How is WD's RMA?

[RichieZ]

I have a WD600BB retail boxed drive

I leave my computer on all the time like many other ppl here. This morning I wake up I try and open a file on my D drive and it says invalid!

So i restart and when detecting IDE drives it says primary master fail! Just great. I take the POS out to take a look, looks ok.

Now the damn thing only works if i stand it up sideways. POJ! I'm copying stuff off as fast as possible but I don't have enough free space.

Just great dying the week before I get my WD1000SE, it was supposed to replace my IBM 36LZX 10K SCSI drive as my boot drive, but now its not gonna. SCSI FOREVER!

 

[RichieZ]

more things: it just sat there clicking this morning when i tried to access it.

No signs of imminent death, i mean i saw some messed up icons but i thought it was just windows being stupid.

I have SMART enabled and got no warning.

How is WD RMA policy? I've only delt w/ IBM before. Do they offer advanced RMA?

 

[Paulson]

Well I had one go bad on me... just kept on developing bad sectors...

anyways, I don't know if western digital has advanced RMA, but I do know the western digital drive I got back from them works better than the original.

 

[kgraeme]

WD has excellent RMA service. I've used it so many times that I won't buy WD anymore.

 

[SgtZulu]

had the same exact drive die on me last night.Looks like their online rma is jacked up so we'll have to call it in.

 

[DoOLiE11]

WD has a good RMA setup. it is like how IBM use to be like
where u can call them up get a drive sent to u advance and than just end your defective one back to them...

 

[bunker]

<< WD has a good RMA setup. it is like how IBM use to be like
where u can call them up get a drive sent to u advance and than just end your defective one back to them... >>


Make sure you have a credit card with the amount of a new drive available though. They won't charge you for the new drive as long as you get the old one back to them within 30 days of recieving the new one. They do need a cc though, unless you elect the old fashioned way and send them the dead drive first.

 

[RanDum72]

Set the mobo IDE controller to SMART enabled, then download the diagnostic software off WD's website. You run it under DOS ( make sure to have a WinME start-up disk) and it will give you some error codes if something is wrong with your drive. Then go back to WD's website and get an RMA#. The on-line form will ask your for the drive info (model#, serial#, etc..) and the error code. The error code is not necessary but I heard it expedites things a bit. It will give you an RMA # and the address where to send it. The replacement usually arrives within two weeks. You can also check the status of the RMA in their website.

 

[CrackRabbit]

<< WD has excellent RMA service. I've used it so many times that I won't buy WD anymore >>



ahh yes the days of having to send one dead drive after another back to them....

 

[MillhouseOfHorror]

Iv still got one that I meant to send back almost a year ago. It died after a few months of use, but I never got around to getting the RMA...wonder why?

Good thing its got a 3 year warranty

 

[TheWart]

I sent them an RMA, and they responded very quickly. Great service overall.

 

[ctowle]

I felt it was very effective. Totally automated, no having to call. If you use their diagnostic software and get an error code, you can get it replaced in a matter of weeks. The majority of the time is in shipping back and forth.

 

[lozina]

<< Just great dying the week before I get my WD1000SE, it was supposed to replace my IBM 36LZX 10K SCSI drive as my boot drive, but now its not gonna. SCSI FOREVER! >>



It's funny you mention that... I have had 2 Western Digital HD's for 2 & 3 years, while I had a SCSI HD for 3 years. So far I've had to RMA the SCSI (to Seagate) TWICE, while havent had any problems with the WD IDE drives

 

[RichieZ]

haha cool advanced RMA rules, got the replacement drive already.

 

[DavemanUT]

I sent one back for RMA on Monday. It was a 45 gig 5400 drive. I'm pretty sure they'll bump me to 60 gig since they don't make the 45 giggers anymore, but I'm prayin for 7200.

My only concern is that they admit that it is broken. I couldn't access some of my data the other day, and it's been running slower and slower, and occasionally it would make the "clicking" sound. It still had 1.5 years left on the warranty, so I'm not worried about that.

D.C.

 

[optimistic]

<< WD has a good RMA setup. it is like how IBM use to be like
where u can call them up get a drive sent to u advance and than just end your defective one back to them... >>



Does anyone have a link or a phone number I can call for this "advance" RMA service?

I tried their Standard U.S. Support Numbers, but it doesnt mention anything about this option. All automated responses, and I can't seem to get pass the machines to a real live person.

So if anyone has more information or a number I can call -I'd appreciate it.