Effective Date : 10/March/2009 Seagate VMI Standard Latest Version Effective Date : 10/March/2009

Objective and Expectations The objective of this document is to set the criteria for voiding warranty at the time of receiving returned disk drive products. Expectations Seagate expects Distributors and their channels to follow the acceptance criteria as outlined in this document rigorously. It is important that Distributors and their networks to get familiar with Seagate/Maxtor products. This is to prevent returns with mix boards and product families from tampered units Seagate expects Distributors and their channels to assist in preventing abused and/or unauthorized modification of Seagate HDD, such as tampered and counterfeit drives, and to prevent them from being returned to Seagate via RMA Failure to comply or to assist in preventing abuse, neglect, modification of any Seagate products with removed, damaged or tampered labels, will result in VOID warranty or debit charges to you by Seagate Distributors and Resellers are expected to support Seagate guidelines and intent of this VMI document These VMI criteria are subject to change and amendment without prior notice. All related VMI criteria questions are to be coordinated through Seagate Customer Service Organization for clarification and response. Contact your Customer Service team to address this directly with Seagate CSO Account Management.

Definitions and Workbench Requirements EHS REQUIREMENTS and RULES: All Seagate drive handling and ESD protocols shall be followed at all times. If you need training or instruction, please contact Seagate Customer Service team. All VMI Testing must be conducted in a workbench with an ESD-safe matting. All VMI operators must wear heel/wrist straps daily as an ESD precaution. All VMI operators must be trained in safe drive handling protocols including shock prevention. No food or drink shall be allowed in the inspection area or near workbench as it may cause electrical shock hazard if spilled on the equipment or contaminate the product.

Full VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Quick Reference What to Look for How to spot the problem ? VOID if Accept if 1 Packaging Loose , abused or crushed Packaging Packing shows signs of abused, damaged Packaging comes with extra labels (not from Seagate) Arrived without approved Seagate packaging such as seashell or ESD bag Packaging is properly done. Note: Resellers and Distributors must use ESD bag and packaging. Encourage End Users to use ESD bag External Drives without ESD bag or original box. As long as packaged properly to prevent damage Cords and other peripherals are not required to be returned 2 Signs of tampering Unauthorized modification Sign of tampering for external product, too light (empty) or with other object inside, external screw seal is broken. Label/seals Repaired Component Returns are Non Seagate or Non Maxtor product Empty or tampered enclosure. Product is not of any Seagate or Maxtor product families. (Refer to Seagate website for product families) Broken or damage seal. Clock head or other seal punctured, torn, peeled off, lifted, missing or tampered or imitated Signs of abuse with repaired or soldered PCBA component Damage screw threads – signs of attempt of opened or unscrewed 3 Counterfeit product Top Cover Label Security label (Maxtor brand) Baseplate serial nos. PCBA serial nos. Top cover label with wrong information, misprinting, wrong fonts etc. Fake security label when using blue light Mismatch baseplate serial against the top cover information Mismatch PCBA serial nos. against the top cover information

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Quick Reference What to Look for How to spot the problem ? VOID if Accept if 4 PCBA Broken PCBA component Slight PCBA Component burnt or in the connector side Burnt PCBA component Bent PCBA connector pins Cracked connector Broken Connector Damage pins Damage Connector - missing or broken pins. Connector housing broken and damage with missing portion. Missing or broken pins , for power or data pins both for PATA or SATA Broken connector with missing parts Damage connector with missing pins (Data or power pins) Seagate can accept these. Note: if the same customers continue to return some units with obvious sign of abusive customer induced damage, please alert Seagate CSO Account Management 4.1 Unathorized modification of component Severly burned PCBA Missing component Corroded and contaminated PCBA screw damage There are signs of tampering or modification such as replacing component (de-solder) Missing component with traces of solder Corrosion sipped in the PCBA There are signs that PCBA screws were removed or replaced Missing component accepted if without traces of solder 5 Baseplate Signs of abuse or mishandling Broken baseplate or with missing piece or portion Mounting screw head Screw stuck Indelible marking on the baseplate and on the top cover There are signs of misuse or mishandling such a missing part or dented corners cause by G-Force ( Accidental or intentional drop to a hard surface) Mounting screw head is damage , worn out or with excessive damage screw that cannot be remove Screw stuck and the screw head are severely damaged and not be able to remove Marking cannot be erase by gum eraser or the marking are all over the place on the top cover label

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Quick Reference What to Look for How to spot the problem ? VOID if Accept if 5 Baseplate (continuation) Scratches Fake baseplate serial nos. (refer to counterfeit) Deep scratches indicating abusive handling Superficial scratches due to normal insertion 6 Top cover Indelible marking Marking that covers important information Corrosion , Wet , dented Security seal missing or voided Torn Label Top cover seal Excessive marking using permanent marker that cannot be erase easily by normal cleaning Marking that covers the serial nos. and/or part nos. Signs of customer abuse Maxtor drive without the label or label were damaged and “VOID” word comes out Heavy scratches that damage the top cover Excessive label damage and information cannot be read Signs of tampering on the seal , peeled off or punctured Using a non-permanent marking and can erased easily Superficial or light scratches Partially torn 7 Gasket Gasket with spaces or gaps Visible spaces , gaps or cracked line when looking sideways on the baseplate 8 External Drive Warranty Seal USB/Firewire Connector Labels Seal is broken or missing Missing Labels and no part no. or serial no. that can be use for verification Seal is intact with slight torn Goes inside the casing

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept if Sign of tampering on seal REJECT If there are no sign of induces damage (e.g. punctured, torn, peeled off, lifted, missing or imitated etc .) on the base plate seal Example of Good (photo) Example of reject ed defect (photo) sample of damage seal

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Sign of tampering , screw head damage or missing REJECT There are no sign of tampering on the screw : screw strip, screw loose, wrong screw type. Example of Good (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) no sign of damage, slight scratches is acceptable screw head damage

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Unauthorized modification of component REJECT Example of good component (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) Sample of good soldering evidence of soldered component

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Reject If PCB – Burned Component Reject Severely burned PCBA　and component burnt near the power connector . (approx. 1” from the power connector). Example of Rejected defect (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) Burned component Severely burned PCB

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Reject If PCB- Broken Component Accept If there is a sign of abuse or induced damage or any missing component Example of Accepted defect (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) Missing component Broken component

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Reject If Connector cracked or broken Accept Reject if there is a sign of customer abused such as a connector with missing pieces. Example of Accepted defect (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) cracked portion of connector

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Reject If PCB Connector – bent pins Accept Void warranty if received with missing pins ( data pins or power pins) for both PATA and SATA connector. Example of Accepted defect (photo) Example of Rejected defect (photo) Sample of bent SATA pins Sample of missing power pins

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Indelible marking at Top cover label REJECT If the marking can be erased by using a gum eraser , otherwise it is considered indelible extraneous marking. Note: Big company sticker or distributor warranty logo that covers the serial number or part number of the top label is considered VOID Warranty. Example of accepted defect (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) gum eraser non-permanent marking can be erased using a gum eraser excessive indelible marking

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Base plate screw hole damage REJECT If there are no sign of a worn out screw thread or any foreign material inside the screw hole ； Example of good mounting screw hole (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) screw thread worn out mounting screw hole with no sign of tampering or damage

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Counterfeit product REJECT Security label have a valid logo when exposed to UV (Black light) and no sign of tampering or residue on the label. Example of good (photo) Example of rejected defect (photo) Hidden “Maxtor” logo is visible when exposed to black light (UV Light) Counterfeit security label, no “Maxtor” logo under black light (UV light)

VMI Check – Acceptance Criteria – Detail Reference Part Default Action Accept If Tampered product REJECT Baseplate serial no. and Top cover serial nos. are both tallied for both Seagate and Maxtor drives. Example of good (photo) Example of rejected (photo) Topcover SN : 5ND4JPBE Topcover SN : L3AKQH6G Baseplate SN : L3ALM8PG Baseplate SN : 5ND4JPBE ACCEPT: Baseplate and topcover SN are tally REJECT: Mismatch SN between topcover and baseplate

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