If you suspect that the drive you are using has a problem, then you may need to contact
the company to obtain warranty service on the drive. Instructions for doing this are
easily found on the manufacturer's web site under a heading typically called
"Support". You will usually be asked to call the company's technical support
department for instructions and to obtain an RMA (return of materials authorization)
number. Some companies may let you get an RMA number using an automated system.
Warning: Never send a
drive, or in fact anything, back to any company without an RMA number (unless you
are instructed to do so, which is rare). At best, the item will be refused and sent back
to you. At worst, it will get lost in their system because they will have no way of
tracking it. Never underestimate the odds of unidentified hardware getting lost in a large
company!
Companies vary in their policies regarding failure
determination, and the conditions you must satisfy before they will accept a drive
back under warranty. Some will make you use their diagnostic
software to check out the drive first; others will take your word on a claim that the
drive is misbehaving (reasoning that nobody would put themselves through the hassle of
sending back a drive without good cause!) Policies regarding paperwork and timing of
various actions also vary greatly from one drive maker to another.
Next: Data Security
