Amazon exiles discussion

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message 301: by theDuke (last edited Apr 28, 2020 12:58AM) (new)

theDuke | 6492 comments Does anybody on here know anything about external hard drives?

My Seagate 6TB Back Up+, seems to have developed a malfunction, just yesterday. It's less than a year old...and hasn't had much use. My computer will not recognise it when plugged in....all it says is "drive E" and not Seagate as it used to. I had no probs with it, till i plugged it in yesterday, it briefly displayed "Seagate" on the 'devices and drives' section....and then it showed "drive e". If i click on it....the laptop briefly freezes up, before displaying a pop up notice "Does not recognise this device". It's suggesting that the hard drive has developed a fault....but i find that hard to believe for something that not very old..and has only been used to store digital files of music albums, that i loaded on it some months ago. It's not even half full.

The drive receives power, whirrs away and i can still use the 2 auxiliary USB ports it has, for charging, or plugging in another drive or USB device via it, so no problems there. I'd only been using the day before yesterday & it was working just fine. I have got a 2nd back up drive, so i haven't lost anything...but would like to get this expensive drive working again.

For something that cost well over £100 new....i'd thought it last longer than 11 months!

Any ideas on how to get it working again folks? I don't anything about what's inside one of these.


message 302: by Sera69 (new)

Sera69 | 1924 comments Other than trying to connect it to something else and see if it is recognised? Do you have anything else that you can use to check? Also try different leads and different usb port than normal. Even (and i hate to say this but it can work) switching it off and on again. I had similar problem with my phone and a 1tb ssd, and it was down to the lead.


message 303: by Derek (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments Duke - assuming it was bought new then it should still be under warranty if it's less than a year old so I suggest you get on to Seagate ASAP.


message 304: by theDuke (new)

theDuke | 6492 comments I don't have another lead with the special connection on it that fits the Seagate port, just the one that came with it. But i don't think that's the problem, as i plugged another drive via one of it's auxilary usb ports, and the PC had problem reading that second drive. Also tried pluggin into the TV, just to see if the TV would recognise the Seagate, but it didn't. Have been online for advice on 'quick fix' solutions...and nothing has worked. I think the bloody thing has developed a hard drive fault....how annoying!

Derek....I bought the drive from a Ebay trader. According to that trader's retuns policy...i would've had to have placed it within 90 days of purchase...so i don't think i make a claim from them.

As for making a claim via the manufacturer....i've nver done that before. I didn't register the product with them at the time of purchase...so can i do that?


message 305: by Isabella (new)

Isabella | 1370 comments I'm not 100% about this but I believe that retailers are responsible for the first year after purchase, even for a fault. That's not to say you'll get anywhere... May be different for on-line purchases. Did you pay by credit card? That may cover you.

When we had a problem with a radio, the retailer was totally uncooperative so we tried the manufacturer who replaced, no messing. We hadn't registered the purchase but did have the receipt.

Hope this helps


message 306: by Derek (last edited Apr 28, 2020 02:32AM) (new)

Derek W | 1365 comments theDuke wrote: "I don't have another lead with the special connection on it that fits the Seagate port, just the one that came with it. But i don't think that's the problem, as i plugged another drive via one of i..."

Provided it was sold as new, and you can give them the date of purchase and the name of the trader (which you can get from ebay) it would be worth trying Seagate.

You can probably check if it's still in warranty on the Seagate website.

Try here:

https://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support...


message 307: by Tim (new)

Tim Franklin | 10953 comments Derek....I bought the drive from a Ebay trader. According to that trader's retuns policy...i would've had to have placed it within 90 days of purchase...so i don't think i make a claim from them.

The presenter who covers consumer rights on our local BBC radio is at pains to always stress that neither a trader's return policy nor a manufacturer's guarantee outweigh consumer protection legislation, which says that goods should be expected to work as described 'for a reasonable length of time'. I don't think it's unreasonable to believe that an item costing £100 should be expected to work properly for longer than one year.


message 308: by theDuke (new)

theDuke | 6492 comments Aye..i've been looking at Seagate's main site...so i see what i can get there. I'm not bothered about recovering the data off it, as i have that backed up another drive...i just want me money back to buy another (although maybe not a Seagate again!)

I paid for it via Paypal....so i still have the tranaction details..so i can send Seagate that, along with the ebay traders details.

I gotta find the serial number for the drive...which is only recorded on the drive itself, not on the box or the casing.


message 309: by Helen The Melon (new)

Helen The Melon | 3422 comments Where's the best place to look for electrical equipment online? Any of you like doing searches for this kind of stuff? I loathe it 😁, so hoping you can help.

I think I'm needing to replace a TV. Looking for something approx 32", preferably with built in DVD player (there isn't really room for a separate one), & I do NOT want a smart TV, no thanks.


message 310: by suzysunshine7 (last edited May 03, 2020 08:26AM) (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Well, we usually like to try John Lewis first because of their never knowingly undersold price match promise and their rather generous extra extensions on Guarantees - but they don't tend to have a lot of Stock on many Items or a wide variety of Brands for sale either ... and I dunno if they deliver to your area, Helen?

Our other choice is invariably Currys because (like with John Lewis) we can visit a local Store and get see a lot of things that are out on display before deciding on whether to buy anything.

The last three TVs that I have bought (two for M&D and one for a friend) came from off eBay though! The one for a friend was a local Collection and then I bought one for M&D in the size that they had insisted that they wanted - then realised that it really was too small for the Room and for their needs and so I went on to buy them a bigger one a year later. All of them were bought as 'Like New' and in barely used condition - and all of them were indeed exactly as described.

I would never ever have dared risking buying off eBay if it were not for having such limited money to spend and if the inability to get out and about hadn't been such an issue for me - but I was, and still am, absolutely delighted with my brilliant buys and, because of that, I've gone on to buy a Cooker, a Freezer, a Sofa, a Microwave, and two Laptops amongst other things from off eBay since then ;o>

EDIT: You can use Google to look out for Reviews on the ones you are interested in - to see if they are a good Brand and Model ...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...


message 311: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments It's always worth taking a look around on Amazon too, Helen ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=32+inch+...

I've tried to narrow the Search down to just the 32" TVs with built-in DVD Player and also to ones that have got 4 Stars and up on their Reviews ;o>


message 312: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Helen, you can have a trial of ‘Which?’ for £1. Just go to their website.
There are very few 32” TVs these days and pretty rarely with DVDs.


message 313: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Because you want a built in DVD player the range of options narrows considerably and I'm not sure you can get a 'thick'/non-smart TV from a reputable manufacturer. Curry's has 5, mostly JVCs which ought to be reliable - https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-dvd-...

Only one is full 1080 HD (means it has an HD tuner so you can watch Beeb and ITV in high def (though whether a 32" screen can show the difference is moot) at £249 delivered - https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-...


message 314: by Tim (last edited May 03, 2020 09:40AM) (new)

Tim Franklin | 10953 comments Helen The Melon wrote: "Where's the best place to look for electrical equipment online? Any of you like doing searches for this kind of stuff? I loathe it 😁, so hoping you can help.

I think I'm needing to replace a TV. L..."


One at Argos - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/5654695. I'm not sure they're doing deliveries at present, but if you have a local Sainsbury with an Argos inside, it might be possible to collect from there.

I did look at John Lewis as suzy suggested, but the only one was a Toshiba with rather mixed reviews. The ones for the Bush (above) are more positive at least. I've never heard of the brands on Amazon using suzy's parameters, so chances are they're stick-a-random-badge-on from sweatshops in China/Vietnam/Philippines etc, which will last just till the guarantee expires!


message 315: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Tim wrote: "I've never heard of the brands on Amazon using suzy's parameters, so chances are they're stick-a-random-badge-on from sweatshops in China/Vietnam/Philippines etc, which will last just till the guarantee expires!"

O.M.G.?!! - I sincerely hope not?!! - but you might very likely be right there, Tim! ;oO


message 316: by Helen The Melon (new)

Helen The Melon | 3422 comments Thanks Suzy, Lez, Brass & Tim for your searches and responses. I realise my options are very limited & that's why I asked for help. The Bush one from Argos looks the best bet at the mo, cheap too - wouldn't buy a TV off eBay & the one's on Amazon are brands I've never heard of either. Needs to be something that can be delivered, nearest Argos, Currys etc. are in the metropolis of Inverness & I won't be venturing there any time soon.


message 317: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Helen The Melon wrote: "Thanks Suzy, Lez, Brass & Tim for your searches and responses. I realise my options are very limited & that's why I asked for help. The Bush one from Argos looks the best bet at the mo, cheap too -..."

Currys prices include delivery. Although Bush might sound like a good old Brit manufacturer I think they're one of those like Ferguson and MG cars where a Chinese firm has bought the rights to a name to give some semblance of reliability which the products so badged may or may not have?


message 318: by suzysunshine7 (last edited May 04, 2020 09:31AM) (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments You'd think it would never be easier than now, given all the freedom of information and transparency that Companies have to comply with these days, to work out what comes from where, but it isn't it?

I looked up Cello, Linsar and a few others too and found out that a lot of them are making a very big thing about being new Brands of UK based firms ... but then I saw that, at least one of them, has factories in Turkey who make their TVs up for them?! In fact Cello seems to be the only exclusively start-to-finish British Manufacturers - and coincidently they are also the original Owners and Manufacturers of the Ferguson Brand of TVs.

Blaupunkt TVs would apparently like their Customers to believe that they share the same German provenance as the Car Audio Units bearing that name - but it turns out that they come from a Slovakian Company which also makes TVs with Akai, Alba, Bush, Goodmans, Sharp, Technika and Tevion badges on them. They are not all made to the same quality standards though and it is the Brand owners who dictate the Specifications that they want and then set the prices accordingly.

The Amazon Reviews for Cello and Linsar are really good - but on the rest of the Internet there are several 'expert' Articles criticising the erratic response of the Remote Functions and the rather poor Sound Quality - so I'd go with a Brand that you know of and far more feel like you can trust in and rely on it.

All of the TVs that I bought off eBay were particular Models of Panasonic Vieras because we personally really like them and rate them very highly - and I made sure, by checking out all of the Reviews on every Model first, that I only bought good 'uns - ones that were the most highly rated and recommended as being Best Buys by just about everyone online ;o>


message 319: by Brass Neck (last edited May 04, 2020 09:42AM) (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments I'd highly recommend Panasonics too but they don't do a TV/DVD combo. Panasonics ain't made in Japan either but mostly in E European factories - we got a big f-off HD Panny made in either Czech Rep or Slovakia over a decade ago and it's never put a foot wrong although the most frequently used buttons on the remote - on/off. volume and number 1, all require a bit more pressure to operate.

Blanket denigration of Chinese electronics production is OK but all Apple products are made there and people will pay premium prices for them and you don't hear many folk complaining about shoddy build (built-in obsolescence via programmed battery life shortening maybe but they don't fall apart).


message 320: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Cello come off very badly in Which? Samsung and LG are consistently good. Panasonic Viera and Sony are patchy.
My 32” basic Panasonic Viera is still going strong after 10 years, great picture but the sound could be better.


message 321: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Got a 32" LG in the bedroom and son has same model which has been carted back and forth to uni and other hovels over about 9 years without issue. Don't think they do a DVD combo though?


message 322: by Tim (new)

Tim Franklin | 10953 comments Brass Neck wrote: "Helen The Melon wrote: "Thanks Suzy, Lez, Brass & Tim for your searches and responses. I realise my options are very limited & that's why I asked for help. The Bush one from Argos looks the best be..."

Inspired by that I looked up Bush, and strangely enough it appears they're owned by Sainsburys - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_(b...


message 323: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Aye, but the same article states; "The Bush brand name disappeared from the British market during the 1980s. However, since the purchase of the brand by Alba Group in 1986 (now known as Harvard International), it once again became common,[5] being used primarily on electronic goods produced in China and some televisions made in Turkey". They're not British made products, they just have an old British brand name plonked on 'em.


message 324: by Tim (new)

Tim Franklin | 10953 comments Just to complete the picture, Logik (Currys) are an in-house brand, similar to Bush and Alba at Argos/Sainsburys. JVC are still an independent company but only available through Currys in the UK. They used to be a bigger player, but their star has waned.


message 325: by Helen The Melon (new)

Helen The Melon | 3422 comments Aaaaargh! See, this is why I hate looking for modest/cheap electrical equipment. I'm averse to humongous TVs that dominate a room & don't really need anything larger than 32" for this particular space. Might have to look at separate DVD player though if I can make room for one. Aaaaargh!
Will have to wait til next month now anyway as I received a lovely bill yesterday that was larger than I was expecting :-(


message 326: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments My average size Toshiba DVD player is 11 inches wide x 8 deep x 1 and a half inches high. My sister’s is slightly smaller.


message 327: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Ohhh us too, Helen, and that's why my M&D kept on insisting that they only needed a small Screen TV for the Lounge. My Dad has got sight problems though and Mum's Eyesight isn't quite as good these days and I was fed up of coming in and watching them leaning forward and peering and squinting and repeatedly winding the TV back to rewatch because they had missed something!

I made an executive decision to save myself from having to have any arguments about it and went ahead on buying them a 32" which has made all the difference now - and I have now got the 26" upstairs in my Room.

Both TVs are the ideal size for all of our needs and neither of them take over in any way and dominate the Rooms that they are in. I also bought M&D a very neat and sturdy Glass TV Stand that is just the right size to accommodate the 32" TV as they had such an incredibly low and extremely wide, chunky, ugly-looking wooden Stand (that didn't blend in or match up furniture-wise with anything else) with two huge Cupboards underneath that barely ever had anything but a spare Remote inside.

Getting rid of that monstrosity of Cabinet has greatly reduced on the excessive amount of corner space that was needed for it and visual impact of now having a slightly larger TV by having a 32" is barely obvious. In fact one of our Neighbours actually thought that we had gone out and bought ourselves a smaller Screen TV! - LOL!!! ;o>

It would seem that sometimes size does matter after all ;o>


message 328: by Sera69 (new)

Sera69 | 1924 comments I'd look at getting a decent TV with enough ports and future proof capabilities. DVDs are more or less 10 a penny but integrated TV/DVD combos seem to go wrong more often (and harder to fix, replace etc)

my tuppenceworth


message 329: by SussexWelsh (new)

SussexWelsh | 7449 comments Sera69 wrote: "I'd look at getting a decent TV with enough ports and future proof capabilities. DVDs are more or less 10 a penny but integrated TV/DVD combos seem to go wrong more often (and harder to fix, replac..."

I would tend to agree with you on that, Sera.


message 330: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments SussexWelsh wrote: "Sera69 wrote: "I'd look at getting a decent TV with enough ports and future proof capabilities. DVDs are more or less 10 a penny but integrated TV/DVD combos seem to go wrong more often (and harder..."

Me an' all.


message 331: by theDuke (last edited May 05, 2020 03:36PM) (new)

theDuke | 6492 comments I once had a TV DVD combo years ago..never again. I agree with the above....they just don't last long'.

If it were me..i'd look at fitting a wall shelve to take a regular DVD player..if you room for it, rather than buy a combo. What few make/model there are out there that have them, are probably built to a price..so i wouldn't go with any of those.

I feel for Collette though, i dunno what it is with electronics...but if i spend more than a few minutes looking at new laptops..i find myself dozing off! They all look the same...how is one to know which model is truely better than another? I can't be bothered to scroll through pages of consumer sites....i did that a coupla weeks ago...and the specs & technical details of these things mean naff all to me! I'll probaly just pick a budget i'm happy with and then plump for the first one that matches it!! :)


message 332: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments theDuke wrote: "They all look the same...how is one to know which model is truely better than another?"

It's very easy, Duke, you just ask Google ;o>

What I do is filter and narrow down any Searches on say, Currys or Argos, to exactly what I am looking for - like a 32" TV - then I click to put them in ascending Price order and look at all of the (or far more likely just the few) Brands and Models that show up within my already decided upon Budget.

Then I look at the Reviews to see which ones have rated highest, check out any low Reviews that are on them to see if there are any recurrent issues being repeatedly flagged, and make sure all of the latest Reviews are mainly good ones so that I know if there are any current issues occurring.

And then, because I'm a bit of a perfectionist who always likes to double and even triple check everything before I even consider buying it, I make a note of the Brands and the Model Numbers of the ones that I'm most interested in and put them into a Google Search with the word Reviews alongside and see what else might have been posted up about that particular Brand and Model Number elsewhere on the Internet ;o>

Then I find the best Price on the one that I've decided that I want on the best and most reliable Website that I can find to buy it off ... buy it ... call off the Mission and suddenly realise that it's taken me the best of all day and/or all night! ... take some Painkillers for my Migraine and have a very well-deserved lie down!!! ;o>


message 333: by Helen The Melon (new)

Helen The Melon | 3422 comments Brass Neck wrote: "SussexWelsh wrote: "Sera69 wrote: "......Me an' all....."

Me too now. 😁 😈

I've not bought a TV for about 7yrs now & didn't realise how limited the choice of non-f**k-off sized TVs was these days. So new search criteria = 32" TV & separate DVD player.


message 334: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments This JVC is only £150 delivered as there's a £30 off promotion.
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-...


message 335: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments All Curry's 'Amazing Deals' TVs ordered from lowest to highest price.
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/search-...

(No, I'm not the CEO/a Currys shareholder)


message 336: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments And get it all sorted out and hopefully ready to last you a good few years, Helen, before flippin' Smart Technology completely takes over absolutely everything! ;oO

M&D had to buy a new Miele Washer a few months ago and they came home from visiting John Lewis to tell me that they had just bought one ... for £1,300?!! ;oO

It wasn't gold-plated though like I first thought that it most surely must be?!! - it had got Smart Technology built in so that it could connect up to our Wi-Fi and be operated by our Smart Phones - except that we don't have any Smart Phones and have no need at all of a Smart Arse Washing Machine that could always Email and Skype all of it's many Miele pals if it ever got lonely all by itself in the Garage with only the Tumble Dryer and the Freezer for any company!

It turned out they had been advised by a rather pushy Sales Lady - so we cancelled the Order and I spoke to a lovely Lady at John Lewis over the Phone who readily agreed that it definitely wasn't at all what we were looking for and needing and then we re-ordered another Miele instead (we like Miele ;o>) ... still a great top quality Washing Machine but a far more basic and very simple to use Model for over £700 less than the first one ;o>


message 337: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Brass Neck wrote: "This JVC is only £150 delivered as there's a £30 off promotion.
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-..."


Suze doesn’t want ‘smart’!


message 338: by Brass Neck (last edited May 06, 2020 09:38AM) (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Lez wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "This JVC is only £150 delivered as there's a £30 off promotion.
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-......"


Unfortunately the market doesn't appear to want 'thick' TVs.

Oh, and it's Helen The Honeydew/Ogen/Charantais wot wants one.


message 339: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Brass Neck wrote: "Lez wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "This JVC is only £150 delivered as there's a £30 off promotion.
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-......"


Sorry, just came back to correct myself! 😕


message 340: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments I love that ... 'thick' TVs ... ! ;o>

"I want a 32" TV that's about as thick as a bowl of Custard please?!"


message 341: by Tim (new)

Tim Franklin | 10953 comments Unfortunately the market doesn't appear to want 'thick' TVs.

You'd think professional hackers are in control of everything with all this unnecessary 'smart' tech, like washing machines, fridges etc. Some folk do seem to be unable to accomplish anything without waving a blasted phone around though (usually one of those oversized ones that are halfway to a tablet).


message 342: by Brass Neck (last edited May 06, 2020 10:58AM) (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments suzysunshine7 wrote: "I love that ... 'thick' TVs ... ! ;o>

"I want a 32" TV that's about as thick as a bowl of Custard please?!""


I think the simile du jour is 'thick as mince'.


message 343: by suzysunshine7 (new)

suzysunshine7 | 16038 comments Oooh? - is that what da yoof of today are saying now?!

I'm still trying to explain 'yeet' to my Mum and Dad - LOL!!! ;o>


message 344: by Val (new)

Val H. | 22152 comments Our TV is a thick one but it was second hand - a Pioneer plasma that our neighbours offered to us rather than take it to the tip. It had only been used for advertising in a salesroom. It probably cost well over £3000 new. Couldn't say no. We pair it with a Fetch set-top box (10" x 10" x 2"), which gives us catch-up TV and more, and a Blu-ray/DVD player (9" x 14" x 2"). The latter is a very cheap Sonos from China but at the time we bought it, it was the only player that showed multi-region DVDs without having to muck around in settings.


message 345: by Brass Neck (new)

Brass Neck | 3979 comments Perhaps we should call them intellectually-challenged TVs - none were thicker, dimensionally speaking,than CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) TVs from the time when a 32" was a whopper.


message 346: by Helen The Melon (last edited May 07, 2020 06:43AM) (new)

Helen The Melon | 3422 comments Brass Neck wrote: "Unfortunately the market doesn't appear to want 'thick' TVs.

Oh, and it's Helen The Honeydew/Ogen/Charantais wot wants one.."


Like I said, it's been about 7yrs since I last bought a new TV & I certainly didn't realise how few dumb TVs are made these days. I don't want or need a smart TV & I know plenty of other people that feel the same, this technology is being forced upon us, we have no choice. I might just have to buy a smart TV and force it to become a dumb TV by switching the WiFi capability off & not allow it to connect to my network?

Btw. I can be whatever type of melon you'd like me to be 😉 Oooh, I quite like the alliterative "Helen the Highland Honeydew".

Edit. I've never heard the expression "thick as mince" either. Or "yeet".

Edit again. Mmmmmmm custard. One of my favourite foodstuffs. Mmmmmmm.


message 347: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Anyone know about phones? I’ve been trying to reply to a text but it comes back as ‘failed MMS’. I’ve never used MMS (not sure what it does) and I don’t know how it’s happened so I’m stuck.
Is there a way of switching back? Nothing in ‘Help’ of course.
It’s a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini.


message 348: by Sera69 (new)

Sera69 | 1924 comments MMS is just a text with pictures or video included. SMS is your standard text based text.

Often your SMS will change automatically to an MMS if the text is too long (too many characters) and may not be included in your contractual text package, so you might have to pay for the MMS

Multimedia Messaging Service
Short Messaging Service


message 349: by Lez (new)

Lez | 7490 comments Thanks Sera. I’ve shortened it considerably (75 characters only). Much shorter than usual, so I’ll have to find a more permanent solution.


message 350: by Val (new)

Val H. | 22152 comments You'll have to write your messages in chapters Lez. Write 75 characters then send, then start on the next bit......


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