WD being mean...

_Jimlad_ · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:25

I have a 1TB Caviar Green drive (WD10EADS) it was made in Feb 2009 and im pretty sure i got for a gift at xmas, but to be honest i could well have brought it from MM,

the drive died after a clicking noise, i call up WD and they won't replace as its a OEM, they can't tell me who provided it and im struggling to find out myself.

Seems a bit mean to me, if its WD drive i would have thought they would help, dunno why im writing this, any OCUK workers online? any thoughts on this, i know these are cheap to buy now but seems a shame, and to be honest i would expect more from a big gun like WD

terryuk22 · 13 Sep 2010 at 13:52

i was thinking that when i see them for sale on bay not working.
but if its not working surly 3 years is 3 years warranty no matter how you got it
and you can check by serial

out of interest how gives the best no hassle warranty

Azra · 13 Sep 2010 at 14:57

Seagate were a breeze last drive I sent back but a Corsair SSD had to be sent (recorded delivery) to Holland and cost me a small fortune so I wasn't happy with them.

_Jimlad_ · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:11

terryuk22 said:
i was thinking that when i see them for sale on bay not working.
but if its not working surly 3 years is 3 years warranty no matter how you got it
and you can check by serial

out of interest how gives the best no hassle warranty

i always thought WD were the best, they would often send out a replacement and you just send your old one in within 30 days or they charge you....

Azra said:
Seagate were a breeze last drive I sent back but a Corsair SSD had to be sent (recorded delivery) to Holland and cost me a small fortune so I wasn't happy with them.

yeah had that with a Corsair flash stick, i was going to Belgium on holiday so i took it and posted from there... still cost a bit and two 3 weeks to sort.

PhillyDee · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:13

They sell OEM drives cheaper, and like processors, they may be identical, but do not come with warrantee. I have had the same problem in the past with seagate.

Sem · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:18

all WD drives sold over here oem anyway?

when you put the serial in here what does it say exactly

_Jimlad_ · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:45

Sem said:
all WD drives sold over here oem anyway?

when you put the serial in here what does it say exactly

i left it at work, but something along the lines of number not reconsigned please contact support. i have no proof of purchase but the make says feb 2009. the guy agreed its covered but i have to go through the reseller,

Sootie · 13 Sep 2010 at 22:24

Good WD customer service

I had a Samsung fail last year - just went to their website, entered the serial, RMAd, new one back in less than a week

matthab · 13 Sep 2010 at 22:32

Had the same issue. Tried to RMA a 1tb drive I was given but it was OEM as it came from a system builder. Still sitting on my desk till this day.

_Jimlad_ · 13 Sep 2010 at 23:23

matthab said:
Had the same issue. Tried to RMA a 1tb drive I was given but it was OEM as it came from a system builder. Still sitting on my desk till this day.

thats sucks, gonna send a mail and have a moan, i managed to get £30 off my bank last week for moaning... so will try my luck

bremen1874 · 13 Sep 2010 at 23:55

From a warranty point of view there are three types of drive…

Retail – Pretty box and direct warranty with the manufacturer.
Bulk drives – No pretty box but still has a direct warranty with the manufacturer. These are what you’d expect to receive if you ordered an ‘OEM’ drive from a retailer.
True OEM drives – Supplied to box builders, the drive doesn’t have any warranty in its own right. It’ll be covered by whatever warranty the overall system has. Remove the drive from the system and there’s no warranty at all.

In my opinion the true OEM drives intended for system builders shouldn’t be sold through retail channels.

If you do knowingly buy a drive that falls into this category then you shouldn’t moan about the lack of manufacturer support.

If you unknowingly get one of these drives through retail channels then it’s time to change retailers.

AtreuS · 14 Sep 2010 at 00:23

First thing i do when i buy a harddrive ( oem ) is to check the serial number on the manufacturer website before opening the anti static bag.

If its not under manufacturer warranty i take it back and ask for one that is, or get a refund.

A reseller such as ocuk or other online places like it should not be selling True oem drives ( with no manufacturer warranty ) and if they are then they should specifically state it. As far as i know its actually very naughty to sell true oem drives outside of systems, and the manufacturer wouldnt be best pleased.

bremen1874 · 14 Sep 2010 at 00:33

I also normally check the warranty before opening a new drive.

I also request the serial number for any drive I'm buying second hand. If I can confirm the warranty then I know that even if the drive is DOA I can get it replaced for the cost of the postage. If there’s no warranty, or the seller wont/can’t provide the serial then I don’t buy it.

In product descriptions OEM tends to get misused to describe anything that doesn’t come in full retail packaging. Unfortunately, depending on the product, OEM can mean many different things from a warranty and support point of view.