HELP: HD shipping materials

[Neptune3000]

I have to RMA an HD to maxtor and I cant bubble wrap it or use any styrofoam. Does anyone know where I can find HD shipping materials online? Maxtor is charging 15BUCKS!! for the empty box with packaging materials. Also, would fed ex have foam materials like in the link below? I dont want to spend a fortune just for packagaing when shipping will cost an arm and a leg.

something like this maybe: http://www.flashbackdata.com/data-recovery/shipping-instructions.html

 

[tweeve2002]

link doesnt work

Why cant you just put the drive in a static bag and wrap it in bubble wrap. The static bag will protect it from static electrity

 

[Neptune3000]

They said I cant use bubble rap or styrofoam because it will void my warranty. I have to follow their *specific* instructions or else i'm screwed.

 

[ActuaryTm]

Packing materials? Would an antistatic bag, and the plastic WD box insert holders (I tend to save those, as they stack nicely) not suffice?

Without the inserts, I imagine an antistatic bag and some Fill-Air and/or newspaper should be sufficient.

 

[Jeff7]

http://www.flashbackdata.com/data-recovery/shipping-instructions.html
There we go.

 

[Neptune3000]

Originally posted by: ActuaryTm
Packing materials? Would an antistatic bag, and the plastic WD box insert holders (I tend to save those, as they stack nicely) not suffice?

Without the inserts, I image an antistatic bag and some Fill-Air and/or newspaper should be sufficient.

all i have is a 10x8x5 box and a antistatic bag. Somehow i need to get some foam or drive inserts.

 

[MrBond]

Do you have a credit card?

Call them back and see if they'll do an "Advanced RMA". It used to be standard for them to do that, but after more and more home users started doing their own PC repair stuff, the hard drive manufacturers stopped offering it outright.

What they'll do is take your credit card number and send you a replacement drive. You pack up your drive in the box that one came in, then send it back to them. If you don't send the old drive back, they charge your credit card for the new drive.

All the hard drive manufacturers used to do that, I never shipped a drive first for an RMA. I haven't had to RMA one in a while - so maybe they're not so willing to do that now.

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: Neptune3000
all i have is a 10x8x5 box and a antistatic bag. Somehow i need to get some foam or drive inserts.

Newsprint should work. Just make certain to nest the drive in the center, with adequate support on all sides (including top AND bottom).