Hard Drives: Difference between OEM and Retail???

Just wondering if anyone can help me out...

While browsing through the latest prices/offerings at newegg.com, I became confused by similiar hard drives with different prices. Some were listed as 'OEM' and others as 'Retail'. What's the difference and which would you recommend for a soon-to-be first time builder like myself?

Thanks!

-J.

So as a newbie, is it safe to assume that I really don't need the manual or and that I can just research and order whatever cables that I would need with the drive? (I must confess that I don't even know what the 'tools disk' is...do I absolutely need it???)

Thanks!

-J.

Generally, there is one more difference. When you buy retail, the retailer has the responsibility of return policy and sometimes, support. When you buy OEM, these things fall to the manufacturer or to you.

For instance, if you purchase a hard drive and right out of the box it has bad sectors, if you bought it retail (from Fry's, for example), you can return it to Fry's and get another one. If you bought OEM, the retailer whom you bought it from is perfectly within their rights to make you go through the manufacturer's RMA process to get a new drive.

Support can work the same way. If you purchase a retail box Microsoft Windows Vista, and you have problems installing or working with it, you can call Microsoft for support. If you bought OEM, you cannot get support from Microsoft, because to them, your OEM manufacturer has support responsibility. (For example, if Toshiba loads Windows Vista on their laptop, Toshiba bought OEM copies of Vista from Microsoft, and when a customer has a problem, they must call and deal with Toshiba. Microsoft won't support them.) By buying OEM, you're shifting the support responsibility to yourself.

Sata cables dont come "rounded" thats only for ide drive cables. Sata cables should be included with the motherboard. They will work just fine. no need to buy new ones.

Be certain that you will have enough SATA cables with your mobo before ordering...

Yup...make sure you get a SATA cable that have one ends with a right-angle connector.

http://www.satacables.com/html/sat [...] raigh.html

It is sucks that we cannot post picture in a thread.

I was hoping to ask you a question regarding the length of SATA cables that I'll need with the P182 case. I'm looking at ordering the 18" cables (rather than the 24" ) with the assumption that 18" will be more than enough length for easy cable management. What do you think?

Here's the cables I'm looking at:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812200050

Also (and this is probably an ultra-newbie question) I am assuming that the right angle connector will plug to the device and the straight connector to the motherboard to facilitate easy connection and removal. Do I have this correct?

Thanks for your help!

-J.