Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Your save games and all other data are contained on your hard drive (or memory card) which you should not have sent in with your console. So regardless of what you get back you should have everything.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I love my 360 but I am on my fourth one. I need to somehow extend my extended warranty.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Hm. I don't think I was aware of any 360 configuration in which the hard drive was not able to be disconnected. As a matter of fact, a few months ago when my 360 went bad, one of the troubleshooting measures the phone rep had me go through was to play a game with the hard drive removed, so they could be convinced that the drive was not causing a problem. They had to instruct me how to remove it, as I'd never done it, but I thought that the drive setup was standard - it locks in on top of the console (if your console is upright as mine is), and if you press a button it can be taken off.

Still, I wouldn't think they would do anything to the contents of the drive, and I'd certainly expect that if you sent it, you'd get it back. They've presumably had enough experience exchanging these things by now...

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

The core system that came out when the 360 was first released didnt have a hard drive but required memory cards to save games. If you never bought a memory card and have saved games then you had a hard drive and by the sounds of it just gave it away. So in all likelyhood you just threw away essentially $100 part that you will have to replace. They dont send you a harddrive with the replacement units. Sucks for you. Should have read the instructions that came with the box.

There was no built in harddrive. It was simply attached to the side and easily removed with the push of a button.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Most likely, they'll open up the box, see the HDD, and return it with your new system. The RRoD problem stems from the processor overheating and actually expanding so that it pops out of the motherboard. Chances are, they'll either give you a new 360 console with your previous HDD or just fix the chip and send it back.

One guy had a 360 signed by the Halo 3 dev team (I believe it was Halo 3) and then had the RRoD problem. When he sent his console in, he made sure on the phone and with a packed-in note that they wouldn't clean the console's outside (since some other people had reported this happening online before) and they assured him that it would be fine. Well guess what: he got the console back and it was bare. Which means someone had spent a LOT of time rubbing off what was obviously a very unique series of signatures. So hopefully nothing important is written on the outside of your console.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

You´re not "pissed" at all? Just curious.. I mean Xbox 360 have had major malfunctions (well, mainly "Red Ring of Death"), but the fans doesn´t seem to mind..

I have 0 problems so far with my unit (it should be "falcon"). Let´s hope that I can keep it that way...

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Glad to hear they returned the hard drive, Jefferson. I figured they would do the right thing. And yeah, Fallout is becoming a major time sink here, as well.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I suppose I would be really mad if they didn't treat me really nice everytime I have a problem. I also don't feel like I have somewhere else to go for my gaming experience. I love the online world that LIVE has to offer and I don't see any other company offering anything like it.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

The only thing I got back that didnt waork was my copy of the free southpark episode I downloaded, everything else was perfect when it came back from MS

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I got the RROD almost 3 years ago this month...and just this past weekend the video has decided to go flaky on me as well. Good thing I got that MS extended warranty...

Now I'll have to go dig up a shipping box to send my console back since MS no longer sends you a free shipping box (don't know exactly when they changed their policy on that, but no big deal) for you to send it back in. The other nice thing is that they'll give you one free month of XBL Gold for the inconvenience of not being able to use your 360 while it's being repaired, or at least that's what the lady told me...LOL!

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Just got the 3 RROD tonight. Just in time too, as my console will be out of warranty in May (I bought it May of 2006). Up until tonight I hadn't had any problems with it. But today it started freezing about 15 minutes after turning it on. No red rings at first. As today wore on, the freezing started happening sooner and sooner after turning it on. Until now it just gives me the 3 RROD when I power up.

I went online and requested a shipping box and label. I'm interested to see if I get the same machine back or a different one. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll send me one that has HDMI out.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I doubt they'll fix it. Mine died a few months ago and the replacement unit had the HDMI output. Too bad, they didn't send an elite. I'd be much less worried about having another RROD episode if they had sent an elite.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

As fast as the turn around time is you are probably right. They probably will just send me a different refurbed unit. I'm keeping the HDD. Did you have any problem as far as downloaded content when you put your old HDD on the new machine which obviously would have a different serial number?

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

You never know--mine died at the tail end of this past November and the refurb they sent me didn't have HDMI...not that I was expecting one since my original didn't have it. Guess it must be luck of the draw...

If it's not too late, ask them to ensure that your downloaded content will work on the replacement unit (license transfer or something like that); otherwise you'll just need to re-download your content (assuming it's still available for download from XBL Marketplace) using the same gamertag/account used to download them the first time.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Sorry, I can't answer your question because I've never hooked up to XBOX live, so no DLC. My 360 is in the living room and does not have a wireless transmitter. Running a hard wired connection is not practical, except for very temporary use.....updates at the most. Updates, when required, normally come on the discs, so I have no reason to pay MS 50 bucks for their service.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I remember reading a story about a guy who had a 360 he had won in a contest or something that had all the signatures of the HALO team on it that went through the RRoD refurb process. He tried to make absolutely certain that they wouldn't erase the signatures and that he'd get the same unit back, they promised him they would. Low and behold, it came back completely bare but you could still see some of the remains of a couple signatures.

In short, I believe you get your individual unit back. They probably just lacquer down the processor or replace some of the innards, but they don't send a new unit.

Also, what benefit would there be to getting an Elite if you are getting one with HDMI anyway? The only difference is the color and HDD...but they're not going to send you a new HDD and you probably kept that anyway.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I had that once. A little penicillin cleared it right up.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

You probably know this, but you only have to pay $50 for online gaming. Updates, demos, buying DLC, etc. are in the "free" online system

But I understand the connection difficulties. I had to run a custom patchcord with new wallplates through the wall to network my living room. A nuisance initially, but it's paid off with all the electronics that are now networked.


A friend brought his 360 over to diagnose his networking problem: his 360's ethernet connection died. We also found that MS changed the power cord connection because my power cord wouldn't connect to his older 360...so an extra trip home and back, to get his power cord... So he's had two RRoD's and an networking failure.

I really hope my newer 360 doesn't suffer the fate of the older ones.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

My old unit didn't have an HDMI connector. I can't say whether they just put new guts into the old case. All I know is the replacement unit had the HDMI connector. As someone said earlier, I may have just gotten lucky.


I thought the Elite went through a redesign process, so it would run quieter and cooler. I also thought the Elite was supposed to use the newer 65nm chipsets, rather than the old 90nm chipsets, reducing power consumption and heating effects. Did I get that wrong?


I've never been on XBOX live, but I expect that it is a more advanced version of PSN. I should have been more specific about not wanting to pay 50 dollars for online gaming access.


This is my biggest headache when it comes to hardwiring a connection for XBOX Live access. My basement has finished ceilings, so it would be a major pain and expense to install the wiring. It's just not worth it for the amount of use I would get out of XBOX Live.


Just sounds like typical MS. They change things for the sake of changing them: like the changes they made to the interface for MS Word 2007. What a piece of crap that is.


Well, so far so good on my replacement unit. Of course, it doesn't get as much use as my PS3, because I watch movies more than I play games. Good luck.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Every console goes through revisions. Sony has had like 8 SKUs of the PS3 in America and even more abroad. The power cable thing doesn't surprise me.

X-Box Live is just like PSN, except it's on the X-Box 360. The content is the same: games, demos, videos, movies, TV shows, etc. except one costs $50 a year.

The Elite was released after the redesign and incorporates a new chip...but so does every X-Box 360 made after that point in time. In fact, I think there is a newer chip/process but I forget the codename. You can actually look on your console and tell what model chip is in it by the serial number. The new chip is not what differentiates the Elite from the Pro or Arcade, the size of the harddrive and included cables/controllers are what do that.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Yep. I'm glad I was able to get a wired solution; $100 for the MS wireless adapter is outrageous, IMO.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Well after almost two years, my machine gave out over the weekend with the 3 ROD. I have the service contract and arranged for a return. While I was at it, I also complained to them over the truly excesive noise of the unit and a clunking sound the DVD drive makes when you quit a game. I'm hoping they'll just exchange the thing for a new one.

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Well my 360 crapped out on me as of January 31st. However it wasn't the RRoD......not at first. I had one flashing red light and an E73 error code, which I found out to be ethernet failure (for whatever reason). So, let me break down my time line here:

February 1st: Called 800-number and made a repair request. Was told a box would be sent.

February 4th: Received box via Purolator (keep in mind, I'm in Canada).

February 5th: Packed Xbox and dropped it off at the Purolator shipping centre.

February 6th: Received e-mail confirmation that the 360 was received at Celestica (the company in Toronto who manufactures and repairs the consoles).

Now, here it is, the 17th of February and there has been NO status change what-so-ever. Now here's what adds fuel to the fire.

My friend Chris received the 'Red Ring of Death approximately 1 week after mine died. He requested a box on the 7th. Received it on the 9th. Sent it back on the 10th. Received confirmation that it was received on the 12th. On the 13th he received ANOTHER confirmation stating that the console has been replaced and was being shipped back to him.

Now can someone explain to me how this makes any lick of sense? He sends his out a week after I send mine and in a matter of two days his problem is resolved. All the while, I'm still sitting here 11 days later where the current status remains the same; "Console has been received at the service center".

I mean, my buddy and I live in the same city......same street actually. Both consoles were sent to the SAME place. Both packages were signed by the SAME person at the shipping dock, and yet mine's still sitting in limbo while he'll be playing his by tomorrow most likely.

And of course I've tried calling their customer service number. But before I even picked up the phone, I already knew I'd receive a barrage of generic responses based on the information that was already available on their service website. But I tried.

I just thank God my system is still under warranty until March. I don't understand however that a simple replacement console could take this long to receive. I was initially told that they don't repair and return the consoles you send, but send a refurbished one in its place. So, why the delay?

Sorry for the rant, but I'm really getting annoyed over this. Add the fact that only one week before my system I died, I had just bought 'Rock Band 2", so I'm really jonesing to play that again. lol

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

Fully agree. I mean, it´s "free" in PS3 and Wii.. My 360 is the only console in my house that still uses wired solution. Macbook, PS3, Wii - all wireless.

But with $80-100 wireless adapter, pricing of Xbox Live and - unreliable (at least before the "Jasper" etc models) & noisy (now you can install the game to the hard drive, though - HIGHLY recommended) hardware they compensate the lower price of the console there I guess..

Comparing these prices of three different consoles is actually not that simple as some people think. All have clear advantages - and clear disadvantages.

Recent interview concerning "Red Ring of Death", btw:
Can Gamers Stop Worrying About Red Ring? | Edge Online

"What it comes down to is isolating and figuring out the issue, fixing the issue, and the more that we can fix the issue, and know it's fixed, then we're good going forward. We've put the worst behind us on this, but we know there are a few lagging systems, and so we want to take those and make it right."

Re: Just Got the Red Ring of Death and Sent My 360 to Microsoft...

I received an email yesterday stating the repairs are complete. They received it on the 16th. Not bad. So hopefully it will be shipped out by tomorrow and it will arrive by the middle of the week.