Slow like a bad PC

[Marcello]

Hey guys, my Xbox 360 has been acting strange lately: when I turn it on and that "X" screnn shows up it takes around 10 minutes (!!!), 5 minutes at the best turn of events, to jump into the dashboards, then the dashboards usualy work well enough (some lags sometimes, but rarely), some games however are showing extreme lagging, Fallout 3 Point Lookout is like hell at times, but then its hard to know, since a LOT of people complained about the expansion causing lags... However, recently I put my father to play Mass Effect and the first load screen took over FIFTEEN minutes!!! I also realised that when the game recognizes the controller fast enough it turns on fast enough, however it's taking it's damn sweet time to accept the controller, even when I used the play and charge cable... Anyone knows if I have a 3rod on the way or something?

[Variation-XBA]

There's no way it should take that long to boot up.

Have you tried unconnecting internet from the box and seeing if that is holding it up for some strange reason?

Something is wrong with your system, it should NOT take that long at all.

[Enamelized420-XBA]

do as Variation mentioned and sdisc from the Internet and see if it loads regularly, also once all booted clear the cache if never been performed:

Go to the system blade and then select memory.

Press Y on the HD symbol and then press X,X,Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X,X. Once you do this a messsage will appear saying: Do you want to perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage devices?

Performing this function will also clear any software updates. You will have to repatch.

worst case scenerio RROD soon...

[Marcello]

Unfortunately I tried all of those options already... What I have been thinking of doing is deleting Mass Effect and/or Fallout 3 from the Hard Drive, but I don't think it'll work cause they have been instaled for ages and there was never any problem with that...
Well, I'm a pessimistic, let's say it goes RROD, I was thinking of buying an arcade Xbox 360 and then just clipping the hard drive from the "dead" one into the "newborn"... That's because there's no way in hell or heaven that i'm taking this heavy bastard all the way to the USA to get it fixed (or send it by mail to Microsoft, the price of the mail iteself would be the price of an arcade version...)

[Variation-XBA]

let's say it goes RROD, I was thinking of buying an arcade Xbox 360 and then just clipping the hard drive from the "dead" one into the "newborn"... That's because there's no way in hell or heaven that i'm taking this heavy bastard all the way to the USA to get it fixed (or send it by mail to Microsoft, the price of the mail iteself would be the price of an arcade version...)

If you get the RROD its a FREE fix. You just label it on the website as RROD and they send you a box, you ship it off (free postage) and wait for it to come back, so I dunno why you're thinking it's going to cost anything to get it fixed.

Lots of people do go the arcade route though and just use their HD from the pro, so that's an option, but a free fix from Microsoft is still free.

[Marcello]

Wow, but is it free postage from Brazil to USA? I didn't know about that box thing, that's very good info you just gave me O.O If it doesn't cost me I'd sure wait for a fixed X360... I just have one doubt, I wouldn't have to send the HD as well would I? Cause it would be hell to lose all save games and stuff...

[SmartarseV2]

I just have one doubt, I wouldn't have to send the HD as well would I?

No, it comes with very clear instructions (which is nice) to remove the hard drive, any discs from the tray, and any custom faceplates.

[Variation-XBA]

Ah your from Brazil. So I'm not sure how it's dealt with in your Country, but if it's like here, you don't pay a thing, but you'll have to see about Brazil.

And no, you keep your harddrive when you send it in, nothing else goes with it, just the system

[Marcello]

Thanks all, you guys helped a lot. I checked on the Brazil thing, it seems our Microsoft will send to the US but not back to Brazil, which means I'd have to get in touch with Gamestop from Block at the Orange, where I bought my X360 and ask them to please receive the videogame for me and send it back to my place, now they're not obliged to do that, nor do I think they will cause they don't even send games to other countries Óò
Anyway, the damn console worked perfectly when I turned it on earlier today (after posting here, maybe my X360 has AI and it's afraid I'll leave it o.o ahuahuahu)... Well, worst case scenario I hold a RRoD 'till january and then I'll take it myself to the US or something...
Thanks again!

[Marcello]

After losing my patience with Monkey island (it wouldn't even start at times, and run slow), I decided to delete from my HD the Fallout 3 game, I thought, maybe it has too many stuff instaled, well didn't help, I finished Monkey Island, and decided to go back to playing Fallout 3 (cause I never stop playing this game ahuhua)... It ran smoothly, so I asked myself: "Well, Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood ran perfectly, it just had a problem loading saved games, Fallout 3, once put to run directly from the disc, came back to it's normal state, unless I'm in an expansion zone... And EVERY Arcade game gave me headaches in one way or another."; after that I realised the problem was the HD, I took it of of my console and the console turns on imediatly now, games running perfectly (can't say for the Arcade, cause now I can't even play the arcade...).
Question: I've done sort of a "Noah's Arc" with my memory card, saving the most important saves, my profile and a few other stuff I really wanted to keep. Now, I'm thinking of formating the HD, I'll have to buy a new one anyway so "f*ck it" I've been thinking; I ONLY have one doubt, if I do that, if I format the HD, will I be able to use it again (in case the problem fixes)? Also, all the stuff I bought on XBox Live is linked to my ACCOUNT right? So I'll just have to download them again, won't need to BUY them again, is that correct?

[CrazyCougar]

Downloads are connected to both your gamertag and the system you downloaded them onto. If you change systems, you will have to transfer the license via a handy tool on Xbox.com.

But to answer your question...No, you will not have to purchase anything you have already purchased with your current account.

[Symmetric-XBA]

If you get the RROD its a FREE fix. You just label it on the website as RROD and they send you a box, you ship it off (free postage) and wait for it to come back, so I dunno why you're thinking it's going to cost anything to get it fixed.

Lots of people do go the arcade route though and just use their HD from the pro, so that's an option, but a free fix from Microsoft is still free.

Var man I hate to break this to ya but NO LONGER is the RRoD a completely "free" fix. MS is doing away w/ coffins totally making it the gamer's responsiblity to pay for shipping the unit back to them. Granted they will repair it for free being a RRoD, however, the GAMER will have to package it up, pay for shipping and send it on its way. MS did this so that way they can save money financially. It stinks, but unf. thats what MS has done.

Onto the problem of the system, it sounds like your system man is unf. on its last legs. Best cost stratagey is to do your idea of purchasing a 360 and then just take your hdd over to the new system. "IF you get a RRoD" and if you send it to MS they will not ask you to ship your hdd with it. W/ MS's new shipping policy on the consoles it will be up to you to decide what you want to do with your old console. I'd personally look around where you are and see if there is a company or business that will fix it for you. If your new arcade system still does it, then take it back, get your money back and use that money to send out your system.

[Variation-XBA]

Var man I hate to break this to ya but NO LONGER is the RRoD a completely "free" fix. MS is doing away w/ coffins totally making it the gamer's responsiblity to pay for shipping the unit back to them. Granted they will repair it for free being a RRoD, however, the GAMER will have to package it up, pay for shipping and send it on its way. MS did this so that way they can save money financially. It stinks, but unf. thats what MS has done.

Well I'm speaking on the experience I had only a short time ago and I was sent a box when I filed it online.

[CrazyCougar]

If you demand a "coffin" it WILL be sent to you. They do not volunteer the service on their own or make it standard. It also depends on the service rep you get. I too recently returned one but had to specifically ask for the box to be shipped to me, and they will try to resist but if you tell them you wont take No for an answer they will send the box.

MS has simply hidden the service but its there if you ask for it.

[Marcello]

Okay, now this is bizarre: I formated the HD. After being formated the whole system worked perfectly, that is, untill I retransfered the saved data to the HD... Everything became slow again after the save games were transfered back to the HD.
So this time I thought about something else (since it's pretty clear to me npow that the problem is the HD): Since I know that Fallout 3 has some "corrupting data issues" I transfered ONLY the Fallout 3 saves to the memory card and... Well, the system is working perfectly as long as there's no Fallout 3 data in the HD o.O Now, I don't know much about computers and all, but is it possible that a corrupt save from Fallout 3 affected the whole videogame system??? o.o I'll transfer those saves to a friend's X360, just to make sure that the problem is related with those Fallout 3 saves...

[Symmetric-XBA]

If you demand a "coffin" it WILL be sent to you. They do not volunteer the service on their own or make it standard. It also depends on the service rep you get. I too recently returned one but had to specifically ask for the box to be shipped to me, and they will try to resist but if you tell them you wont take No for an answer they will send the box.

MS has simply hidden the service but its there if you ask for it.

Thats good to know man, but why hide it if its still available ya know? lol never knew MS's customer service would put up a fight like that for a box.

[CrazyCougar]

I think its one of those dont ask, dont tell things. You figure they are saving money on the folks that do not demand a box and it probably happens more often than not.

[Symmetric-XBA]

ahhhh i see your point. makes perfect sense, esp. when they tried to hassle you about sending you one. its like the micro fine print on the back of a recipt that no company expects you to read lol.

[Variation-XBA]

Weird, seems somehow a corrupt save or something is doing something wonky to your system. Glad you figured it out though

[Symmetric-XBA]

one thing that was odd that i noticed on systems that run really slowly, if you do a hdd upgrade and transfer over your info from one hdd to another, there will STILL be bits of deleted content on your old hdd! lol guess the "delete" button doesn't mean delete lol. I had that happen to me on xbox #5 and when it finally got so slow i had time to make lunch b4 the dash loaded I couldn't take it anymore lol.

[Marcello]

one thing that was odd that i noticed on systems that run really slowly, if you do a hdd upgrade and transfer over your info from one hdd to another, there will STILL be bits of deleted content on your old hdd!

I've heard about that before,they said that if you transfer the content by means of that "cable" Microsot has for that purpose, you'll probably get a notie that "some data was lost" during transition and all... But when you check your saves you lost nothing, that's because what you actually lost were those "bits and pieces" you spoke of... It must be like when you delete a game from a PC ya know? If you simply press "uninstal" and later check the folders you'll see a lot of info still instaled...

[Symmetric-XBA]

Here's the report from Joystiq on the MS "coffin"

Microsoft – the manufacturer of the RRoD-prone Xbox 360 – has confirmed to Joystiq that it's discontinued its policy of providing a prepaid box with shipping label, more commonly referred to as the "coffin," for all Xbox 360 repairs. As of May 26 the policy was discontinued "in an effort to expedite the repair process." Customers will have the option of receiving an e-label to slap on the box they ship their bricked consoles in, but the days of the "coffin" are now over. A Microsoft spokesperson tell us, "Customers can now ship their consoles themselves using an e-label provided by Microsoft and do not need to wait for an empty box to be shipped to them."

Apparently Microsoft's accountants were getting tired of that budget line item signifying thousands of dollars spent on providing cardboard boxes to the millions of consumers with defective units (often multiple times). We likely should have seen the writing on the wall when we recently contacted Microsoft to find out what recourse customers had if customer service wasn't offering coffins.

Our advice: Mail it to Microsoft in whatever packaging you've got lying around (remember: they're going to fix it regardless) and save the special, custom-fit packaging they mail it back to you in. Odds are you'll use it again