So, my 360 went quietly in its sleep the other day...

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-22 08:37am

Not really. It froze up in the middle of Gears of War and made a horrible screech at max volume until I turned it off. Now, whenever I turn it on I simply get the Red Ring of Death.

Having exhausted Microsoft's extremely helpful tech support on the subject (unplug it, then plug it back in!) and being informed that MS will charge $140 to fix my machine, I'm looking for any other possible options. So far all I've run into is a suggestion that I take it to a modder and they'll somehow fix it. Needless to say, this seems kinda dodgy.

Basically, here's the question: is there any way for me to get this nebulous "hardware failure" fixed without letting MS screw me, or should I just resign myself to the inevitable?

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 08:45am

Erm... wheres the warranty on this thing?

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-22 08:46am

Expired already, otherwise I'd not be sitting here looking like an idiot.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-11-22 08:50am

MS' supreme plan. Bring out a game that is in actuality a cleverly disguised coded apoptosis signal to the Xbox unit. It happens just after the warranty expires, ergo, you have to buy a whole new console to run those expensive games you've got sitting there.

Brilliant!

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 09:01am

Losonti Tokash wrote:Expired already, otherwise I'd not be sitting here looking like an idiot.

How long is it?

This has some same conspiratorial ring that the Ipods dying just after the warranty ran out did...

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-22 09:05am

Zac Naloen wrote:
Losonti Tokash wrote:Expired already, otherwise I'd not be sitting here looking like an idiot.
How long is it?

This has some same conspiratorial ring that the Ipods dying just after the warranty ran out did...

I have no friggin clue. MS guy just told me it was expired after getting the console's numbers and such. I've only had it since June and it was manufactured in late April so: I've owned it 5 months and it was made after they worked out most of the kinks. And it sure as hell can't be my fault, since I haven't even taken it anywhere in about a month, let alone do unspeakable things to its USB ports.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 09:10am

Wtf, a warranty of less than 6 months. I suggest contacting whatever trading standards type group you have. Thats despicable.

This isn't first story i've heard of Xbox 360's dying and the warranty magically having just run out either.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2006-11-22 09:19am

According to their website, the warranty is only ninety days after purchase and then you get nothing. Fucking bullshit but there you go.

Microsoft Warranty wrote:WARRANTIES

* 90-Day Express Warranty. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Limited Warranty, Microsoft warrants to you only (the original purchaser), that under normal use and service the Xbox Product will substantially conform with the accompanying printed user instruction materials for a period of 90 days starting as of the date of your sales receipt (the "Warranty Period").
* Implied Warranty. You may also have an implied warranty and/or condition under the laws of some jurisdictions, which is hereby limited to the duration of the Warranty Period. Some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty or condition lasts, so the foregoing limitation may not apply to you.

As to any defects discovered after the Warranty Period, there is no warranty or condition of any kind.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 09:23am

That is quite simply disgusting.

I'm actually speechless at how shit that is..

Kojiro · Post by **Kojiro** » 2006-11-22 09:26am

Zac Naloen wrote:This has some same conspiratorial ring that the Ipods dying just after the warranty ran out did...

There was some fuss over that? I had one iPod die mere days away from expiry and the other (replacement) mere days after.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 09:29am

Kojiro wrote:
Zac Naloen wrote:This has some same conspiratorial ring that the Ipods dying just after the warranty ran out did...
There was some fuss over that? I had one iPod die mere days away from expiry and the other (replacement) mere days after.

Well I talked loud and proud about how my creative is now 3 years old and hasn't so much as sputtered at me to all my ipod owner friends who are now on their 2nd/3rd/4th Ipods in the same time period.

Not much other than that really lol.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-11-22 09:40am

Guess they didn't need my conspiracy plan then. Ninety-days warranty is despicable. Given the hardware, I'd hope for at least a standard year.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-11-22 09:42am

90 days? How the hell do they get away with that when Nintendo keeps their consoles under warranty for a whole year?

Azazal · Post by **Azazal** » 2006-11-22 09:47am

Bounty wrote:90 days? How the hell do they get away with that when Nintendo keeps their consoles under warranty for a whole year?

"We are Microsoft, resistance is futile" ?

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 09:48am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Guess they didn't need my conspiracy plan then. Ninety-days warranty is despicable. Given the hardware, I'd hope for at least a standard year.

Almost as if they knew there was a serious error and decided to try and capitulate on it...

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-22 09:53am

Zac Naloen wrote:
Admiral Valdemar wrote:Guess they didn't need my conspiracy plan then. Ninety-days warranty is despicable. Given the hardware, I'd hope for at least a standard year.
Almost as if they knew there was a serious error and decided to try and capitulate on it...

The great thing is that all I can really do is decide which way I get screwed, since I've already sunk over a grand into this machine with peripherals, games, random stuff on Marketplace, etc.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2006-11-22 09:58am

90 days for a relatively new games system that costs a lot of money? I am speechless at just how much that smacks of corporate greed.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-11-22 10:06am

Well all i can say now, is that i'm definately not getting the 360.

I'll see how the Wii does, but will probably wait till the PS3 has come out here before making the final decision.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2006-11-22 10:58am

Bounty wrote:90 days? How the hell do they get away with that when Nintendo keeps their consoles under warranty for a whole year?

Man, that is total bullshit. Hell, Nintendo even offers a free 90-day extention to their 12-month warranty if you register the Wii...

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-11-22 11:02am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Guess they didn't need my conspiracy plan then. Ninety-days warranty is despicable. Given the hardware, I'd hope for at least a standard year.

In the UK you do get a year's warranty. In fact, I think that's the legal minimum for consumer electrical goods. (if they bring it into line with EU law, that will rise to two years).

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2006-11-22 11:08am

Various credit cards automatically grant you a one-year warranty on goods purchased with it (thank you AMEX). As for the time-of-warranty calculation, though, that's simply what they figure will maximize profit.

Tranan · Post by **Tranan** » 2006-11-22 11:20am

90 days? thats sitht. in sweden we got 2years. by law.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-11-22 11:34am

Yeah, but that's over in Europe, where we have some kind of consumer protection, because we're all communists.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-11-22 11:49am

Vendetta wrote:
In the UK you do get a year's warranty. In fact, I think that's the legal minimum for consumer electrical goods. (if they bring it into line with EU law, that will rise to two years).

Now that's more like it. I knew I'd never seen a product with such a pitifully small duration on the warranty. Someone needs their head kicking in the US to allow this kind of crap.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-11-22 12:35pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Now that's more like it. I knew I'd never seen a product with such a pitifully small duration on the warranty. Someone needs their head kicking in the US to allow this kind of crap.

See previous point about filthy communists.