OEM or Retail Box Hard Drive

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kchan99

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I'm trying to figure out if I should get an OEM or a retail box internal hard drive for my replacement. My 8-year-old hard drive may be dying since it has been making unusual noises. I want to transfer data and software from the old hard drive to the new one because I don't want to install software from CDs. Do I need to buy a retail box hard drive to get the CD with software to transfer data?

I looked on the Western Digital web site and I couldn't tell which version of Data Lifeguard Tools (Win or DOS) is for transferring data to a new hard drive.
 
OEM drives are almost always just the drive without any cables of software. So ya, retail would be your best bet if you need the software that comes with it.
 
if you need some software im sure some people around here have some extra wd cd's layin around. i have 2. but it find out what version you need try contacing WD customer support
 
I used to buy retail HDD's, but the only software I got in any of them were janky Nero Trial CDs. Oh, and you get a very cheap cable... wh00t. You're probably not going to get any file transfer software, but it's super not hard to do, you just have both drives hooked up to your computer, and once you have loaded your O/S onto the new drive you just move anything you need to it from the old drive. Simple as pie.
 
Just go OEM--all you really need is the drive anyway. File transfer software and stuff can be found online for free and a sata/ide cable is cheap separately if you don't have one laying around. OEM drives are a great way to save money and put up with less packaging.
 
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