Used SSD Drive Bought from PB Tech

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4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1735060 11-Mar-2017 21:58

NikT:

BMIT:

@nikt I purchased in Intel 600P 256GB SSD from the Christchurch branch around mid day today. As soon as I connected the drive and turned the PC on, it ran a Windows 10 install for 32/64 bit.

I assumed that this was a refurbished model as new drives should be blank. After installing the OS, I assigned the boot partition with a drive letter and investigated what was in that partition.

There were two concerning files that thankfully weren't malicious, however it is concerning that I purchased a "new" product and noticed the drive had already been used for approx 18 hours BEFORE I installed the system.

The SSD is a legitimate Intel drive however it's clearly been used previously.

I was unable to format the partition or wipe the drive entirely. I couldn't install a fresh OS onto the drive so I have packaged it up and will return it in store tomorrow.

I will be in touch tomorrow with you also to keep you posted.

BMIT

Thanks heaps for the details - If you could please send these and the invoice number through to Paul.Barr@pbtech.co.nz, that would be brilliant.

Unfortunately probably best if the Christchurch team don't provide you with a replacement from the same stock as they'll all need to be checked - unless you don't mind them opening one up in-store to confirm it's not affected?

Good as gold, Have sent email through. Thanks for your help! :)

Pumpedd

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#1735208 12-Mar-2017 12:20

Any response isnt good enough imo.

These used units were repackaged deliberately and sold as new. They have the potential for viruses and all sorts that could do much harm. If the retailer was unaware (which I am dubious about) then they MUST offer compensation and recall all units ASAP.

clinty

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#1735220 12-Mar-2017 12:39

Pumpedd:
Any response isnt good enough imo.

These used units were repackaged deliberately and sold as new. They have the potential for viruses and all sorts that could do much harm. If the retailer was unaware (which I am dubious about) then they MUST offer compensation and recall all units ASAP.

I believe that is what NikT has said they will do. Once they have confirmed what stock is/maybe affected. It will be pulled and checked.

Considering this was bought to thier attention at 7ish on a Saturday night via a forum ( none of the parties affected had actually contacted PBTech at this point) by 9pmish those that could make a descion had been contacted, were asking for more information and all branch managers had been informed there may be an issue.

Customers were given a direct email to use to some one that could follow this up, and we were informed that stock would have to be recalled to be checked

TBH I think NikT and PBtech have handled this extremely well

Of course they need to look at why these drives appeared on shelves as new stock, but that will take a bit of time, and I am sure someone will be getting an HR approved spanking :-p

Clint

dejadeadnz

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#1735231 12-Mar-2017 13:07

clinty:

TBH I think NikT and PBtech have handled this extremely well

Of course they need to look at why these drives appeared on shelves as new stock, but that will take a bit of time, and I am sure someone will be getting an HR approved spanking :-p

Clint

I also disagree. There are very few acceptable, commercially realistic, and non-consumer trust damaging reasons for apparently multiple brands of used SSDs containing other people's data being sold in different branches of a supposedly reputable multi-site retailer. If one accepts that premise, whatever the retailer does afterwards is at best secondary.

I for one won't ever buy anything from PB Tech again after reading this.

michaelmurfy

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#1735243 12-Mar-2017 13:41

dejadeadnz:

clinty:

TBH I think NikT and PBtech have handled this extremely well

Of course they need to look at why these drives appeared on shelves as new stock, but that will take a bit of time, and I am sure someone will be getting an HR approved spanking :-p

Clint

I also disagree. There are very few acceptable, commercially realistic, and non-consumer trust damaging reasons for apparently multiple brands of used SSDs containing other people's data being sold in different branches of a supposedly reputable multi-site retailer. If one accepts that premise, whatever the retailer does afterwards is at best secondary.

I for one won't ever buy anything from PB Tech again after reading this.

We don't quite know what happened here so it isn't worth jumping to conclusions. For all we know it could have been their supplier if the units were sealed. I don't think a retailer would intentionally do this. We'll just wait and find out further news.

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dejadeadnz

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#1735248 12-Mar-2017 13:56

From the POV of a consumer, I can say that I have never heard of anything remotely similar happening to another retailer. I am not here to say conclusively that PB is dodgy but as a consumer, there are lots of choices. Speaking for myself, I won't ever choose PB again based on this.

tripp

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#1735263 12-Mar-2017 14:14

I myself have always found PB to skim the lines of the law from their inflated RRP and savings prices to stock pricing increasing just before sales and then "on sale" at the old price it was.

There has been a couple of times when they did not honour one of their sales and just came back with "it's sold out" even after their systems saying it was paid for and waiting to be picked up by courier (money was taken off my credit card).

Even had eyes rolled at me when pointing out that lady was trying to charge me more than what it said on the sticker (which she then took and ripped up).

Sounds like some of these SSD's were used to tranfer data by their own service department and then boxed and put back out for people to buy.

Will I keep buying from them? Sure but only when the product can't be sourced from somewhere else but JBhifi has matched PBtech sales price the last 2 times I have asked them.

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#1735315 12-Mar-2017 15:14

clinty:
Pumpedd:

Any response isnt good enough imo.

These used units were repackaged deliberately and sold as new. They have the potential for viruses and all sorts that could do much harm. If the retailer was unaware (which I am dubious about) then they MUST offer compensation and recall all units ASAP.

I believe that is what NikT has said they will do. Once they have confirmed what stock is/maybe affected. It will be pulled and checked.

Considering this was bought to thier attention at 7ish on a Saturday night via a forum ( none of the parties affected had actually contacted PBTech at this point) by 9pmish those that could make a descion had been contacted, were asking for more information and all branch managers had been informed there may be an issue.

Customers were given a direct email to use to some one that could follow this up, and we were informed that stock would have to be recalled to be checked

TBH I think NikT and PBtech have handled this extremely well

Of course they need to look at why these drives appeared on shelves as new stock, but that will take a bit of time, and I am sure someone will be getting an HR approved spanking :-p

Clint

Given the overall circumstances, at this stage I really don't think it can be said that "PBtech have handled this extremely well".

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Lias

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#1735323 12-Mar-2017 15:35

Not at all surprised.. I had a "new" HDD from PBTech Hamilton 6-7 years ago that came with data on it.

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AKLWestie

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#1735339 12-Mar-2017 16:38

Sounds strange to me that a "sealed" unit has been used and has a data on it.

It will be good if those affected can upload some photos and describe how it was "sealed" when they bought the units. If it was "sealed" using an anti-static bag, folded, and then "sealed" with a sticker, then this could be a problem. You just buy those bags of the right size and buy some stickers and stick them together.

I have no experience with Apacer drives and the last Intel SSD I bought was ages ago. However, for Western Digital drives (OEM version), it comes within a sealed anti-static bag that was sealed around the edges (no stickers). It is designed like those ready to eat tuna / salmon pouch. You tear the top (or bottom) off and cannot be resealed.

richms

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#1735344 12-Mar-2017 16:46

AKLWestie:

Sounds strange to me that a "sealed" unit has been used and has a data on it.

It will be good if those affected can upload some photos and describe how it was "sealed" when they bought the units. If it was "sealed" using an anti-static bag, folded, and then "sealed" with a sticker, then this could be a problem. You just buy those bags of the right size and buy some stickers and stick them together.

I have no experience with Apacer drives and the last Intel SSD I bought was ages ago. However, for Western Digital drives (OEM version), it comes within a sealed anti-static bag that was sealed around the edges (no stickers). It is designed like those ready to eat tuna / salmon pouch. You tear the top (or bottom) off and cannot be resealed.

Those are just sealed with a heatbar type sealer typically, antistatic bags with the tearing notch are dirt cheap, heatbar sealer and its a "sealed" item.

Same for shrinkwrap, I expect any place that deals in products has a shrinking machine. Just a matter of the right sized plastic when unsealed which again is a ridiculously cheap item to get from a packaging supplier.

Richard rich.ms

sbiddle

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#1735350 12-Mar-2017 16:56

If you want to see dodgy try walking around Sin Tat Plaza in Hong Kong. It's a great place to buy phones, but also the dodgiest place on earth to buy a phone. Walk past shop fronts and you'll see plenty of hairdryers going resealing packaging!

Lias

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#1735359 12-Mar-2017 17:55

PB Tech not having a good week lol.

Thread blowing up over on Reddit / GPForums / Twitter

https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/5yw51a/really_pb_tech/?st=j067ah9c&sh=48b71a54

http://www.gpforums.co.nz/threads/517735-PB-Tech-is-being-racshist

TL;DR version, PBTech have a black line graphic referenced in their HTML code as "Nigger Line 780"

askelon

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#1735373 12-Mar-2017 18:16

These drives come in a sealed box (which I tend to always rip open cause the friggin tape is so tough) and a plastic sleeve with a rubber bit over the sata plugs. So if it had been opened they did a good job at resealing it - I didn't notice anything until I actually plugged it into a computer. They dont have a sealed antistatic bag like the seagates etc so really until you plug one in you wouldnt know.

I'll check out the drive later on this week and see what sort of hours its clocked up etc but wont get a chance till at least mid week.

zebis

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#1735436 12-Mar-2017 21:17

What I don't understand is how a drive with data on it get resealed, accidentally without being intentional?

I will assume that a new drive is opened, data is cloned (say from an ex-school laptop to be upgraded?) but then the drive isn't used, resealed and put back on the shelf.
But you would only clone data if you intended to do an upgrade (say HDD->SDD), then return to the customer?
Or was cloning used as a backup precaution?

I assume the packaging matches the drive, both in brand and serial numbers?

I work for a school and return our ex-lease laptops, fortunately I DBAN all our drives, then sometimes place a Debian image on just to test most things are working prior to return.

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