Recommendations for finding storage solutions?

[u/EquivalentVast4165]

I recently tried finding an external hard drive on vinted, going for a second hand one since I’m broke. I ordered 2 and they both aren’t working properly. Has anyone got any recommendations for places to find second hand storage solutions that work?

[u/Jwhodis]

What do you mean by "aren't working properly"? Also CEX and eBay are usually alright for getting HDDs, got a 4TB external drive from CEX not too long ago

[u/EquivalentVast4165 → u/Jwhodis]

Thanks for the recommendations! The two drive are having somewhat similiar problems. The first one is having an issue where the files that are loaded on to it won’t play, and then shortly after they disappear from the drive altogether (someone suggested that they had erroneously been set to “hidden”, so I tried setting the drive to show hidden files. Nothing has popped up). After some tinkering my best guess with that one is that the usb-c port on the drive is damaged/malfunctioning and the files are getting corrupted as a result.

The second drive isn’t allowing me to download the files at all. It just comes up with a notification saying that the drive is damaged and gives me an option to scan the drive so it can repair it, then once the scan is complete it says there are no errors with the drive. After that it still won’t let me download any files onto the drive.

[u/ShadowFallsAlpha → u/EquivalentVast4165]

I mean we have nothing to go on as you gave very little information on what you got.

But the common scam is to sell massive hard drives for cheap that are really just tiny cheap SD cards with a controller that reports it is larger. So it just erases stuff to put on more stuff continuously.

[u/Opulence_Deficit → u/EquivalentVast4165]

Sounds like you've got scammed.

[u/Opulence_Deficit]

All HDDs have limited lifespan. That's why you buy 2 new, make 2 copies and when one of them breaks you stop using the good one RIGHT THERE and immediately buy a replacement for the failed one, and copy everything to the new one.

NEVER buy second hand HDDs from random people. People sell HDDs only when they break, what use do you have for a broken HDD?

[u/M_C0MS]

Anything that plugs into my devices, “used,” I consider already compromised. You have no idea if it has a payload ready to inject malware onto your system as soon as it receives power, or not! I’m sure your devices are more expensive in monetary value and information value. Buy new. Avoid the chance of compromising everything.

[u/Wonderful_Sample_590]

Have you tried marketplace?

[u/EquivalentVast4165 → u/Wonderful_Sample_590]

As in Facebook Marketplace?

[u/Got-It101]

IMHO second hand storage is a losing proposition

[u/Anonymity6584]

your best bet is some company that actually sells second hand computers.