What to do?

cat826237 · July 15th, 2007

Bought a used laptop on e-bay. Dell Latitude 610. Also bought the "Square Trade" warranty. $310 in the computer and $80 for the warranty. Sounds as if the HD has crapped out, noises and won't start up. Has anyone had any dealings with this warranty service? I am told to send it to them, they verify it's crapped out and repay me my purchase price.
Should I cash in or just put in a new HD myself? And if going that route, how much for a new HD? Don't need the massive storage or blazing speed HD, just something that will get me back up. Not worried about info on the old drive.

**LordOfLA** · July 15th, 2007

probably easier and quicker to get a new disk if you are confident the rest of the machine is okay.

cat826237 · July 15th, 2007

Had been working fine, with no noise from HD. Then instantly noise from the HD and won't work.

**Dark Atheist** · July 15th, 2007

had the same with my laptop, loud clicking nosies on start and it would never boot, all i did was go and get a replacemnt 40GB hdd for it (max it can see is 60GB old laptop), as long as you have the screwdrivers to fit its a breeze

**LeeJend** · July 15th, 2007

Laptop HDs are under $100. Shopping around you can probably find one for $80 (what you wasted on the warantee).

Warantees are no longer worth the paper they are printed on. You can't afford to be without a computer, or TV or Cellphone for 3-6 weeks while they "process the repair", shipping costs can be as much as a repair and sending a PC out that contains your personal and financial information is a bad idea.

The exception is the "in home" warantee plans, but then you have to factor in loosing 4-8 hours of pay taking a day off.

cat826237 · July 15th, 2007

Decided on a new drive. Pulled the drive out to get the info on what to buy. Wrote down specs and replaced and of all things it is working now! No noises, boots up. Think I will go ahead and get a new drive and a copying kit as I feel it may be short lived

cat826237 · August 3rd, 2007

Got a new drive, bigger and faster + the EZ GIG II cloning and backup software. Was able to copy the old drive to the new one. Old drive seems to make noise after getting used for quite a while.
Best part is "Square Trade" paid for the drive and software. Wouldn't give me anything for my labor tho! More than pleased with the payment as I enjoy doing things like that.

July 15th, 2007	Top \| #1
cat826237 OSNN Addict Joined: January 2004 Posts: 116 Reputation: 10 Power: 104	What to do? Bought a used laptop on e-bay. Dell Latitude 610. Also bought the "Square Trade" warranty. $310 in the computer and $80 for the warranty. Sounds as if the HD has crapped out, noises and won't start up. Has anyone had any dealings with this warranty service? I am told to send it to them, they verify it's crapped out and repay me my purchase price. Should I cash in or just put in a new HD myself? And if going that route, how much for a new HD? Don't need the massive storage or blazing speed HD, just something that will get me back up. Not worried about info on the old drive. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... Woha! What a great ride! !

July 15th, 2007	Top \| #2
LordOfLA Godlike! Joined: February 2004 Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK Posts: 7,031 Blog Entries: 5 Reputation: 4137 Power: 213	Re: What to do? probably easier and quicker to get a new disk if you are confident the rest of the machine is okay. If HK-47 and GLaDOS had a child, the character they create would cause the video game world to overdose on awesome. -sheridanmovieguy: Dragon age forum user.

July 15th, 2007	Top \| #3
cat826237 OSNN Addict Joined: January 2004 Posts: 116 Reputation: 10 Power: 104	Re: What to do? Had been working fine, with no noise from HD. Then instantly noise from the HD and won't work. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... Woha! What a great ride! !

July 15th, 2007	Top \| #4
Dark Atheist OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: April 2003 Location: In The Void Posts: 6,373 Blog Entries: 9 Reputation: 1877 Power: 193	Re: What to do? had the same with my laptop, loud clicking nosies on start and it would never boot, all i did was go and get a replacemnt 40GB hdd for it (max it can see is 60GB old laptop), as long as you have the screwdrivers to fit its a breeze

July 15th, 2007	Top \| #5
LeeJend OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: January 2003 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 5,261 Reputation: 3386 Power: 199	Re: What to do? Laptop HDs are under $100. Shopping around you can probably find one for $80 (what you wasted on the warantee). Warantees are no longer worth the paper they are printed on. You can't afford to be without a computer, or TV or Cellphone for 3-6 weeks while they "process the repair", shipping costs can be as much as a repair and sending a PC out that contains your personal and financial information is a bad idea. The exception is the "in home" warantee plans, but then you have to factor in loosing 4-8 hours of pay taking a day off. Thought for the new millenium: In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates? - Open Office - Firefox - Thunderbird - Gimp -Ubuntu - Red Hat -

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July 15th, 2007	Top \| #6
cat826237 OSNN Addict Joined: January 2004 Posts: 116 Reputation: 10 Power: 104	Re: What to do? Decided on a new drive. Pulled the drive out to get the info on what to buy. Wrote down specs and replaced and of all things it is working now! No noises, boots up. Think I will go ahead and get a new drive and a copying kit as I feel it may be short lived Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... Woha! What a great ride! !

August 3rd, 2007	Top \| #7
cat826237 OSNN Addict Joined: January 2004 Posts: 116 Reputation: 10 Power: 104	Re: What to do? Got a new drive, bigger and faster + the EZ GIG II cloning and backup software. Was able to copy the old drive to the new one. Old drive seems to make noise after getting used for quite a while. Best part is "Square Trade" paid for the drive and software. Wouldn't give me anything for my labor tho! More than pleased with the payment as I enjoy doing things like that. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming.... Woha! What a great ride! !