What to do?

[cat826237]

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]

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

 

[cat826237]

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

 

[Dark Atheist]

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]

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]

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]

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.