1. On the bottom left-hand corner of your Windows 7 / Vista screen, click on Start (ie, the Windows icon).
2. The Start menu will pop up.  Right-click on Computer.
3. Choose "Manage".  See the first three steps here:
   
   
   
   
   
4. On the left column, please click on Device Manager.
5. Next to Disk drives, click on the + sign next to it to reveal your drive's model number (in this case, ST3250410AS).  See the image below:
   
   
   
   
6. Now that you know your drive's model number, click here to interpret your Seagate or Maxtor hard drive's model number. 
7. Click here or here for further information on Maxtor model numbers. 

Windows XP / 2000

1. From your Desktop, find the My Computer icon.  Right-click on it.
   
2. From the drop-down menu, choose "Manage".  See the following image:
   
   
   
   
3. The Computer Management window will appear.  Click on Device Manager in the left column.
4. In the window on the right, next to Disk drives, click on the + sign next to it to reveal your drive's model number (in this case, ST3160812AS).  See the image below:
   
   
   
   
5. Now that you know your drive's model number, click here to interpret your Seagate or Maxtor hard drive's model number. 
6. Click here or here for further information on Maxtor model numbers. 

MacOS X 

1. From the Desktop of your Mac, click Go on the top menu bar.
2. (For some Macs, choose Applications.)
3. Then choose Utilities.
   
   
   
   
4. Then open the Disk Utility by double-clicking on it.
5. In the left column, the hard drive model number should be displayed (in this case, 4A250J0):
   
   
   
   
6. Now that you know your drive's model number, click here to interpret your Seagate or Maxtor hard drive's model number. 
7. Click here or here for further information on Maxtor model numbers.