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Microsoft Confirms Improved Xbox 360 Warranty Seal
Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
Blue Blood 360 Controller Modkit Looks Surprisingly Tasteful
Life-Size Gears of War Lancer Is Sure to Get Some Kid Expelled
Xbox 360 Controller Mixes Black, Red and Black (and Red)
Next Week's Target Ad Confirms $250 Xbox 360 Pro? UPDATE
Xbox 360 Elite No Longer Including HDMI Cable
Ridicu-priced Xbox HDD Screws Both Gamers and Microsoft
Xbox 360 Update Full Feature List: It's the Little Things That Matter

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Cash907Censored
11/06/09

In reply to Microsoft Confirms Improved Xbox 360 Warranty Seal
I guess they finally wised up the fact that people were using the ol' hairdryer-on-the-warranty-seal trick to repair their boxes themselves without voiding the 3 year RRoD warranty. When the dvd drive went out on mine a month after the 1 year standard warrant ran out, I purchased an OEM replacement off ebay for 30 bucks and went in there like Zohan. After 45 minutes, my trusty box was booting up Halo 3, and no one was the wiser. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

I'm assuming this was done to crack down on people who were buying broken boxes, refurbishing them, and selling them as used but never broken. This is a problem in the auto industry as well, when wrecked cars that were never officially listed as "totaled" are purchased by disreputable garages, then repaired and sold with clean titles, instead of the "rebuilt" titles the law requires. #xbox360warrantyseal
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
11/05/09

In reply to Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
I can't wait for someone to buy one from a retail store that is mistakenly banned. #xbox
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newgalactic
11/04/09

In reply to Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
I wonder if there's a way to flash the bios/MAC address (or whatever M$ uses to id the xbox). That would be kinda a neat experiment.

Not that there's a huge market for re-enabled xbox 360's. And it would probably take forever. But it would be kinda cool. #xbox
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dragon:ONE
11/04/09

@newgalactic: They did that with the first-gen XBox. Need to unban your console? Swap the EEPROM and hard drive from another console. (the hard drive unlock key is in the 'PROM so you have to swap the drive with it, too. #xbox
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Kaiser-Machead
11/04/09

In reply to Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
Hardware banning is total bullshit. It ensures that the resale value of the consoles go in the toilet, and in turn makes for a greater amount of sales of new hardware. The "risk" of repeat offenders returning to Live is also bullshit, because no doubt anyone seriously addicted to the service will return on a new XBox anyway.

Hardware support is a different issue entirely. Questionable to non-existent warranty support is naturally inherent to buying used electronics, but the online service should not be inextricably tied to the device's warranty.
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Edited by Kaiser-Machead at 11/04/09 4:24 PM Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/04/09

In reply to Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
This has been the policy since BEFORE the initial Xbox Live rollout in 2002. The beta testers (myself included) got a ban for mod chips. The Xbox was flagged, even if the mod was removed, it was banned.

Same thing held true with Softmods. I know there are more reasons for a ban now, but the policy has always been once a unit was banned, you could not unban it. #xbox
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aniteshj
11/04/09

In reply to Official Microsoft Policy: If You a Buy a Used Xbox 360 That's Banned From Xbox Live, You're Just Screwed
Fair enough, after all if your buying a USED Xbox 360 in the first place you deserve to have this happen. #xbox
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PurpleMonkeyDishwasher:
11/04/09

@aniteshj: What's wrong with used stuff? #xbox
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Duckspwn
11/04/09

@aniteshj: Why? #xbox
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zeusalmighty
11/04/09

@aniteshj: Why the hell does...oh wait. There was a sign saying don't feed the trolls there all along. My bad. #xbox
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gemcosta
11/04/09

@aniteshj: Seriously? I guess you've never bought a used car? Why would buying something used automatically make you deserving of getting less than what you expected when you paid for it? #xbox
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aniteshj
11/04/09

@Duckspwn: Loves Approving Reds: In response to you, and zeusalmighty douche bag, gemcosta, and yantelope...

RROD. I would never touch a damn used 360 just for that one thing. I just couldn't risk it at all.

And yes I am planning on getting a used 05 CTS-V gemcosta, USED.

We all know a CTS-V won't RROD itself. #xbox
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Duckspwn
11/04/09

@aniteshj: You present a valid argument. #xbox
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Margatron
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
Also, a tip for calling the call centre:

-call on weekdays between the hours of 9am-5pm, preferably 9 to noon since this is when the veterans' shifts are. Never call on the weekend. People who've been working there the longest get the good shifts and usually have the most knowledge on how to help you.

-if someone with an american accent answers the phone, hang up and call again until you get the canadian call centre. Sorry USA locations, the canucks have the best training.

-if you feel you're not getting treated right, ask to speak to a tier2 agent - tier1 is required to escalate a call if you ask for it.
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infmom
10/08/09

@Margatron: How do you make sure you've got the Canadian call center by someone's accent? Ask them to say "about" several times?

My mom was Canadian, and her accent certainly wasn't radically different from Standard American.
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Margatron
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
Worked at the call centre for a year and I sympathize with this guy.

Checking the power supply light is part of one script but not all the scripts they have for repairs. So if the rep doesn't figure it out in the first few seconds of the call, they probably walked him through the wrong set of troubleshooting steps.

The Microsoft Knowledge Centre is where all the articles are for troubleshooting, which the reps use and then attatch to their "call tickets" or logs, except there are SOOO many obscure articles in there that only a seasoned pro rep would think to search for any particular problem.

I used to walk them through a more thorough set of my own steps which checked for multiple potential problems. Still not good enough in the long run tho. Microsoft needs to provide their call staff with better training and better info.

Sooo glad I don't work for them anymore. I have a clearer conscience now.
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Edited by Margatron at 10/07/09 6:53 PM Margatron was starred Margatron was unstarred

Pessimippopotamus
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
Bizarre. Not a good news when I'm waiting for an Xbox delivery.

But then again, I've seen the horror first hand.
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dimsum4u
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
I had a pretty similar experience. My box got the 3 lights 2 years ago. I asked them to send me a box so i could send it to them, the box they sent me was for the original xbox, had to wait another week for them to send the right box. When I sent them my xbox they sent me back someone elses xbox. How I know it was someone elses? Because when I turned it on other peoples logins were in it with games I haven't played before. So I called they said it couldn't be possible because the serial matched the back. One week later the CD drive stopped working, I called them they said that xbox was sent in to get it fixed. They then realized their error and that really wasn't my xbox. So I had them send me another box to ship it in. After a lot transfers to find the right manager I explained my situation. I got a free wireless controller, headset and a years subscription to live. I recommend if you get in a situation like this, you stay on the phone until you get someone that can get you something for free because that person has the ability to sign off on that stuff if your story is compelling enough.
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bagellord
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
The only problem I've ever had with Xbox support was when for some unknown insane idiotic reason my email address got screwed up. The email address my Live account was tied to did not exist. I have no clue how it got like that. I couldn't fix it. They couldn't change it for me. I ended up finally being able to get into the Windows Live ID for that email change the password, and then finally change to a working email. The first two times I called they couldn't/wouldn't help. Finally on the third attempt I got sent to a supervisor whom I could understand, and was able to figure out what needed to be done.
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Bigbadbikernerd
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
I had a similar situation. I bought a refurb from Tiger Direct (I know, I should have known better...). It RROD in about 3 months. Sent it to TekProtect. They replaced it 3 times before I got a unit that worked more than 3 days. The last one they sent me is a Jasper unit, so I hope this one will last.
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Bigbadbikernerd
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
I had a similar experience. However, my unit was a refurb from Tiger Direct (I know, I should have known better...). I had to send it in 3 times to get a functioning unit (done through TekProtect). They finally sent me a Jasper unit, so I hope this is the last one.
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Bertone77
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
I've got a question: So from this story it seems that Microsoft "actually" tries to repair "your" unit and sends it back to you? The don't just send you a re-furb unit that has already been fixed?

I ask because that is what Sony does with the PS3, and why i refuse to send my console to them. My launch 60GB got the YLOD from my son hotboxing it by stacking game cases around it so it choked from heat. I don't want to get some "other" unit back that who-know-what else has gone wrong with it. So I found a local shop that fixes it for $75. No problems since.
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ithyphallus, bonks morrigan
10/07/09

@Bertone77: correct. they don't send you your old one, they send you one that's already been repaired while they work on yours to send to someone else.
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Bertone77
10/07/09

@ithyphallus, lazy beareaucrat: Who does? I know Sony does but does Microsoft do the same?
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honestbleeps
10/07/09

In reply to Insanity: Xbox 360 'Repaired' 3 Times, Returns Each Time With Red Ring
I can't lie - as angry as I am about the frequency of RRoD issues, I just had one and I have to say that Andy's case is weird.

I went online to see what I needed to do to get a repair, and very prominently there were suggestions about checking the color of the light on the power supply, etc.

The repair process, while not as fast as I'd have liked, went smoothly for me. I reported the E74 error, it was fixed for free (despite being out of warranty), and all I had to do was print a label and drop it off at UPS.
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