Xbox 360 Drive Repair - Anyone recommend a good place in UK?

Jim Di Griz · 31-10-2009, 3:42 PM

Ive got two xbox 360's needing repair - exactly the same fault, drive not reading discs.

Can anyone recommend a good safe reliable place to send them to? There is no-one local I can go to so I will have to send them somewhere. Microsoft are asking way too much money last time I checked!

AnthonyG · 31-10-2009, 8:30 PM

If its still under the 3 year warranty you could claim with MS intermittent RROD to get them to fix the consoles for free.

They will automatically swap the drives out to Liteons during any RROD fix.

Its a little bit of a small white lie but it is not as if the consoles are not broken.

With regards to a repair of the two drives if you do not want to go down the above route, you could look on Xbox-Scene forums to see if there is anyone local you can take them to for repair.

Just look at their responses to their thread to see how reliable they are.

shagaboopon · 01-11-2009, 7:19 AM

Changing a laser on a 360 really isn't that hard if you're the least bit technical, check some tutorials out first before you send them away. In some cases clearing the DVD drive of dust and cleaning the laser with a cotton bud and some alcohol will cure the issue. Xbox-scene and llamma are good places to start for info.

**bearman3784** · 01-11-2009, 2:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

If its still under the 3 year warranty you could claim with MS intermittent RROD to get them to fix the consoles for free.

They will automatically swap the drives out to Liteons during any RROD fix.

Its a little bit of a small white lie but it is not as if the consoles are not broken.

With regards to a repair of the two drives if you do not want to go down the above route, you could look on Xbox-Scene forums to see if there is anyone local you can take them to for repair.

Just look at their responses to their thread to see how reliable they are.

they didnt replace my drive when i sent it in a few weeks ago even though it was on its way out

i replaced it myself last week and its an straight forward job to do, drive was only £18 off ebay

AnthonyG · 01-11-2009, 2:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearman3784

they didnt replace my drive when i sent it in a few weeks ago even though it was on its way out

Then to be clearer, they will replace the drive if what you have currently is not a lite-on.

Also if they fixed your console and sent it back with the same drive that was on its way out, I am curious why you decided to void the warranty to do it yourself without just immediately sending it back in with your new 90 days warranty to get it done for free and within warranty.

Jim Di Griz · 01-11-2009, 3:10 PM

Thanks for all the replies.

Both are either close to 3 years or past 3 years so back to MS is not an option really - not sure theyd actually fix the drives anyway.

I dont want to go down the DIY route. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a place in the UK they have used etc? There seems to be lots of places doing drive repairs but Id love some recommendations!

AnthonyG · 01-11-2009, 3:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Di Griz

Both are either close to 3 years

Close to three years is still in warranty. And you will get a new warranty after the repair it. So if they don't touch the drive, you can just send it straight back in with the new 90 day warranty

The worst MS can do is say no. But as I say its up to you.

Other than this as I say take a look on Xbox Scene for local repairers as it should be an easy job.

**bearman3784** · 01-11-2009, 3:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

Then to be clearer, they will replace the drive if what you have currently is not a lite-on.

Also if they fixed your console and sent it back with the same drive that was on its way out, I am curious why you decided to void the warranty to do it yourself without just immediately sending it back in with your new 90 days warranty to get it done for free and within warranty.

it was an old benq drive over a year old, and it came back with the same drive. couldnt be bothered sending it off again, quicker for me to do it myself

Dinky Dragon · 02-11-2009, 4:03 PM

Try it yourself mate.

Just gotta crack it open, which is fairly easy with the right tools.

All you need then is a cotton bud and some rubbing alcohol to clean the lens with. It will work like new then.

battlestar42 · 19-11-2009, 11:09 AM

hi all just bought a ben q drive for xbox 360 installed it into xbox and all what im getting is its playing dvd but no xbox games can any one help me out
thanks

AnthonyG · 19-11-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlestar42

hi all just bought a ben q drive for xbox 360 installed it into xbox and all what im getting is its playing dvd but no xbox games can any one help me out
thanks

You mean you have bought your own XboxDVD drive and just swapped over from what you had in there?

If so you cannot do this, the DVD Drive is locked to that Xbox and only that DVD drive can be used with that one Xbox.

There are ways to trick the Xbox360 to make it think the replacement drive is the exact same as the old drive you have took out but I am guessing that is not the type of thing you can get help on with this particular forum.

battlestar42 · 19-11-2009, 11:29 AM

right so what do i have to do to get it to work in my xbox microsoft want 90 pounds for repair

battlestar42 · 19-11-2009, 11:40 AM

like you said its locked ive heard that you can take the chip out of old drive and solder into the new drive

AnthonyG · 19-11-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlestar42

right so what do i have to do to get it to work in my xbox microsoft want 90 pounds for repair

You have not confirmed if that is what you have done.

If it is firstly Microsoft wont touch it as you have opened up the console yourself and voided the warranty.

If you have replaced your drive from a Liteon to a Benq they will make assumptions as to why you did this. (as 99% of people replace a Liteon to Benq for one thing).

As I say to get it to work you are effectively hacking your Xbox360 you will need to ask for help on it at a forum that supports this as I am pretty sure Avforums doesn't.

Xbox-Scene is your best bet to get help.

But its worth mentioning it is not an easy procedure as if you have a Liteon drive in there now you are quite possibly going to need to solder the drive.

battlestar42 · 19-11-2009, 11:48 AM

sorry yes that is what i have done replaced the drive with new 1 got off fleabay so could i solder the old chip to the new ben q drive would that work then i think it will but dont want to do untill i know
thanks mate

AnthonyG · 19-11-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlestar42

sorry yes that is what i have done replaced the drive with new 1 got off fleabay so could i solder the old chip to the new ben q drive would that work then i think it will but dont want to do untill i know
thanks mate

I am not 100% sure but I don't believe you can just swap PCB's between a Liteon and a Benq.

As I say you will get some good help on sorting it at Xbox-Scene.

But sending it to Microsoft will be a total waste of time, even if you offer to pay them the £90.

battlestar42 · 19-11-2009, 11:56 AM

ok thanks mate will have alook at scene

shagaboopon · 20-11-2009, 8:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

I am not 100% sure but I don't believe you can just swap PCB's between a Liteon and a Benq.

As I say you will get some good help on sorting it at Xbox-Scene.

But sending it to Microsoft will be a total waste of time, even if you offer to pay them the £90.

Indeed the Liteon PCB is a different size with different connectors to the Benq.

His solution would be really to explain the issue with his original drive and what type it is. Explain what his new drive is and then from that information I could make some suggestions.

As AnthonyG rightly states, we cannot link or explain how to modify the firmware in drives so they work in your console publically though on here.

battlestar42 · 20-11-2009, 10:29 PM

hi mate the old drive is a phillips lite on and the issue i have is when you put a xbox game in drive it just makes a clicking noise and does not load the game so i bought a new ben q drive installed into xbox but does not read xbox games but plays dvd s

shagaboopon · 22-11-2009, 3:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by battlestar42

hi mate the old drive is a phillips lite on and the issue i have is when you put a xbox game in drive it just makes a clicking noise and does not load the game so i bought a new ben q drive installed into xbox but does not read xbox games but plays dvd s

The original fault is either the laser or it's ribbon cable, unfortunately you can't use the Benq "blue" laser in a Liteon drive without them getting burned out quite quickly.