Getting your xbox360 repaired. A guide

[Mancey]

Younger cousins 360 red ringed a couple of weeks ago, poor little bugger, and as neither he or his old girl had any clue what to do i sorted it out for them.

Given that i've seen the odd thread on here looking for guidance, thought i'd post a how to. Its pretty simple.

After hearing horror stories of indian telemarketers, i decided to try and skip that and do an online repair request. Its easy to do, only takes 10min max.

1. First go to the xbox australia home page at http://www.xbox.com/en-AU/
2. Go to the support heading, then select "Registration and repair". Then click on the Register and repair picture at the top of the screen.
3. This will open a new window, requesting you to sign in to your windows live ID. If you don't have an ID, you can create one.
4. If you have already registered your console, the console and its serial No. will appear. If you haven't registered your console, click on the register link to do so. You'll require the consoles serial no. and your contact details.
5. Once registered, select manage your console. The new screen will outline your warranty details. If your console is under a year old, it will show the standard warranty is still available and its expiry. If your console is over a year old, but under 3 years old, it will show the standard warranty is expired, but the ring of light failure warranty is still available, and its date of expiry.
6. Select "Request a new repair"
7. This will ask you to enter some details, including a brief outline of the problem. Once complete, you will get a service number and a prompt, saying an email has been sent to you with details on how to send your console off for repair.
8. The email contains all the instructions you need on how to send off your console safely, including recommended packing techniques. I just grabbed an old box i had at work, and cut up some styrofoam packing i had from a TV i recently bought, then wrapped the entire thing in lots of bubble wrap. Easy.
9. The email also contains reply paid post slip. You will need to print this out and stick it to the box.
10. Drop the box off at any post office and it will be sent off for zero charge.
11. You can track your consoles progress online by simply logging back into the registration and repair screen. It'll tell you where its at in the system.
12. And that's it. Easy. No dumb call centres to deal with. I sent his off just over a week before christmas, and it was back in 12 working days. Not bad considering most of that seemed to be the postage over there. You also get 3 months extra general warranty (ie, complete coverage) and a month of free xbox live

Anyway, hope that helps someone.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Really, the Indian support wasn't that bad. Wasn't as frustrating as some other companies I've dealt with, such as Telstra. Although, requesting a repair online is probably quicker as you can avoid all of the "are your AV cables secured?" BS.

Mine took 10 working days, and just as you said it was mainly postage time. The great thing is, you never really use sight of your console. You can track its repair status and then track it's postage status once the repair has been completed to see how long it will take to get to you.

MS do a pretty good job of it IMO.

 

[davey_magik]

For me the repair and postage status was a waste of time, it never updated itself.

Nevertheless despite the initial frustration when you get RROD really they don't take too long to get it back to you.

 

[Bosun]

I got the RROD this morning. Lovely New Year present

Got up and groggily was playing FIFA 09 and it crapped itself, when I turned it back on it got the red rings and hasnt worked since.

Called Microsoft and they were great, they have emailed me the postage steps and said it would take around two weeks. My fiance is over the moon, Im not so happy however Ive been playing the old xbox and forgot how much fun Justice League Heroes is.

 

[Mancey]

For me the repair and postage status was a waste of time, it never updated itself.

Nevertheless despite the initial frustration when you get RROD really they don't take too long to get it back to you.

It did for his. It took a while to be registered as having arrived (that took the longest tbh), but once it was there, it was registered as having arrived, then repaired and shipped in a single day.

It also gives you the Postage tracking number, so you can see where it was last scanned

 

[MF]

Just got the RROD 5 minutes ago I've owned it almost 3 years and haven't had a problem. Son of a bitch

I got an extended warranty when I bought it so I can just get a straight swap for another console at EB games but I can't remember how long it was.

 

[Glenno23]

Just got the RROD 5 minutes ago I've owned it almost 3 years and haven't had a problem. Son of a bitch

I got an extended warranty when I bought it so I can just get a straight swap for another console at EB games but I can't remember how long it was.

Won't be covered... I had an extended warranty at EB once (for my PS2) and it was 2 years from date of purchase.....

 

[Mancey]

Yeah i doubt EB will offer a 3 year warranty. Good news is you're still covered by microsoft's warranty however.

 

[nobbyiscool]

given how good MS have gotten at dealing with this issue, and getting repaired consoles back to you, i wonder if its worth red-ringing the bugger on purpose for the free xbox live...

 

[Xtreme]

Depends on your method, from what i have read the service center have wised up to people using the towel trick and refuse to repair consoles they believe have been tampered with.

When i sent my console in a few months back, it was also a 12 day turn around. It was really 8 days, it overlapped with 2 weekends.

 

[MF]

I got an error every time I tried to register online so I ended up just calling the support line direct. The guy I spoke to was actually pretty damn good considering some of the indian call centres I've dealt with before.

 

[MF]

Hey guys, I sent my console off for repair last Sunday and I logged in tonight to check the status of my repair, according to the website they are still awaiting my console to arrive. I really hope this is not the case as I imagine it should be there by now.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Are they just lazy updating the status or is there a chance that my console really hasn't arrived?

 

[Mancey]

Are they just lazy updating the status

This. Don't stress mate.

I'm guessing it arrives, sits on the pile to be repaired, and only gets logged as having arrived when they start work on it.

Took more than a week for the one i sent in to be logged in as having arrived. Once it did, it was repaired and shipped the same day

The whole process will take 10-15 business days. Most of that seems to be postage

 

[MF]

Cheers Mancey

I can sleep easy tonight.

 

[Matt2401]

I got the RROD in early '07, didn't get my 360 back 'till early '08.

Turned out that they didn't recieve my console quick enough so it just sat in the factory untill i actually rang them and politely enquired what was going on. (Seems a year is an awful long time before ringing to see what's going on, but it was one of those thing that you take week be week, thinking i'll ring next week, then the next.)

But wasn't all bad, i ended up purchasing a PS3 in that time frame and am definately happy that i did.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

I got the RROD in early '07, didn't get my 360 back 'till early '08.

Turned out that they didn't recieve my console quick enough so it just sat in the factory untill i actually rang them and politely enquired what was going on. (Seems a year is an awful long time before ringing to see what's going on, but it was one of those thing that you take week be week, thinking i'll ring next week, then the next.)

But wasn't all bad, i ended up purchasing a PS3 in that time frame and am definately happy that i did.

I've heard a couple of stories of this happening but usually after about a month, people contact MS and get it sorted.

I was fretting without my Xbox for 2 weeks, I can't imagine a year.

 

[Mancey]

You waited a year?!

 

[Matt2401]

Haha yeah sounds bad when you say it like that!

Well majority of my spare time during that period was spent playing footy and basketball and my trusty old PS2 and nintendo 64.

I truly hated being on the phone with microsoft and being put on hold and having to give them the same info over and over again so much, that i just kept putting off ringing them and asking what what going on.

Well i'd liken it to giving up something that you're addicted to i.e alcohol, smoking etc. really bad for the first few weeks, and after that you get the ocasional craving to play. And then once you take it back up you wonder how you functioned without it.

 

[xyakks]

Really, the Indian support wasn't that bad. Wasn't as frustrating as some other companies I've dealt with, such as Telstra. Although, requesting a repair online is probably quicker as you can avoid all of the "are your AV cables secured?" BS.

Mine took 10 working days, and just as you said it was mainly postage time. The great thing is, you never really use sight of your console. You can track its repair status and then track it's postage status once the repair has been completed to see how long it will take to get to you.

MS do a pretty good job of it IMO.

Unfortunately my experience was different. I'm still trying to buy a replacement AV/power cords and controls to replace the ones they stole that's what I get for doing exactly what they told me

Worst part is, I still don't know if they fixed the xbox360 and that was in July

Oh yeah, and if anyone has a spare power cord with the adapter thing for the xobox360 I'd be more than happy to buy it off you Already tried over ebay but the damn thing never turned up lmao

 

[caMoGFC]

I'm guessing it arrives, sits on the ridiculously huge pile to be repaired, and only gets logged as having arrived when they start work on it.

don't skimp on the details mancey

seriously though you'd have to assume the guys in 360 repairs would be some of the most overworked and miserable workers going around....

it'd suck going into work each and every day knowing you have THAT MUCH bloody work to try and get done

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Unfortunately my experience was different. I'm still trying to buy a replacement AV/power cords and controls to replace the ones they stole that's what I get for doing exactly what they told me

Worst part is, I still don't know if they fixed the xbox360 and that was in July

Oh yeah, and if anyone has a spare power cord with the adapter thing for the xobox360 I'd be more than happy to buy it off you Already tried over ebay but the damn thing never turned up lmao

Wait, so you sent your console off with the cables and controllers?

They specifically told me to just send the console. Remove the cables, power supply, HDD, any memory units, face-plate etc.

 

[Matt2401]

Yeah they told me to remove everything from the console also.

 

[Ant_]

Wait, so you sent your console off with the cables and controllers?

They specifically told me to just send the console. Remove the cables, power supply, HDD, any memory units, face-plate etc.

Would make sense they have no need for cables, would have workbenches with the cables attached.

 

[Carn Hawkas]

I think the video card in mine is/has shat itself, cause the times where i can actually get a picture on the screen, it goes all greenish.
How can i force the 3 red lights?

 

[xyakks]

Wait, so you sent your console off with the cables and controllers?

They specifically told me to just send the console. Remove the cables, power supply, HDD, any memory units, face-plate etc.

Yep. After sending my console in originally it came back with the same problem. The woman told me to send it back and include all accessories that came with the xbox. I confirmed that that included the controller, she said yes. I confirmed that that included the av and power cords and she said yes. I confirmed that that even included the headset and she said yes.

The email they send out with packaging instructions states that if asked to include accessories by them then that's what you should do.

Stupidly, based on what they said I packaged it all up and sent it off and 3 weeks later got my console back with xbox live 1 month subscription and nothing else.

Tried chasing it all up. Their conclusion is that they have no way of knowing if I packaged all items in the same box. Even my Stat Dec from the post office that states that they packed it all in the same box themselves isn't good enough for them, arsehls.

Last option couple of options is to find somewhere at microsoft that actually wants to help the people that they rip off or take it to one of those court things for fair trading or some crud like that if I can be bothered. F it though, if I can't get into contact with anyone who can be arsd doing anything about it I'll take the $150 loss and get Microsoft back through other means