FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

READ-RITE QUALIFIED AND RAMPING ON MAXTOR�S 60 AND 80 GIGABYTE PER PLATTER PROGRAMS

Receives Purchase Order from Maxtor Corporation

FREMONT, CA �September 6, 2002 -- Read-Rite Corporation (Nasdaq: RDRT) today announced it received a purchase order from Maxtor Corporation for head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) supporting Maxtor�s 60 and 80 gigabyte per platter programs.  Read-Rite is currently ramping production to support Maxtor�s programs, with volume shipments scheduled this month.   

�We are pleased to have received this purchase order from Maxtor,� said Alan S. Lowe, president and chief executive officer.  �We have an excellent relationship with Maxtor and look forward to providing them with product supporting their 60 and 80 gigabyte per platter programs,� he added.              

About Read-Rite

Read-Rite Corporation is one of the world�s leading independent manufacturers of magnetic recording heads, head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) and head stack assemblies (HSAs) for disk drives and tape drives.  The company is headquartered in Fremont, California and has operations in California, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.  The Company�s home page on the world wide web can be reached at http://www.readrite.com.

About Maxtor

Maxtor Corporation (www.maxtor.com <http://www.maxtor.com>) is one of the world�s leading suppliers of information storage solutions. The company has an expansive line of storage products for desktop computers, storage systems, high-performance servers and consumer electronics. Maxtor has a reputation as a proven market leader built by consistently providing high-quality products and service and support for its customers. Maxtor and its products can be found at www.maxtor.com or by calling toll-free (800) 2-MAXTOR. Maxtor is traded on the NYSE under the MXO symbol.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements are based on management�s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.  The forward-looking statements in this release include statements addressing the following subject: anticipated shipments of 60 and 80 gigabyte per platter programs in September.  The Company�s actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements.   Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to:  there may be reductions, cancellations or rescheduling of orders; the Company may be unsuccessful in qualifying and ramping production on 60GB or 80GB products, the Company may be unsuccessful in achieving and maintaining satisfactory yields, and other factors described in the Company�s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal 2001 and the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the first and second fiscal quarter of Fiscal Year 2002 ended December 30, 2001 and March 31, 2002, respectively.  Read-Rite undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements.

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