Identify Disk Drive supplier

[mal]

I have an IBM Deskstar that is supposed to be under 3 years warranty.
I have contacted Hitachi and they said it was an OEM and I have to go
back to my supplier. I bought it off the Internet as, what I thought,
was a retail drive.
Can anyone help identify where it might have been supplied - I know
this is a long shot ... I am certain that it would have been from a UK
web site with a UK address but that doesn't mean that they didn't ship
it from somewhere else I guess.
Model IC35l080AVVA07-0
Capacity 83.3 GB
P/N 07NB0B4
on barcodes:
SN A4GBP40A
P/N 07NB0B4H325750P2L

It has a date of FEB-2002
and something that looks like
N79**39021002
(I am not sure about the ** as it is two characters but they look
similar to *)

Many thanks

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

I have an IBM Deskstar that is supposed to be under 3 years warranty.
I have contacted Hitachi and they said it was an OEM and I have to go
back to my supplier. I bought it off the Internet as, what I thought,
was a retail drive.

Can anyone help identify where it might have been supplied - I know
this is a long shot ... I am certain that it would have been from a UK
web site with a UK address but that doesn't mean that they didn't ship
it from somewhere else I guess.

And how will that make any difference?
The drive is likely from a batch of surplus drives sold by an OEM to
hardware brokers. The OEM probably sold them without warranty. As
IBM/Hitachi said, the drive is without mfgr warranty and you need to
contact *your* supplier (the people that sold it to you and took your money).

Model IC35L080AVVA07-0

Deskstar 120GXP

Capacity 83.3 GB
P/N 07NB0B4
on barcodes:
SN A4GBP40A
P/N 07NB0B4H325750P2L

It has a date of FEB-2002 and something that looks like

N79**39021002
(I am not sure about the ** as it is two characters but they look
similar to *)

That is from the certification institute Tick mark logos.
The ** are eastern type characters.
This is of no importance.

What you want to see is an OEM logo and the absence of an FRU partnumber.
You can try and check the P/N number on the IBM or Hitachi website.
Try here (I think) http://www.hgst.com/hddt/Dlocator.nsf/Search?Openform
It looks a bit suspicious to me when I expect to see 07Nxxxx where xxxx
will be all numbers.

 

[Rich Barry]

If you only purchased the drive then yes it's OEM. A retail version
would come in a fancy IBM box with software etc.
IBM drives before Hitachi took over were failing at a very high rate

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

If you only purchased the drive then yes it's OEM.

Nope, there are OEM retail drives and there are drives sold to OEMs.
Apparently he has a latter one.

A retail version would come in a fancy IBM box with software etc.

Or as an OEM retail drive in just a silver bag.
Retail drives have no FRU number and have the OEM logo.
Don't know though whether these drives can have been sold
to OEMs -other than IBM itself- too.
Drives for IBM internal use have FRU numbers and no OEM logo.
Sofar I have had luck buying drives on these terms and have warranty.

IBM drives before Hitachi took over were failing at a very high rate.

Only some were.

 

[mal]

Thanks folks.

A plug for Hitachi. I did end up getting details of the drive AND they
suggested running a drive check (downloadable) AND they gave me an RMA
number AND my replacement drive has just been dispaced within 3
working days of them receiving it !!

What a service !

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Thanks folks.

A plug for Hitachi.

That's odd.
They first send you on a wild goose chase, extending your problems, and
then you go thank them for that.

I did end up getting details of the drive

Yes, and?

AND they suggested running a drive check (downloadable) AND they
gave me an RMA number AND my replacement drive has just been
dispaced within 3 working days of them receiving it !!

What a service !

Yeah, dismal.