Dead 360, no warranty. What to do?

[HammR25]

Interesting. I sent my console to Mesquite, TX but the UPS tracking number says the return package is coming from Memphis, TN.

[Bruce Tomlin]

They are more likely to send you a different unit than to repair and send back the same one. Regardless of which they do you will have a "repair" warranty on your unit. You will then be eligible to purchase an extended warranty for the same price as an "in-warranty" unit. That is what I would do.

People with import consoles have been warned to specifically ask for the same unit back. (There have even been rumors of people getting wrong-region consoles returned from repairs, presumably as the other side of this.) They can give you the same unit back, but you must ask for it when calling in for RMA, and it will presumably increase your repair time. If you have case customizations (particularly autographs!) you should also ask that the case not be cleaned.

 

It is ONLY for the overheating issue. If something else breaks people are wrapping the unit in a towel causing it to overheat and THEN sending it back.

I have read that the towel trick can fix a solder-related RROD, though with limited results.

[HammR25]

The replacement 360 I got back today is as quiet as the new Arcade unit I bought. It's got a manufacture date of 2009-08-27. I wonder if they're just changing them all out for Jaspers now.

 

No HDMI on it though

Edited January 7, 2010 by HammR25

[NE146]

The replacement 360 I got back today is as quiet as the new Arcade unit I bought. It's got a manufacture date of 2009-08-27. I wonder if they're just changing them all out for Jaspers now.

 

No HDMI on it though

 

That doesn't make sense if it's a new unit... unless they're refurbing old ones and slapping on new mfg dates on them.

 

If you're really interested, it's easy to just snap off the case and check the back of the actual metal itself to see if there's an HDMI port.

[HammR25]

Does taking the case off void the warranty?

[Hyper_Eye]

It is ONLY for the overheating issue. If something else breaks people are wrapping the unit in a towel causing it to overheat and THEN sending it back.

I have read that the towel trick can fix a solder-related RROD, though with limited results.

 

You are absolutely right. The "towel-trick" is not generally used to cause an RROD but to alleviate RROD. I imagine that you could leave the towel on long enough to cause permanent RROD but it is mostly used to "repair" the solder contacts. It works very well in brining your console back to life but it is a temporary fix. In actuality you are making the problem worse because it is the reheating and cooling of solder in combination with the defect that caused it to get to the condition it was in in the first place. When you do the "towel-trick" you are doing this to an extreme. You also have to consider that you are softening the solder and it could be possible that you get unintended contacts and then smoke something. I always preferred to go into the console to do this rather than use a towel but for my original unit it eventually got annoying to open the system up. I eventually used a towel and it worked every time. But it had to be done every now and then with no end in sight. Sending the unit back to MS is the only way to really deal with RROD.

[NE146]

Does taking the case off void the warranty?

 

There's a sticker in the front behind the faceplate that theoretically voids your warranty if it's broken. But of course what everyone does is just take a blowdryer to it and peel it off (and later reattach it) leaving it completely intact. e.g.

 

 

 

Personally I've done it dozens of times. The guy in the video is a lot more careful than me (I just yank it off with my fingers after heating). But it's really up to you of course. Just saying.

Edited January 8, 2010 by NE146