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<< newegg has a similar drive IBM 40GB 7200RPM $102 >>
likely an OEM (haven't checked). If so, I believe Maxtor won't honor warranty claims on the drive. If a 3 year warranty from Maxtor is important, don't buy from Newegg (I hope that's not spouting heresy on this board). >>
LOL! I don't think Maxtor is going to honor warranty claims for IBM drives anyway.
The thing about OEM warranties is not about OEM drive packaging. It is about WHO those OEM drives were sold to, and under what terms. People (like me) have been buying OEM packaged drives (static bag only) for years, and most times there is no problem with warranty. The problem arises when a vendor knowingly or unknowingly buys drives that were originally sold to an OEM like Dell or Micron or anyone, with no warranty in the deal. In other words, if you were a PC manufacturer and you called Maxtor or IBM (IBM does this also), and said you wanted to buy 10,000 drives, you might be given the option of buying them with no warranty from the drive manufacturer, at a better price. If one dies, you lose... but you get a better price. Now, if somehow at the end of your PC production run, you end up with extra drives and you sell them to a distributor or store and they resell them, there will be NO warranty to that end-user. All the drive company might do, is give the customer your phone number and tel them to call you. Of course, you aren't goiing to warranty the drive because you dumped them and never want to see them again.
It is just as possible to buy drives in OEM packaging, and have it be under warranty with no problems. Others on this board have reported that IBM drives they bought at Newegg, were covered by IBM. I'd say do what I do and check the web site or call to verify warranty on any OEM packaged drive BEFORE you even install it. If it's not covered, get it exchanged or return the drive.
whew... I'm getting tired of saying this same stuff over and over again.