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Is this true? If this is true I have complete buyers remorse for this product after a few weeks. I cannot believe you can't switch out a HDD if it fails. You have to buy a whole new unit!? These things are ridiculously overpriced as it is, I can't believe this is their service policy. Definitely thinking about returning this now. Wow.Sorry Dave, but the drive cannot be replaced, so if it fails when the unit is out-of-warranty the only option is returning it for a discount on a replacement. If it has any resale value at all, it would only be as a trade-up component for that same 25% discount, so obviously you would get a dollar value less than whatever amount is represented by the discount, assuming someone wants to go through the trouble.
Note to owners of Strato's with internal storage: Keep the Strato under warranty as long as you can (meaning consider purchasing the additional 2 year extension available before the original 3 year warranty expires).
Jim
How old was it when it failed? I’m also curious about environmental things like temperature, dust, etc. I’m not looking to give an excuse, but I just bought a Strato S so I am simply curious.Hi everyone, just received a email from K Scape the drive failed. Rusty indicates I cannot replace the drive!
I don’t want to buy a new one even at a 25% discount. Any ability to get this repaired? Does it have any value to sell?
Thank you all,
Dave
Is this true? If this is true I have complete buyers remorse for this product after a few weeks. I cannot believe you can't switch out a HDD if it fails. You have to buy a whole new unit!? These things are ridiculously overpriced as it is, I can't believe this is their service policy. Definitely thinking about returning this now. Wow.
Just to be clear, your recommendation would be for a Strato C and a Terra 24/48/72? The new Compact Terra’s drives are not field replaceable.Yes, it is the policy. The drive is not user replaceable in the Strato's that have storage, and K does not offer a repair service. This is why I've been recommending to clients they purchase the Terra/Strato-C combination versus a Strato with storage (only the Strato-S 6TB is available new from K). The drives in the Terra servers are replaceable. To be clear, it is still unusual for the drive to fail in the short term, but it is obviously always possible. There are many, many Strato's with storage out there, many out of warranty, that are still operating as they did when purchased.
I need to also be clear that the Strato-"S" units have different drives than those used in the original Strato, and amongst the 100+ we have sold, only one had a problem, and fortunately he was still under warranty so the unit was replaced by K.
@jmf, most, if not all of us understand that environmental conditions impact longevity as well, these are just computers.
I own and sell Strato-S 6TB's, but wouldn't if I believed there was some unreasonable risk of drive failure. On the few occasions that I've sold a used Strato-6TB (original 2RU model), I've made K's policy clear to the buyer.
@muscles, if you bought a Strato-S model, I would not be concerned, but I would keep it under warranty for the full 5 years, and as @jmf implies, I'd make sure the operating environment properly supported the component.
Jim
If a Strato S has a drive failure, can it function like a Strato C? IE - get a terra and use the Strato with the bad drive to function as the front end?Yes, it is the policy. The drive is not user replaceable in the Strato's that have storage, and K does not offer a repair service. This is why I've been recommending to clients they purchase the Terra/Strato-C combination versus a Strato with storage (only the Strato-S 6TB is available new from K). The drives in the Terra servers are replaceable. To be clear, it is still unusual for the drive to fail in the short term, but it is obviously always possible. There are many, many Strato's with storage out there, many out of warranty, that are still operating as they did when purchased.
I need to also be clear that the Strato-"S" units have different drives than those used in the original Strato, and amongst the 100+ we have sold, only one had a problem, and fortunately he was still under warranty so the unit was replaced by K.
@jmf, most, if not all of us understand that environmental conditions impact longevity as well, these are just computers.
I own and sell Strato-S 6TB's, but wouldn't if I believed there was some unreasonable risk of drive failure. On the few occasions that I've sold a used Strato-6TB (original 2RU model), I've made K's policy clear to the buyer.
@muscles, if you bought a Strato-S model, I would not be concerned, but I would keep it under warranty for the full 5 years, and as @jmf implies, I'd make sure the operating environment properly supported the component.
Jim
The drive can certainly be replaced. K doesn’t allow it to be replaced is the more accurate statement. That is a little ridiculous …..Sorry Dave, but the drive cannot be replaced, so if it fails when the unit is out-of-warranty the only option is returning it for a discount on a replacement. If it has any resale value at all, it would only be as a trade-up component for that same 25% discount, so obviously you would get a dollar value less than whatever amount is represented by the discount, assuming someone wants to go through the trouble.
Note to owners of Strato's with internal storage: Keep the Strato under warranty as long as you can (meaning consider purchasing the additional 2 year extension available before the original 3 year warranty expires).
Jim
Just to be clear, your recommendation would be for a Strato C and a Terra 24/48/72? The new Compact Terra’s drives are not field replaceable.
Would be good to know, my comment was based upon this thread…..I think this needs to be cleared up, I'll post the official word tomorrow, but I've always been told that the Terra Server drives are field replaceable. There was never a distinction made between the compact Terra's and the full sized Terra servers. I'm still saying all Terra drives are replaceable.
Jim
The drive can certainly be replaced. K doesn’t allow it to be replaced is the more accurate statement. That is a little ridiculous …..
Would be good to know, my comment was based upon this thread…..
Strato S 12TB or Compact Terra 12Tb + Strato C
Hello Kaleidescapeians, Thank you first to the admins for letting me in to the forums. Have been following on the kaleidoscope system for the last couple of weeks and been having my moments of "just get it" to look at other options like zappiti etc. I am almost convinced that I want to jump...www.kscapeowners.com
Is there a distinction between the S and non-S Stratos? Ie - an S is replaceable, but the non S is not?Well, sure, of course any drive in any component is replaceable, but because of the design it is not something they allow owners to do, and it becomes a repair situation. K opted to to not have have a repair service many years ago, so nothing has changed. Instead of repair they offer a replacement Strato at a discount. They also replace the Strato at no cost if the owner's unit is still under warranty.
Jim
Someone from Kscape (forgot who) confirmed on AVSforum a while ago that Strato and Strato S have the same hardware and software. I believe this person was talking about the boards only, rather than the drives as those could differ from one Strato to another even within the same generation.I'll confirm with K before answering the question regarding a Strato's ability to work with a Terra after a drive failure. I do have an answer, but given the misinformation I received (or misunderstood), I'd rather confirm before answering.
Based on what I was told there is a distinction between the original Strato and the Strato-S in the drive's being used for storage (higher grade drives in the "S"), but no other relevant differences.
Jim