Returning a Seagate Hard Drive for Replacement

This is a blog post from 2009. The information here is already out of date. Please contact your seller for updated details how to RMA a hard drive

Problem

My 1TB Seagate hard disk drive died on me last July 21.

Cause

Hard drives randomly die for various reasons, from fired circuit boards to damaged magnetic platters. Anyone who has worked with computers should expect it to happen once in a while.

Solution

Thankfully, the RMA procedure for Seagate hard drives is well documented in a TipidPC post.

I basically followed the steps in that post. I didn’t download the diagnostic tool, though, because my motherboard can’t even detect the hard disk. This simply means that there’s no software solution for un-borking my hard drive.

Checking the warranty of my hard drive, I found out that the drive’s still good for warranty up to 2011. This makes sense because I just bought the drive last December.

Going through the next steps, I clicked the “Create RMA” image and filled up the form according to the TipidPC post (i.e. I chose Fritz Logistics for the shipping location). After finishing all of the forms, an acknowledgment page containing the details of my request was shown. This page also displayed the next steps that I need to take in order to finish my request. An e-mail was also sent to my e-mail address containing the same information in the acknowledgment page.

The next step is to submit the hard drive itself to Fritz Logistics, who will then re-pack it and forward it to the Seagate office in Singapore.

Note that local courier services (e.g. LBC, Air21, 2GO) don’t normally accept electronic devices unless they are properly packed. The suggestion given by the LBC guy I talked to was to pack it in a small lunch box.

However, being a cheap guy (not to mention a guy who thinks electronic devices are mostly disposable) I simply packed my hard drive in two ESD bubble wrap bags (you can buy this in hardware stores like Ace Hardware), then placed it inside a cheap 4 peso gift box from a nearby bookstore, and filled the gaps with crumpled paper.

For the record, though, I would strongly suggest that you follow the 2nd point in the mail sent by Seagate regarding packing:

2. Use original packaging when possible, such as packaging sent with Advanced Replacement Order:

– Enclose each drive in an ESD (electrostatic discharge) bag or in an anti-static plastic shell (SeaShell).
– Secure each unit in 2 inch-thick foam rubber in a corrugated box. Do not use peanuts, bubble wrap or newspaper. If packaging more than one drive, use a separate container for each drive.
– Print the order number on the outside of each box.
– For more information on how to pack your unit, please view: http://www.seagate.com/support/service/pdf/pack.pdf
– For more information concerning packaging suppliers, please view: http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/warranty_&_returns_assistance/packing_&_shipping_instructions/Packaging_Information

Anyway, I wrapped up my packing by including a print-out of the order acknowledgment inside the box before taping it shut, as well as writing the order number clearly on the box itself.

I had the box delivered to the location via 2GO for 130 pesos. I sent it on July 24 and according to 2GO, a security guard received it on July 26 (a Sunday).

Days passed by and I thought my order was lost somewhere. Luckily, it wasn’t lost because by July 31, I received an e-mail from “SEAGATE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PTE LTD” saying that they already received my hard drive.

Yesterday, I received an e-mail saying that the hard drive was already shipped.

The fun part was that it had a UPS tracking code!

I’m currently unemployed so I got to personally receive the package.

The hard drive is encased in a specially designed foam package. This box will come handy the next time a hard drive dies on me.

The replacement hard drive is the first picture in this post. As you can see, it’s not a brand new hard disk drive but a “Certified Repaired HDD”. While being just a repaired unit might make some people worry about its reliability, I’m personally not worried about it crashing again because I always make backups for critical data. As for the device itself, I’ll just have it RMAed again if that happens.

And for the final pic, a screenshot of my computer detecting the drive:

Thanks again to TPC’s mark_17 for providing a step-by-step guide!