If you missed the $299 deals on the HP MediaSmart Servers late last year, you may want to jump on this one. eCost is selling the Hewlett Packard MediaSmart Server EX470 for $344. Please note that this is an HP Recertified unit and therefore is NOT brand new, but it is still warranted by HP.
Even though the newer Intel powered MediaSmart Servers hit the street a few months back, these original AMD powered servers are still a great choice if you do the 2GB memory upgrade. Many of the software enhancements that the new units have are supposed to be available to upgrade the older units (we're still waiting HP).
Thanks to @kieronbrewer for tweeting me about this deal.
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7 comments:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/ also has recertified 470s for $380-$30 off coupon SV2132 and I think free shipping. They had a stackable 15% off awhile back but no luck again, keep your eyes open for that to possibly pop up again.
Or for about $400 you could by a new ex485 if you are a student (10% off) and you use the coupon AC3897 for $100 off and live.com cashback (5% cashback).
source....
http://www.whshack.com/2009/03/100-off-media-smart-server.html
Yes HP, we're still waiting . . . please give us the new interface . . . please?
Great deals. I'll be sure to link to this coverage over in the Tom's forums on my recent story. Thanks to one and all.
--Ed--
The newer EX475 is $600-$75 instant-$30 Coupon above = $495 with free 5-7 day shipping at HP Home this week. Maybe with some of the discounts above (student, Live) it may be lower. www.shopping.hp.com
Donovan,
Regardfing your post of an HP ex470 Mediasmart server, I felt compelled to inform you of my problem purchasing from eCost.com to warn both yourself and your readers.
I bought one from eCost.com. When it arrived it had a 320GB drive installed in it. I spoke with "Rolf" at HP who told me that this wasn't the fist complaint of this kind from items purchased from eCost.com. I am still fighting with eCost 1 month later.
Below is the email sent to my credit card company as well as the follow up. please feel free to e-mail me for addition information or follow up. I can also send you my phome number upon request if you wish to discuss this further.
Sincerely,
Jamie Waterman
HP EX470 Mediasmart Server
On 3-11-2009 I ordered an HP EX470 Mediasmart Server from an online merchant “ECOST.COM”. Ecost order # EXXXXXX
The EX470 a centralized server for home or small office that allows you to back up multiple computers and allows access to files across the internet. This was purchased for my home business use. The device is advertised as coming with a 500GB hard drive. HP also sells other models with larger hard drives, but the EX 470 comes with the smallest available drive at 500GB.
The EX470 arrived on Wednesday 3-18-2009, although I didn’t have time to install it until Saturday 3-21-2009. Because the EX470 was not working properly I contacted “Rolf” at HP Support and generated help ticket #XXXXXXXXXX. Rolf had me physically open the case for the EX470 and remove the hard drive. It was then found that the unit was shipped out to me with a 320GB hard drive Seagate serial # 5qf25ne6. The drive had a blue ‘sticky dot’ stuck on it that resembles two sticky dots on the outside of the shipping box for the EX470.
Rolf told me that HP has never shipped EX470s with anything smaller than a 500GB hard drive and that the EX470 was not designed to function with anything less than a 500 GB hard drive. Rolf also said that this is not the first time that he personally has heard about consumers having similar problems with items purchased from Ecost.com. Rolf also told me that there was no way that the unit shipped from HP with anything less than a 500GB hard drive. Rolf told me that HP would conduct an internal investigation regarding this issue but that I would have to take up that hard drive issue with Ecost.com. Rolf also told me that Ecost.com would try to get the EX470 back so that they could cover up their obvious swapping of the hard drive and requested I hold onto the EX470 in case HP needed to do follow up.
The total time I was on the phone with HP was 1 hour 25 minutes.
A further check on Seagate’s website showed that this particular hard drive was meant to be installed in a pc and not as it currently was being utilized.
I then called Ecost.com and spoke with Armin. I informed Armin of the situation and that an appropriate solution would be for Ecost.com to send me a 500GB hard drive, which they sell on their website. Upon receipt, I would send them back the 320GB. I was even willing to reinstall the operating system of the server onto the new hard drive, saving Ecost.com time and money. Armin said he would have an upper level support manager call me back immediately. This never happened.
On Monday, 3-23-2009 at 2PM, I called and spoke with Debbie who put me on hold for Armin for 15 minutes. I then was disconnected. I called back and spoke with Cathy, who told me that All managers are in a meeting and could not speak to me. I asked for someone to call me back that day with a resolution to this matter, but no call came again.
On 3-24-2009 at 4:15PM, I called and spoke with James Baker extension 816) who told me that my case had been escalated with a ‘double follow up’ and that I would be contacted by the next morning at the latest.
On 3-25-2009 at 4:45PM I called and spoke with Jen telling her that, once again, no one has called me back as promised. Jen told me that she would have James Baker call me back first thing tomorrow morning as he had already left the office for the day.
On 3-26-2009 at 11:30AM I called and spoke with Jay who told me that James Baker was out of the office and that no one there could help me regarding this issue as James Baker was already working on it. Jay told me that he would have James Baker call me first thing in the morning.
On 3-27-2009 at 10:30AM I called and spoke with Anna who told me that James Baker would call me by the end of the day with a resolution to this matter. No call ever came.
On 3-30-2009 at 10AM I spoke with Debbie and told her I need to speak with James Baker regarding my case and that I was tired of being blown off. Debbie told me that James Baker was in the office and would call me that day.
At 2PM I received a call from Brian Alvendia, another manager. Brian told me he had been informed of the situation and that he would take care of me. I informed Brian as to what had already transpired and that HP was also investigating this. Brian asked me to send him a picture of the hard drive so he could verify it and then send me the appropriate hard drive. I told him I would within ½ hour and that I would call back to verify his receipt of the picture. I sent the first picture out of 5 pictures at 2:21PM, and the last picture with a follow up e-mail at 2:41PM. I then called back to confirm that he received the pictures and was told that he was busy. I left him a message on his voice mail asking him to call me to confirm receipt of the pictures e-mails. I did not get a call back.
On 3-31-2009 at 1:30PM I called and spoke with Brian. Brian told me that he had not received the e-mails. I told Brian that I had received a return receipt disputing that, but that I was willing to resend the pictures, and did so as I spoke to him. After sending the 3rd e-mail my e-mails started ‘bouncing back’ as if they were being blocked. I told Brian this is getting beyond ridiculous as I received return receipts from the previous e-mails and that these were being deliberately blocked. I then obtained an alternate e-mail address and resent 2 of the images, which Brian received.
Brian then told me that he would take this information to his supervisor and call me back the next day. I reiterated to him that the only acceptable solution to their deliberate illicit swapping of the hard drive was to send me the appropriate drive which they sell on their website and replace the drive. To send the whole unit back would not only deprive me of the unit for at least two week but would also allow them to cover up their improper activity and keep HP from following up as well.
On 3-31-2009 at 5PM I received an e-mail tellingme that an RMA had been authorized and to call Ecost.com to learn how to get a replacement sent to me. I called Ecost.com immediately and spoke with Debbie. Debbie told me that Ecost.com was willing to charge me for ANOTHER EX470 and that when they received ‘a complete’ return of the defective ‘ until they would credit me back. Because Ecost.com has a history of not paying rebates and refunds in a timely matter, if at all, and that Ecost.com blatantly swapped hard drives, I told Debbie that Ecost.com was not working in good faith and that I would dispute the original charge.
This is not the first time I had a problem with Ecost.com. On 11-13-2008 I ordered an Onkyo audio receiver from their website. The item was listed as “In Stock” at the time of my order. After placing the order I was told the item was on backorder until an undetermined time. A refund took several weeks and was difficult to obtain. You would think I would have learned not to do business with Ecost.com.
I am not the only person to have difficulties due to their deceptive sale practices. A quick search online shows many sites such as Complaintsboard.com, bizrate.com, epinions.com, and the Better Business Bureau states about Ecost.com on their site ‘ Some customers experienced difficulty obtaining their rebates, claim ordered products could not be sold because it was on back order, or there was a pricing error. Others allege orders received were defective or contained the wrong parts’
Because of their obvious intent to defraud, their past poor history regarding the very same matter with other customers, and the fact that I had to fight so hard just to get nowhere with them I am disputing this charge.
Any materials requested, whether it be the original unit, the improper hard drive, pictures, contact information, and e-mails will be furnished upon request.
FOLLOW UP AFTER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM BRIAN ALVENDIA AT ECOST.COM
On 4-3-2009 at 4:36PM you called me at home and made an offer of settlement for what you said was the cost of the hard drive at the suggestion of management, and that ECOST.COM didn’t sell 500GB hard drives.
First of all, I don’t know where YOU think a 500GB hard drive can be purchased for only $40.00, but I know of no such magical place. Second, on your own web site you list the following:
http://www.ecost.com/Detail.aspx?edp=3388983&navid=155441519
Western Digital Caviar SE16 Hard Drive - WD5000KSRTL
500GB Capacity, 3.5" x 1/3H, Internal, Serial ATA-300, 300 MBps Data Rate Transfer, 7200 rpm Spindle Speed, 16 MB Buffer Size
Price: $86.99
Availability:
In Stock
Ecost Part #:
3388983
Manufacturer:
Western Digital
Mfg Part #:
WD5000KSRTL
and…
http://www.ecost.com/Detail.aspx?edp=3458041&navid=155441519
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 Hard Drive - ST3500630AS
500GB, Internal Hard Drive 3.5", SATA, 7200RPM, 16MB Buffer Size.
Price: $60.99
Availability:
In Stock
Ecost Part #:
3458041
Manufacturer:
Seagate
Mfg Part #:
ST3500630AS
I frankly do not know what is more insulting, your attempt at a low-ball price, or that you didn’t think that I knew that your company sold the appropriate hard drives. The LEAST EXPENSIVE drive you sell that meets HP’s specs is $60.99, almost $21.00 more than what you offered me. This doesn’t include shipping/handling costs. Both the above listed hard drives are comparable to the drive that was supposed to be included in the EX470.
I appreciate an attempt to resolve, but your call was an insult. I have spent several hours of my own time trying to resolve this in an amicable manner. If you were honestly trying to solve this, then send a comparable hard drive that meets the following specs as according to HP:
500GB capacity
SATA interface
7200 RPM spindle speed
Energystar compliant “green” technology low noise drive.
16MB or higher buffer size
A copy of this e-mail will be forwarded to my credit card company and to HP.
Sincerely,
Jamie T. Waterman
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