Think I'm out $120 now...because I did something really stupid dealing with an RMA. Edit, I'm not screwed.

[SirChadwick]

I had a WD JB800 HDD that started making a clicking noise after about 5 months of use. So I went ahead and RMA'd it through WD and sent it off about 2 weeks ago. I kept checking the status of it, but it still says not received. I kept wondering what was going on, then I read a couple of RMA procedures that I hadn't seen before sending it off...since I was in a hurry. It mentioned that the hard drive had to be sent back in an ESB (electrostatic bag). Now that I think about it, I don't remember doing that. I figured since it was dead, what's the point in shipping it back in an ESB. Anyway I emailed the RMA dept. and am waiting for a response....I sure as hell hope I'm not screwed out of a $120 HDD, which was the price I paid for it when I bought it. At the WD website it says when HDD's are received w/out an ESB, it voids the warranty and the drives may be scrapped.

Has anyone here had an experience like this with Western Digital? Is there anything I can do? Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks in advance. And yes, I already know it's my own damn stupidity so please don't post if you are here to post negative comments.

 

[Vette73]

Do you have a tracking number? If not then they can just say, "Never got it" and you are SOL

 

[SirChadwick]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do you have a tracking number? If not then they can just say, "Never got it" and you are SOL

Nope, guess I'm SOL b/c I sent it off USPS snail mail w/ insurance.

 

[isekii]

media mail ??

how does hd count as media mail ?

something like an RMA you have to get tracking~!!! keep on calling and trying

if all else fails .. file a claim with USPS

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: SirChadwick

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do you have a tracking number? If not then they can just say, "Never got it" and you are SOL

Nope, guess I'm SOL b/c I sent it off USPS media mail w/ insurance.

a tracking number for usps costs like $ .50 extra why didnt you get that?

 

[MrBond]

Always do an advance RMA. They'll do them, you just have to know how to ask and be ready to give them a CC number. Then when you get the replacement drive, you put your dead one in THEIR ESD and THEIR box and ship it back.

Advanced RMA's HAVE gotten more difficult to get now that the general public knows all about RMA'ing stuff, but I've never been turned down for one.

 

[XMan]

Why the hell didn't you ship it to them in the box they provide when you do an RMA? There's a static bag in there.

 

[SirChadwick]

Originally posted by: X-Man
Why the hell didn't you ship it to them in the box they provide when you do an RMA? There's a static bag in there.

Umm b/c they didn't provide me w/ a box. I did not do an Advanced RMA.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
a tracking number for usps costs like $ .50 extra why didnt you get that?

Free DC

 

[Kevin]

Maybe you'll get lucky and the Post Office will lose it so you can collect insurance...

 

[dquan97]

I forgot to put my IBM drive in the ESB and IBM voided my warranty... :|

 

[Smolek]

Originally posted by: MrBond
Always do an advance RMA. They'll do them, you just have to know how to ask and be ready to give them a CC number. Then when you get the replacement drive, you put your dead one in THEIR ESD and THEIR box and ship it back.

Advanced RMA's HAVE gotten more difficult to get now that the general public knows all about RMA'ing stuff, but I've never been turned down for one.

thats how how always do it. Great advice

 

[joozy]

also next time use a trackable carrier i.e. ups

so you see where your package is, not just a confirmation of delivery.

 

[psianime]

Don't worry. It took about 3-4 weeks until they confirmed that they received it and it took another few weeks to get it back into my hands. WD is pretty slow when it comes to RMA's... but it will come.

-psianime

 

[C'DaleRider]

Originally posted by: joozy
also next time use a trackable carrier i.e. ups

so you see where your package is, not just a confirmation of delivery.

Yeah, right....which is why one package I sent two weeks ago is still listed as being in Indiana on the 23d of Jan, while the package is actually in CA, delivered. The tracking is only as good as the people entering the info, and I've had way too many packages get tracked for a day then the info never gets updated until it's scanned at delivery.

 

[SunnyD]

Alot of times - if there is no tracking on the box the companies don't honor warranties too. I've had about 50/50 luck with people telling me that. Something about the return instructions not being followed.

 

[rahvin]

You didn't put it in a bag you are SOL. If you don't follow a single instruction on their list you void your warranty. And my god, sending it USPS? That might work in FS/FT but not when dealing with a business.

 

[EagleKeeper]

IF you sent it via USPS w/ insurance, the Post Office can then verify that it was delivered. If WD lost it within their system, they should honor it.

Maxtor lost a 40GB RMA'd drive, but I had the Post Office DC to indicate that it was delivered.
They honored it with a 60GB 7200 drive.

 

[Kev]

Weird...my hard drive did the same thing last night.

Click...click...click...then powered off.

I was worried but all I had to do was blow dust out of the inside.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: MrBond
Always do an advance RMA. They'll do them, you just have to know how to ask and be ready to give them a CC number. Then when you get the replacement drive, you put your dead one in THEIR ESD and THEIR box and ship it back.

Advanced RMA's HAVE gotten more difficult to get now that the general public knows all about RMA'ing stuff, but I've never been turned down for one.

This is why I like Newegg.

 

[dman]

I'd guess your odds of being |.'\.'\.'\.'\.'\.'\.'\.'>'ed are 50/50.

 

[SirChadwick]

Phew....my drive made it to WD and even though there was no ESD, they still accepted it.
------------------------------------
Dear CHAD,

This is a confirmation notification that we have received your
defective drive(s) for RMA #XXXXXXX. Your replacement
drive will be sent to you in 5-7 days. If you have any questions about your RMA,
please reply to this email or use our web form at http://websupport.wdc.com/rd.asp?t=13&p=rn
If the information is correct, please do not reply back
to this email.

RMA Number: XXXXXXX

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: maladroit
Weird...my hard drive did the same thing last night.

Click...click...click...then powered off.

I was worried but all I had to do was blow dust out of the inside.

Blow dust out of the inside maladroit? :Q