On: ST3000DM001

[flyinghamster]

Equipment cost is a huge problem there. You need a proper clean room if you're going to tear apart HDDs and expect them to work again when you reassemble them. Not to mention, the extremely precise tolerances involved would make mechanical mods a tall order indeed.

Firmware mods would be more doable, assuming it isn't locked down.

[userbinator → flyinghamster]

WDs tend to be a bit more durable... especially in smaller capacities:

http://www.brendangregg.com/blog/2021-05-09/poor-disk-perfor...