Cheap hard drives aren’t always cheap

Snarl.

Got a 500 gig external drive from Seagate (XTERM version) on their 12 days of Christmas sale, pretty cheap, EXCEPT, it failed two weeks later.  Isn't that always the way.

So now it isn't that cheap, because I have to return it, which means getting a box, packing it and shipping and then waiting.  Or paying $20.00 (my solution, as it seems easier) and not that much more expensive.

But now it ends up being about the regular price.  <SNARL>

And more on this — Seagate's tech support was so irritating.  Didn't want to use the phone, so used their web service for the RMA.  I get an email telling me to call support, and as I am on hold, the hold recording tells me to use their web service.

INFINITE LOOP FAIL!