Foam for HDD RMA, where can I buy it?

[hoss]

Does anyone one know of a good source for the 2" foam required to RMA a Seagate HDD? I'd like to get this out soon, so online is not an option.

I've checked out Staples, Office Depot, and Home Depot online. They don't seem to have anything. You used to be able to find the egg crate style foam used to put on top of mattresses, but all I see now are memory foam pads at ridiculous prices.

Any ideas? I work in Century City and live in Mar Vista.

 

[zagood]

Post office/UPS store/FedEx store?

 

[Phynaz]

Just pack it tightly with newspaper.

Tightly being the key here. You do not want the drive moving around inside the box.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Phynaz
Just pack it tightly with newspaper.

That would invalidate the warranty. HDD manufacturers publish guidelines for packing/shipping drives back to them.

hoss, you can try Walmart.

You can also see if you can do an "advanced RMA" meaning you pay a fee and they ship you the drive first, then you use the box they used to ship the bad one back to them.

You can also use any retail box that a HDD came in and double box it.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Zap
You can also see if you can do an "advanced RMA" meaning you pay a fee and they ship you the drive first, then you use the box they used to ship the bad one back to them.

You can also use any retail box that a HDD came in and double box it.

You'd certainly think you could use a factory box for return shipping. I recall that Seagate had some very demanding shipping requirements. It'd probably be worth it to just use their Advanced RMA process and use their own packaging for the return.

Personally, I have yet to find an instance where it was worthwhile to me and my clients to do an RMA for a drive. The real cost of arranging the return and shipping is more than the drive is worth. Plus, you'll likely get a refurbished drive back. I wouldn't use a refurbished drive for anything critical. Just my opinion...

 

[hoss]

I didn't think the Advanced RMA was worth it. This is a 300GB drive, so I think it is worth replacing so long as I can do it for a low sum of money. Unfortunately there isn't a WalMart in the immediate area so I will have to wait until the weekend rather than face the parking lot that is the 405 freeway. In the meantime I will stop in a Home Depot since I will be passing one. I wonder if carpet pad is a viable option.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
You'd certainly think you could use a factory box for return shipping. I recall that Seagate had some very demanding shipping requirements.

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-...shipping_instructions/

Use original packaging when possible.
...
DO NOT USE foam packing pellets, bubble wrap, or newspaper.

 

[hoss]

@Zap

I have the instructions as I've already submitted my normal RMA. Now I just need to ship it. I was thinking carpet pad since it is essentially 1/4" or 1/2" foam sheet. I could just cut it to fit the box and do layers. Not sure of the price until I go to Home Depot.

 

[Zap]

My previous post also addressed this:

Originally posted by: Phynaz
Just pack it tightly with newspaper.

Fail.

 

[humanure]

from seagates site, $15 for packing materials.

Text

 

[humanure]

you could try to get some acoustic foam also, check a music store like guitar center, they usually have it.

 

[ZippyDan]

these new super specific packing requirements are fail, although i'm sure some losers who didn't pack their HD's right are to blame... if i pack my drive in a box tightly with a bunch of packing peanuts or bubble wrap... what's the problem? i'm pretty sure i got this drive from newegg way back when packed in bubble wrap.

has anyone actually had any experience with a warranty return being refused because they didn't use the specified 2" rubber foam packing?

 

[Andrew1990]

Originally posted by: ZippyDan
these new super specific packing requirements are fail, although i'm sure some losers who didn't pack their HD's right are to blame... if i pack my drive in a box tightly with a bunch of packing peanuts or bubble wrap... what's the problem? i'm pretty sure i got this drive from newegg way back when packed in bubble wrap.

has anyone actually had any experience with a warranty return being refused because they didn't use the specified 2" rubber foam packing?

Holy rise from the dead batman!


Anyways, I didnt use foam when I RMAed a drive a month or two ago. I just used brown paper and multiple boxes within boxes and it went through.

The foam they sent back with it was insanely huge and I doubt it needed that much protection.

 

[Blain]

I did buy a foam mattress pad to cut up and RMA a HD one time.
I think mine was for Hitachi.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: ZippyDan
has anyone actually had any experience with a warranty return being refused because they didn't use the specified 2" rubber foam packing?

I've read of people successfully violating the hard drive maker's packing demands.

I find those demands very discouraging, which is probably what the drive makers are trying to accomplish. If I ever returned a drive, I'd probably just pack it in one of the Retail hard drive boxes I have laying around for that purpose.

Along that line...
Over the past couple of months, I've received OEM hard drives from several retailers. Their shipping methods are very different:

Tigerdirect.com - shipped the Hitachi drives in clear plastic display cases, with ZERO added packing. Basically, the drives were bouncing in a box, protected only by a 1/32" thick piece of clear plastic.

Newegg.com - Shipped wrapped in bubble wrap inside of several inches of foam peanuts.

Amazon.com - Each drive was packed in a sealed cardboard box, with a thick foam eggcrate hold the drive. I beleive this was the best packaging, with nothing allowed to bounce and with very good shock absorbtion.

ZipZoomFly.com - Drive was inside a 1/2-inch-thick custom semi-rigid foam container and put inside a box with some packing material to keep it from bouncing around.