IDE Drive for old print server, what should I get?

[solidsnake204]

Last year I brought a cheap Maxtor DiamondMax 120GB for my old P4 print server.

It has been running Debian fine for all this time, but printer sharing just simply wouldn't work properly.

So I decided to throw a copy of XP onto it, but during the format, the drive clicked and the setup said the formatting failed.

Performing a diagnostic using both SeaTools and PowerMax, both said that the drive had bad sectors and requires replacing.


Now, I don't want to spend £50 on a drive for a computer that's hardly used. So here's my options:

1. Send the drive back to the seller for a replacement, I have to pay the postage costs.

2. Buy this 'generic' drive. Reviewers say they got Hitachi drives:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Generic-Hard-Disk-Drive-160GB/dp/B000OUI8OQ/

3. Spend a little more and get this Western Digital drive:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Caviar-Internal-Drive/dp/B000VRZ7PA/

4. Get a CompactFlash card and use a CF-to-IDE adapter.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingston-16GB-266X-Compact-Flash/dp/B001FO4QHI/
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compact-Flash-CF-3-5-IDE-39-Pin-Converter-Adapter-/370534696230


What do you think I should do?

 

[WyomingKnott]

Almost all consumer drives made these days are interchangeable. Get the Hitachi.

Or ask this guy for one: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262308-32-wiping-single-multiple-hard-drives . He has 2,000 of them.

 

[solidsnake204]

I reread the reviews of the generic one, but the more recent reviews.

Seems that they're now shipping Maxtor and MDT drives, two brands I don't really want.

So option 2 is out, what should I do?

Also forgot to say that I do have the option of purchasing a 2nd hand drive from my local CeX store.


My last resort option is taking the drive from my external hard drive, but that would leave me without an external hard drive.

 

[Wamphryi]

Or you could simply buy a dedicated print server which in many cases would be the same price as a drive thus eliminating the need to run a PC to the job.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=387