360 DVD Drives

AHarvey · 4 May 2008 at 17:29

Hi all,

My brother's 360 dvd drive has started making a lot of noise and it seems to struggle on occasion with reading dvds.

He had it since release so I think the warrenty is up now.

Do you know if it possible to buy a replacement drive for it?

Don't fancy sending it off to MS to be repaired.

Phemo · 4 May 2008 at 17:40

Yes you can get replacement drives from a popular auction site.

However be warned that swapping a drive over isn't as easy as unplugging the old one then plugging the new one in. Every 360 has a unique security key in its flash and the DVD drive's firmware has to have the very same key in it otherwise the console won't boot games. I can't give you any further details as the same procedure is used for flashing the dodgy firmwares to drives, but all I can tell you is that it is entirely possible to dump the original firmware and reflash it to a drive of the same model (therefore being totally legitimate). You can also take the key out and put it in a firmware for a different drive model but then you need to spoof the drive model that the firmware reports back to the 360 so it's best to just get the exact same drive as a replacement.

LoadsaMoney · 4 May 2008 at 18:00

M$ shouldn't repair it, they should send him a new 360 back seen as his is one of the broken launch ones.

Tombo · 4 May 2008 at 20:34

LoadsaMoney said:
M$ shouldn't repair it, they should send him a new 360 back seen as his is one of the broken launch ones.

How cool are you "M$" must be fuming.

Pestilence · 6 May 2008 at 01:56

LoadsaMoney said:
M$ shouldn't repair it, they should send him a new 360 back seen as his is one of the broken launch ones.

The extended warranty for the launch models only applies to the RROD issue, not DVD drive faults.

The OP can either pay MS £60 for a repair (not a massive amount) or approach the retailer quoting the Sale of Goods Act (with reference to the "durability" piece of the Act). Most retailers will give in regarding this as they don't have to demand you prove an inherent fault, but rather your expensive piece of hardware hasn't lasted as long as one would expect. In this situation, they'll arrange a repair for you. I had the exact thing arranged with a "shooting star" high street electronics store.