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p.1 #6 · Have internal HD's gotten more expensive lately? reccomendations? | |
Disk drive makers and their system customers are being hit due to shortages of mechanical and electrical components. The most critical loss for many manufacturers are a key component for read/write heads.
Ironically, one of the major components of read/write heads -- read/write head wafers -- are produced in Ireland, the U.S. and Japan. Another critical component, the slider, though, is produced in Thailand.
The slider is the block on the tip of a read/write head on which the record and playback head (wafer) is mounted. "For Western Digital, we believe that will be the component most critically short in 2012," Rydning said.
Current HDD inventories will be depleted this quarter, which will offset some HDD production shortfall, IDC said.
"We generally believe the HDD industry will find way to return to pre-flood production levels by March 2012, but by that point HDD supplies will be at extremely low levels," Rydning said. "It's still going to be a pretty painful period from December through February for most HDD customers."
Excerpt from this article and yes, it was Thailand, not Taiwan:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221409/Hard_drive_shortage_expected_to_hurt_consumers_most
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