'm surprised at you. Well, no. Come to think of it, knowing your love of conspiracy theories large and small, I'm not surprised. Pour yourself something or other over ice and go to bed.

 

[Buck]

MDT is used by Maxtor and Seagate, and was used by Western Digital until recently, as the return location for failed hard disk drives. This third party warehouse also refurbishes the replacement drives for the manufacturer. They also purchase refurbished product from these manufactures, relabel the product and sell them. In July, Western Digital moved their return location completely in-house to their warehouse in Irvine, California (of course, they still don't accept walkin returns).

 

[time]

Tannin, is that your idea or did you see it somewhere? Putting it together with Buck's apparently solid information(?), you would appear to have hit the nail on the head.

So on top of saving so much per drive sold, they get an instant windfall. Makes an awful lot of sense. Consider also that with new owners, MDT may have tried to dictate new terms to the drive manufacturers. Firms like Maxtor and Seagate may have been facing increased costs in a depressed market.

 

[Buck]

The biggest confusion is that MDT uses the same model number on the product as the manufacturer, and people believe that the manufacturer will replace the drive. WRONG! It is a refurbished drive, with a MDT label, it becomes an MDT product, with an MDT warranty. Their racket is pretty good if you're looking for older drives with similar PCB in order to attempt data recovery.

 

[LiamC]

Thanks guys. I wonder if the public know what they are getting with these products? They'll probably just see the product & price and go "good deal"...

 

[Tannin]

Entirely my own idea, Time. It's just horrible enough to be plausible.

 

[Tea]

I hate it when Tannin stops taking his medication.

 

[Jake the Dog]

Thanks guys. I wonder if the public know what they are getting with these products? They'll probably just see the product & price and go "good deal"...

given that's they're cheaper than competing products nd carry a 1 year warranty, i can see why people would think it's a good deal. personally i wouldn't buy them though.

how sure are you that they are refurbished?

 

[Buck]

how sure are you that they are refurbished?

That is part of their business.

However, please keep in mind that refurbished is a rather loose term. Since I haven't experienced a Samsung failure, I can only speak for WD drives. When MDT worked for WD, they did drive testing for all product that came in and passed receiving. If the product failed during testing, then WD had the drive sent to Singapore for scrap. If the drive could be salvaged at MDT while in the test chamber, it would be used if the final test (acoustic) could be passed. So, the possiblity that the drive has only been remapped, or never had a failure to begin with is rather good. MDT could purchase drives that have gone through that process, or have actually been remanufactured in Singapore.