Maxtor Hard ran for 2 weeks, then not detectthen again

[AMDAdam]

I have just built a new computer. All new with a 350 watt power supply.
I bought a Maxtor 30 GB DiamondMax plus 8 from Frys. I took it home and installed Windows XP on it using the NTSC file system. All was well for 2 weeks. I installed all the new drivers for my hardware and installed all Windows XP updates.
When I turned on my computer it would not dectect my Hard Drive, but still detected my CD ROM and Floppy Drive. I went in the BIOS and inputed all the info for my drive and nothing. I tried another hard drive in my computer and it worked. So I tried the Dead Hard Drive in another computer and it was not detected.
I took it back to Frys and they could not get it to work. So I exchanged it for the same Maxtor 30 GB DiamondMax plus 8.
I installed XP and had it running for 5 days and again the drive was not dectected on start up.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
All my data again.
I called Maxtor and they said that it could be the batch from Frys, because the date on the hard drives were the same. They wanted to send me the same drive, but I told them that I would like to buy another brand hard drive.
I am going to buy a new one.
Can this happen, or is it my computer?

My life sucks,

Thanks,
Adam
(<adamsurani@hotmail.com>) die spambots, die

 

[wolluf]

This can happen - and as Maxtor say, it may be a bad batch of drives.

 

[Grenage]

Aye when one drive is defective in some way it is quite common to have the whole batch this way. Every drive manufacturer gets it (Can you say you never made a mistake?.

 

[gargouille]

You'll also be privy to the fine print, IF you haven't read it (count me as 1) when you RMA a drive to the mfr.
They reserved the right to replace a bad drive with a &quot;refurbished&quot; unit...
There is the possibility other issues are at work here, including inconsistent voltage/inproper ground in the AC circuit the computer runs on. Sharing with many other outlets/leads is a common setup in older homes when a &quot;remodeling job&quot; is done. Rather than upgrade the service box, they just tap into another breaker and add in circuits. Plays havoc with computer components.
Might be prudent to at least test with a meter and check to make sure there's even a ground wire. After I moved into this hundred year old farm house (many times remodeled), discovered one leg that didn't have a ground wire hooked up.

 

[AMDAdam]

I bought a Western Digital 120 GB hard Drive. I put it in and installed Windows XP. It ran for 1 day and same thing. What do I do? The hard drive does not work in any other computers. I e-mailed Chaintech, my motherboard manufacturer. The motherboard is only about 1 and a half months old. I am scared to put another hard drive in because I have already destroyed 3 hard drives.
What do I do?

My life really sucks,
Adam.