[Info-vax] SDLT 1 tape cartridge longevity?

[David Mathog]

Resuscitating an old thread from Apr. 2007.

Yet another Quantum SDLT 1 cartridge failed today.  Same as always, it 
started having write failures.  This cartridge has not seen a huge 
amount of use, as it has been in a slow backup rotation, having been 
through the drive about 40 times, and even then only using a method 
where it is either streaming or stopped, so no scrubbing at all.  After 
the failure the drive was tested with HP's ltt software with a brand new 
cartridge and there were no issues - so clearly a problem with the 
failed cartridge.  (For whatever it's worth, we also have some Maxell 
SDLT 1 cartridges, and none of those have failed.)

So, since the cartridge has a "limited lifetime warranty", I tried to 
RMA it, as had been done previously for tapes of this type with the same 
failure. Pulled up the RMA website, filled it out, and this time it 
rejected the serial number.  Called the 800 number, and found out that 
Quantum has retroactively changed the meaning of "Lifetime Limited 
Warranty" to mean "from manufacturer's defects", as in, and this is 
verbatim, covering only "out of the box failures".  I suspect this is 
probably Quantum's position on all of the older DLT cartridges now.

Which makes me wonder, is it legal for a company to renege on a lifetime 
warranty, other than by declaring bankruptcy?

Regards,

David Mathog