How do I back up my Xbox 360? Also warranty advice...

[stuffedmonkey]

Proably a dumb question, but now that I've bought all of these games from the Live arcade - how do I back them up? I figure there must be a way... Or do you just go to the new machine and use the "recover gamertag" function? I wasn't sure if the games are tied to the user account or to the machine...

Also I was interested in getting the extended warranty. I never buy those things, but I get the feeling I should on this... I bought my Xbox from Newegg.com - so I need some place that will let you buy the warranty seperately. I was a bit hesitant to get the warranty directly from Microsoft, since I hear that they essentially give you a refurb of random quality as your replacement. I would much prefer to find some place to give me a new one if the old one croaks...

Thanks in advance for any help for my noob questions...

[Gamereviewgod]

They're tied to your account. You'll be able to re-download once you get a new drive.

[stuffedmonkey]

Sweet. Thanks! I was just sitting with a co-worker helping draft up a plan to back up our new network storage system, and thought I should ask :)

[Drexel923]

Just be aware that Hexic can not be downloaded again. So if you lose it then just call Microsoft and they will give you a code for it.

[stuffedmonkey]

Thanks for the tip! Any warranty recommendations?

[heybtbm]

Any warranty recommendations?

As most 360 owners will tell you...

Get the Microsoft warranty immediately.

It's $59.90 and you will need it eventually. A sad but simple fact. Without the warranty, Microsoft charges $120.00 to repair your 360, so it's your choice. As far as the refurb 360 rumor, it's only after repeated repairs that they will send you a refurbished unit. In the unlikely event that you do get a refurb, your warranty is transferred. So you need not fear either way.

[stuffedmonkey]

But don't some places - like best buy - give you a new machine if the old one breaks under the extended warranty? Or do they give you a refurb/repair?

I know I am going to get the warranty - it was just a question of where I was going to get it from.

[heybtbm]

But don't some places - like best buy - give you a new machine if the old one breaks under the extended warranty? Or do they give you a refurb/repair?

I know I am going to get the warranty - it was just a question of where I was going to get it from.

The Microsoft warranty is for 2 years. Regardless of how many times it needs repair (or replacement), you're covered for 2 years (acutally it's 2 years + 90 days).

Best Buy (for one example) is for 2 years as well. However...you only get ONE replacement. After you replace your console, the warranty is finished. So if you need to exchange your broken 360 with a new one at 3 months...that's it. Many people found this out the hard way around the launch of the PSP. People who bought the 2 year extended warranty at Best Buy, tried to exchange their PSP's with missing pixels (remember that hysteria?). Best Buy gave them new PSP's, but then informed them that their side of the extended warranty had been satisfied. Peoples 2 year extended warranty turned into a 1 day warranty. Absolutely ridiculous. This is a chain-wide policy too, not a local thing.

[Oobgarm]

But don't some places - like best buy - give you a new machine if the old one breaks under the extended warranty? Or do they give you a refurb/repair?

I know I am going to get the warranty - it was just a question of where I was going to get it from.

The Microsoft warranty is for 2 years. Regardless of how many times it needs repair (or replacement), you're covered for 2 years (acutally it's 2 years + 90 days).

Best Buy (for one example) is for 2 years as well. However...you only get ONE replacement. After you replace your console, the warranty is finished. So if you need to exchange your broken 360 with a new one at 3 months...that's it. Many people found this out the hard way around the launch of the PSP. People who bought the 2 year extended warranty at Best Buy, tried to exchange their PSP's with missing pixels (remember that hysteria?). Best Buy gave them new PSP's, but then informed them that their side of the extended warranty had been satisfied. Peoples 2 year extended warranty turned into a 1 day warranty. Absolutely ridiculous. This is a chain-wide policy too, not a local thing.

I recently exchanged a 360 at Best Buy under their extended warranty program(PRP), and was told that I had the remainder of the original warranty in effect for the new console I got.

I made sure to ask this up front, too. Maybe i was just lucky.

[Skelix]

I had a 360 from launch. It had to be sent back within 1st or 2nd week. I was sent a refurbished unit.

Recently (about 16 days outside of warranty) my refurbished 360 died. Like someone mentioned its $125 to get it repaired by M$.

If you complain enough to the people at MYXBOX (and they also told me it was because I was so "close" to sitll being in warranty), I was able to get a supervisor to knock off ~25%. So it ended up costing me ~$100. I don't understand how this was possible as everyone I talked to kept telling me there was nothing they could do about the repair cost.

I was told that a new unit, or a unit they repair has a 90 day warranty. If you buy a years warranty its $30, but obviously has to be purchased while your machine is still under a warranty.

I did not abuse my system, it was well ventilated, moderaetly used, and it just all out died one day. In fact I even missed the damn free download of the poker game. I recommend paying the krap $30. Not that one should have to, maybe I just got unlucky. But I think you're gonna see these launch ones biting it soon.