by 7 reviews.
Dell 4TB 3.5" 7.2K NL SAS 12Gb/s HDD (0F9W8) Review: A Mixed Bag of Performance and Reliability
If you're in the market for a high-capacity, high-performance internal hard drive, the Dell 4TB 3.5" 7.2K NL SAS 12Gb/s HDD (0F9W8) might have caught your eye. This certified refurbished drive promises reliability, speed, and ample storage for both personal and professional use. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details based on real customer experiences.
Key Features:
- 4TB Storage Capacity: Perfect for storing large files, applications, and multimedia.
- 7.2K RPM Spindle Speed: Ensures faster data access and improved performance.
- 12Gb/s SAS Interface: Delivers high-speed data transfer rates.
- Certified Refurbished: Tested, cleaned, and backed by a 90-day warranty.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Performance and Speed
The Dell 0F9W8 HDD boasts a 7.2K RPM spindle speed and a 12Gb/s SAS interface, which theoretically makes it a powerhouse for data-intensive tasks. Customers who successfully set up the drive praised its performance once it was up and running. One user mentioned, "Once I got past the initial setup hurdles, the drive worked great. The speed is impressive, and it handles large files seamlessly."
However, the setup process isn’t always smooth sailing. Some users reported encountering write protection issues out of the box. One reviewer shared, "It had some kind of write protection enabled that made it not work initially. I had to use diskpart in Windows to clean the disk before it became usable."
Reliability and Durability
Reliability is where this drive seems to falter for some customers. While the product is marketed as "certified refurbished," several users reported receiving defective units. One customer detailed their experience: "Ordered one. DoA (Dead on Arrival), was not even seen by my SAS controller. Got a replacement. DoA too, can be seen by the system but I/O errors trying to do anything with it."
Another user shared a similar story: "The drive failed after a couple of days of doing nothing but sitting in a ZFS pool holding no data yet. A replacement is on the way, but this has been a headache."
These experiences highlight a concerning trend of inconsistent quality control, which is a significant drawback for a product marketed as refurbished and certified.
Ease of Setup and Compatibility
Setting up the Dell 0F9W8 HDD can be a mixed experience. Some users found the process straightforward, while others faced significant challenges. The write protection issue mentioned earlier is a common stumbling block. One reviewer noted, "It took some digging to find a solution on Reddit, but once I disabled the write protection, the drive worked fine."
Compatibility with SAS controllers also seems to be hit or miss. While some users had no issues, others reported that the drive wasn’t recognized by their systems. This inconsistency makes it difficult to recommend the drive for users who aren’t comfortable troubleshooting hardware issues.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
The Dell 4TB 3.2K NL SAS 12Gb/s HDD (0F9W8) has its strengths, particularly in terms of speed and storage capacity. For users who manage to get a fully functional unit, it performs admirably and delivers on its promises. However, the recurring issues with defective units and setup challenges make it a risky purchase.
Pros:
- High storage capacity (4TB).
- Fast data transfer speeds (7.2K RPM, 12Gb/s SAS).
- Affordable for a refurbished drive.
Cons:
- Inconsistent reliability (multiple reports of DoA units).
- Setup can be complicated due to write protection issues.
- Compatibility issues with some SAS controllers.
If you’re willing to take a chance and have the technical know-how to troubleshoot potential issues, this drive could be a cost-effective solution. However, for those seeking a hassle-free experience, it might be worth exploring other options with better track records for reliability.
Specification Dell 4TB 3.5" 7.2K NL SAS 12Gbs HDD (0F9W8) (Certified Refurbished):
Comments from Amazon:
Cheap sas hard drives and support was very helpful and responsive.
Ordered one. DoA, was not even seen by my SAS controller. Got a replacement. DoA too, can be seen by the system but I/O errors trying to do anything with it. So that's a 0/2 success rate... I won't be getting another and instead will go with another seller that I have gotten good drives from in the past.
Update 2: The replacement also failed after a couple days. Servo failure and significant write errors Original Title: A headache to setup, but works great once write protection is off. Update: The drive failed after a couple days of doing nothing but sitting in a zfs pool holding no data yet. A replacement is on the way, I'll update how it goes when I get it. It had some kind of write protection enabled that made it not work out of the box, but once I found a reddit thread talking about it, I was able to use diskpart in windows to clean the disk, and then TrueNas' web interface to format it.