Practically every box of "branded" floppy disk you buy says "Lifetime Warranty" on the side. But the companies don't make it easy to cash-in your bad disks, because they don't print the address to send the bad disks for warranty claims. And in tracking down the address, you can easily run up a phone bill many times the value of any disk that you could get replaced.
Over the past few years, I've been collecting those addresses and keeping them in my address-book program. Whenever I get a disk with a media error, I throw it in an envelope with a note that says "bad sectors; please replace." For 29 cents I get a new disk; some companies, like BASF, usually throw in a few extra disks for my trouble.
- Simson L. Garfinkel
(Note: This only applies to "branded" disks, or disks that clearly and prominently display the manufacturer name.)
3M Data Storage Products, PO Box 709, Weatherford, OK 73096-0709, (800) 328 9438, +1 (405) 772 5500.
BASF Corporation Information Systems, Computer Media Warranty Claims, Crosby Dr., Bedford, MA 01730-1471, (800) 356 9006, +1 (617) 271 4000.
Fuji Computer Products Division, Fuji Photo Film USA, 555 Taxter Rd., Elmsford, NY 10523, (800) 755 3854, +1 (914) 789 8390.
Sony Magnetic Products Customer Relations, Sony Corporation, 1 Sony Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656-8003, (800) 222 7669, +1 (201) 930 1000.
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., Floppy Disk Warrantee Claims, 1 Parkway North, Ste. 500, Deerfield, IL 60015, (800) 843 2108, +1 (708) 945 1500.
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