Microsoft is retarded.

[Darth Sensei]

So I have to return my 360 back to them for replacement because it keeps throwing 3 red lights.

I follow the included instructions on how to pack it and such.

Step 7 says, "Close the box and seal it with the seal." which is included.
Step 8 "Place the return label directly on top of the previous shipping label."

Blah blah.

There are about 6" worth of pictures in the middle of the page for all the steps. At the very bottom of the page a full 6 inches from the rest of the steps it has a place for me to put my name, service request number, and serial number and to put that in the box.

Now how the hell am I supposed to do that since I just sealed the damn thing per your instructions?

Jesus what a bunch of retards.

[Perkar]

MS ftw

[FAN8228]

wow...
Really sounds like they got their shit straight over at good ol' MS.

[theshizzle3000]

Its funny how they don't even try, because they know have the people will not follow the directions anyways.

[FAN8228]

Its funny how they don't even try, because they know have the people will not follow the directions anyways.

and then the few people that do follow directions get shafted :drinking:

[s1lence]

Funny that they sent you a box. I had to send mine in my own box and ship it at my expense. It was replaced under warranty and shipped back to me at their cost. So I guess I agree, retarded.

[FAN8228]

I think it's pretty retarded that you would have to pay anything for them to fix something that is their screw up to begin with. People have already payed a nice chunk of change for the system, now on top of that you want me to pay for sending the console back to you so you can fix something that should have been taken care of prior to releasing it? r-e-t-a-r-d-e-d! It's why I don't own a 360, never owned an xbox and probably never will. I don't care much for MS.

[rbudrick]

Wal Mart return policy ftw.

-Rob

[captain nintendo]

I think it's pretty retarded that you would have to pay anything for them to fix something that is their screw up to begin with. People have already payed a nice chunk of change for the system, now on top of that you want me to pay for sending the console back to you so you can fix something that should have been taken care of prior to releasing it? r-e-t-a-r-d-e-d! It's why I don't own a 360, never owned an xbox and probably never will. I don't care much for MS.


You do realize that Nintendo and Sony probably have the same policy regarding repairs and returns? :rolleyes:

[veronica_marsfan]

You do realize that Nintendo and Sony probably have the same policy regarding repairs and returns? :rolleyes:


No. Sony does. But not Nintendo. Nintendo will repair/replace a manufacturer-mistake in their Gamecubes or Wii's for free. Nintendo has excellent customer service.

[FAN8228]

Wal Mart return policy ftw.

-Rob

I've heard of a few people who have done that.

[Slate]

And That's why I buy extended warranties at stores. :shameful:

[Emuaust]

This is worse in Australia they will send you all the paper work and stickers to send
the console back to them but keep forgetting to include the box to send it back in,
sometimes you get it sometimes you dont.

For sony though you walk down to your local post office and it gets packaged up
and sent away.

[veronica_marsfan]

And That's why I buy extended warranties at stores. :shameful:

Take all the extended warranties you've purchased.
Add up the total dollars spent. ($25 here, $35 over there, et cetera).
The total amount spend on EWs would exceed the cost of just buying (or repairing) an X360.

That's why I stopped buying Service Plans. They actually end up costing more than just replacing, or repairing, the broken gadget. I've saved thousands of dollars by NOT buying service plans.
:whip:

[FAN8228]

service plans are a scam. It's how the stores make money. Trust me, I used to work at 2 of those big retailers and they would try and get you to push service plans like they were going out of style.

[norkusa]

I remember reading somewhere that 90% of those extended warranty plans sold go unused, so I usually just pass on them unless it's something big (like my new iMac).

[Wavelflack]

Ha ha!

This reminds me of an incident that happened to me in 2nd grade.
The teacher handed out a full sheet of instructions, as well as a blank piece of paper. She then said "Make sure to read all of the directions before you start."

So I take a cursory glance at the first five or six instructions. Okay. Then I start.

Step 1. Draw a circle.
Step 2. Draw a box outside of the circle.
Step 3. Draw three lines inside of the circle, not touching the edges.
Step 4. Draw a letter "A" to the right side of the box.

(etc.)

so on and so forth. By the time you get to step 26, you have an intricate, if strange, piece of art. Step 27 says "Ignore steps 1-26. Do not mark your paper."

It was all a trick to see if you would follow directions (ie; "Read ALL of the directions before you start.") I felt like a total dipshit with all of that nonsense all over my paper.

[dethink]

I'm about ready to throw my 360 in the garbage, or ebay it as a parts console.

Worked fine for 10 months, had MAYBE 50-60 hours of use on it, popped in PDZ to play it since I hadn't in a while, it went to install the software update, the screen went black, the DVD drive made a huge *CRUNCH*, and the smell of burnt electronics filled the immediate area. 3 more returns on bad re-furbs later, going through all the hoops to get my XBLA games back on a new tag everytime, etc.

FORGET IT. Either I'm going to smash it spectacularly when it gets back, or unload it at gamestop or something. I've never had a console break, other than my launch DC that stopped reading controller ports for some reason.

[SaturnFan]

Whats up with these 360's man? The 3 ring of death seems to be very common now. I was going to get a 360 but all these horror stories are making me change my mind.

[dethink]

Whats up with these 360's man? The 3 ring of death seems to be very common now. I was going to get a 360 but all these horror stories are making me change my mind.

I thought it was a bunch of malarkey too. I mean, if I went by the horror stories on the internet, PS1's and 2's would have burned my house down and raped my dog or something, so I usually take such things with a grain of salt.

But in this case...I'd say the hype is warranted.

Out of the 7 friends of mine who have 360's, they've all had to send them back at least once. Mine was the lone hold-out, and now this.

No thanks.

[Darth Sensei]

Someone created a poll of DP users with how many have had to return their systems but I'm too lazy to search for it.

[dethink]

Yeah, I remember that one... the whole "OMG WHITE LIENZ@@!!!11!!!" thread.

33% problem rate is nothing to sneeze at, though I'm sure once you're locked into MS's warranty replacements, the problems are probably magnified...I've had friends send back like new consoles, only to get ones back that look like they've been dragged behind trucks.

Anyways, sorry to pollute your thread...just reminded me of my current woes. ;)

[chicnstu]

So I have to return my 360 back to them for replacement because it keeps throwing 3 red lights.

I follow the included instructions on how to pack it and such.

Step 7 says, "Close the box and seal it with the seal." which is included.
Step 8 "Place the return label directly on top of the previous shipping label."

Blah blah.

There are about 6" worth of pictures in the middle of the page for all the steps. At the very bottom of the page a full 6 inches from the rest of the steps it has a place for me to put my name, service request number, and serial number and to put that in the box.

Now how the hell am I supposed to do that since I just sealed the damn thing per your instructions?

Jesus what a bunch of retards.

IGN has an article about this too. Made about the same time.

[FAN8228]

Someone created a poll of DP users with how many have had to return their systems but I'm too lazy to search for it.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94153

that's the link.

[Bassgrabber]

WOW... I'll play Fable on PC, thanks.....

Roughly one-third have been returned... with a margin of those multiple times.

[Griking]

service plans are a scam. It's how the stores make money. Trust me, I used to work at 2 of those big retailers and they would try and get you to push service plans like they were going out of style.

Of course retailers push service plans, they're like 80% margin for the stores.

That being said, they DO work if your product breaks

[FAN8228]

Of course retailers push service plans, they're like 80% margin for the stores.

That being said, they DO work if your product breaks
right. It's still a waste of money. One of the items they try to scam you on is big TV's. I remember when the DLP came out. They would charge around $600 for 3 years. They would try to get the person to buy it by telling them that if the bulb ever burned out they were screwed. Reality is if the bulb burns out, you're screwed for a few days tops, you can buy a bulb yourself and change it yourself, it's pretty simple. It would take them a day or two to get down to your house anyways.

Another "read the fine print" part of service plans was with Automotive audio. "Oh sure, if it stops working, we'll replace it." Not always true. Certain manufacturers were not replaced, instead they were shipped off to be repaired, huge difference from what they tell you. They lie, whether they are on commision or not, to make the sale they lie, plain and simple. In the end, it's not worth dishing out the extra cash for the service plan.

[Rev. Link]

I never buy into the idea of extended warranties from stores, but with the reputation of the 360, and its price, should I get the warranty?

I plan on picking up both a 360 and a PSP soon, but I'm apprehensive about their reputations. If extended warranties are the way to go for these two systems, which store would be the best to buy from?

[dethink]

Just a heads up -

If you plan on buying XBLA arcade games and other downloadable content, a service plan replacement console from a store (and not MS) will make it impossible to get your DLC back, unless you want to purchase it again.

The content is tied to your original S/N and gamertag, and unless it matches with the serial on the new/refurb console MS sends you if one fails, you're out of luck. It's already enough of a pain to get it back (you have to register a new tag, you lose your achievements, they re-issue you the points you've purchased, after lots of yammering back and forth), so if you plan on playing stuff like Lumines and Space Giraffe, there's something to consider.

While I didn't have a *ton* of money tied up in DLC (probably $60-70), it really became one of my favorite features of the console (well, as long as it wasn't Horse Armor BS), though the hoops you have to jump through if something goes awry is no way to treat a paying customer. I would have GLADLY bought these games on disc, were there a feasible way to get them at a similar price (i.e. paying $40 for Geometry Wars...and then a bunch of crappy games to pad the game count isn't it).

[Darth Sensei]

ARe you sure about that? I thought those games/stats were saved on the hard drive? M$ doesn't have you return that to them.

[s1lence]

Just a heads up -

If you plan on buying XBLA arcade games and other downloadable content, a service plan replacement console from a store (and not MS) will make it impossible to get your DLC back, unless you want to purchase it again.

The content is tied to your original S/N and gamertag, and unless it matches with the serial on the new/refurb console MS sends you if one fails, you're out of luck. It's already enough of a pain to get it back (you have to register a new tag, you lose your achievements, they re-issue you the points you've purchased, after lots of yammering back and forth), so if you plan on playing stuff like Lumines and Space Giraffe, there's something to consider.

While I didn't have a *ton* of money tied up in DLC (probably $60-70), it really became one of my favorite features of the console (well, as long as it wasn't Horse Armor BS), though the hoops you have to jump through if something goes awry is no way to treat a paying customer. I would have GLADLY bought these games on disc, were there a feasible way to get them at a similar price (i.e. paying $40 for Geometry Wars...and then a bunch of crappy games to pad the game count isn't it).

Umm NO, they are not tied to the serial number of the system. They are linked only to your gamertag. I had mine replaced and all my games worked like they did before, NEW system, different serial number. I have also taken my gamertag to other systems, downloaded the games on another system, FOR free no less, and played them on that system. As soon as my gamertag wasn't on that 360 the games didn't work.

[dethink]

to Darth / Silence -

Yes, they are saved on the hard drive.

However, if I take my hard drive that I still have, and attach it to your console, they will only play in demo mode, since the s/n "signature" from the new console that it's attached to doesn't match the one tied to the s/n on my gamertag when I originally purchased the content. At that point, I had to call MS again, and go through the whole "new gamertag/refund points/re-download" deal.

Content is not just tied to your tag, it is also tied to your console's serial number. I've used my HD on other consoles, and while I can sign in to live and it will log things like achievements, playing arcade games reverts them to demo mode.

It's not terribly difficult to get the stuff back, but after the 3rd time, MS gets a bit huffy, and it gets a bit old. PS - I'm NOT trying to turn this into a 360 bashing thread. I liked mine a lot...until I had to have it replaced now a 4th time...

[mailman187666]

the XBLA games will work on a different system only if you are online. If you sign out of xbox live and try to play those same games, it will go into demo mode. Thats why people have been going through all the BS trying to get thier full games back.

[FantasiaWHT]

re: service plans.

Do you have health insurance? Auto insurance? Same concept. You'll PROBABLY spend more money on the plan than the value you get out of it, but you're protecting yourself from a smaller possibility of losing a greater value.

I pick and choose very carefully what I get service plans on. I've only done a couple (digital camera (heavy travel, crammed in everywhere, expensive) and my laptop (pretty much the same things)). I don't do it often, but I don't discount their potential value.

[s1lence]

the XBLA games will work on a different system only if you are online. If you sign out of xbox live and try to play those same games, it will go into demo mode. Thats why people have been going through all the BS trying to get thier full games back.

Which is why mine always work, I'm always on live. I let mine be like that.

[Rev. Link]

So what are some of the better stores to get plans from?

[Darth Sensei]

I've had my replacement 360 for a week and it has already died with freeze ups and 3 red lights.

I give the supervisor for xbox hardware shit and tell him I want a new box. He says he'll request one but can't promise it.

Then the diaper head actually has the balls to tell me that I had better pay for an extended warranty so they will continue sending me replacement xboxes.

I told him that instead of sending me a new xbox every week, it would be nice if they designed them not to be pieces of shit. :angry:

[Fighter17]

I told him that instead of sending me a new xbox every week, it would be nice if they designed them not to be pieces of shit. :angry:

Never going to happen.

Got my old-school Neo-Geo CD from 1995 and still fucking works today (went thru many different owners).

[Griking]

right. It's still a waste of money. One of the items they try to scam you on is big TV's. I remember when the DLP came out. They would charge around $600 for 3 years. They would try to get the person to buy it by telling them that if the bulb ever burned out they were screwed. Reality is if the bulb burns out, you're screwed for a few days tops, you can buy a bulb yourself and change it yourself, it's pretty simple. It would take them a day or two to get down to your house anyways.

Another "read the fine print" part of service plans was with Automotive audio. "Oh sure, if it stops working, we'll replace it." Not always true. Certain manufacturers were not replaced, instead they were shipped off to be repaired, huge difference from what they tell you. They lie, whether they are on commision or not, to make the sale they lie, plain and simple. In the end, it's not worth dishing out the extra cash for the service plan.

It sounds like all of the problems that you are describing stem from a company / salesperson that didn't explain the plan to you correctly and not from the plan itself.

I'm a computer tech who does HP/Compaq warranty repairs as well as my company's own extended service plans. Service plans are held by an insurance company and no insurance company like to pay on claims. But that being said, if the covered product breaks down from normal use they do cover parts and labor which would almost always cost more than you paid for the plan.

[Griking]

Then the diaper head actually has the balls to tell me that I had better pay for an extended warranty so they will continue sending me replacement xboxes.


Nice racist comment there

[petewhitley]

It sounds like all of the problems that you are describing stem from a company / salesperson that didn't explain the plan to you correctly and not from the plan itself.

Seriously. The majority of extended warranties do exactly what they say they will do, it's just a matter of if you are willing to pay the fairly high cost of buying into them. If you're a college student/family guy/etc. pinching pennies you have no business even looking at them, but if you have a bit of extra cash and don't want to ever have to worry about a broken system and/or waiting a month for the manufacturer to fix something, it's probably well-worth the peace of mind. It's basically a luxury item (service), and you need to view it as such.

[Darth Sensei]

It's been 9 days without my 360. I'm missing it horribly. :(

[ShenmueFan]

I'd rather spend $29 on an extended in-store warranty than have my 360 fail, have it shipped off to M$ for repairs or just be out $299+ altogether.


Anybody who doesn't buy an extended warranty on any new system nowadays is a moron.

[GillianSeed]

service plans are a scam. It's how the stores make money. Trust me, I used to work at 2 of those big retailers and they would try and get you to push service plans like they were going out of style.

While that's true, in the case of the 360 a service plan seems warranted (no pun intended). I avoid extended warranties like the plague, but with all the 360 horror stories I snagged one for mine. Target's is actually pretty reasonable, $30.

[ShenmueFan]

^^^ I bought my 360 and warranty through Target because they have great customer service. I knew if I had problems w/ it I could bring it back w/o any problem.

[GillianSeed]

Anybody who doesn't buy an extended warranty on any new system nowadays is a moron.
I don't see any reason to buy one for the Wii -- it seems to be more robust than its bleeding-edge cousins and Nintendo has excellent customer service. And remember that most folks that bought extended 360 warranties probably did so before MS extended their manufacturers coverage to one year. (initially it was only good for 90 days, a scary prospect given the many 360 horror stories)

[ShenmueFan]

You don't need one for the Wii since it's essentially a Gamecube and no one's ever had problems with those.

Your investment is safe thanks to Nintendo's efforts to halt technological progress.

[Hwj_Chim]

You don't need one for the Wii since it's essentially a Gamecube and no one's ever had problems with those.



wow what a dumb comment I have a blind gamecube and it is the only system i have had problems with.

[ShenmueFan]

^^^ It was a generalization dude...chill. Of course no system is going to be 100% perfect, there are going to be units that have problems...geez.

But in all fairness, you are actually the first person I have ever heard of that's had any problem with a Gamecube.

[FantasiaWHT]

^^^ It was a generalization dude...chill. Of course no system is going to be 100% perfect, there are going to be units that have problems...geez.

But in all fairness, you are actually the first person I have ever heard of that's had any problem with a Gamecube.

I worked at an EB games as a manager for two years and I only ever saw one defective GC. The cover-release button was sticking.

That being said, I have seen & heard way many more problems with Wii's than with Gamecubes. Usually problems with being unable to synch controllers (blasted Bluetooth). The Wii doesn't seem to be up to the reputation for initial-quality systems that Nintendo has.

[Darth Sensei]

I've had my replacement 360 for a week and it has already died with freeze ups and 3 red lights.

I give the supervisor for xbox hardware shit and tell him I want a new box. He says he'll request one but can't promise it.

Then the diaper head actually has the balls to tell me that I had better pay for an extended warranty so they will continue sending me replacement xboxes.

I told him that instead of sending me a new xbox every week, it would be nice if they designed them not to be pieces of shit. :angry:

Well the retards have again sent me a "refurbished" unit rather than new. I can't help but expect that this one will die after a short time like the last one. :angry:

[attilathehun]

No. Sony does. But not Nintendo. Nintendo will repair/replace a manufacturer-mistake in their Gamecubes or Wii's for free. Nintendo has excellent customer service.Umm you're talking during warranty period. They replaced my ds with a refurb for $70.

Here's the 3 rings of death fix.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2006/6/16/4353

[Darth Sensei]

I appreciate the link. However, since the 3 lights indicates General Hardware FAilure the problem for any specific 360 could be anything. This wouldn't lend itself to a 1 procedure fix this problem type of thing.

[attilathehun]

I appreciate the link. However, since the 3 lights indicates General Hardware FAilure the problem for any specific 360 could be anything. This wouldn't lend itself to a 1 procedure fix this problem type of thing.Ok take that piece of shit 360 and throw it out the window and go buy a PS3. There problem solved.

[scooterb23]

Ok take that piece of shit 360 and throw it out the window and go buy a PS3. There problem solved.


Because a system can't break if you never use it!!!! :D :D :D

[Darth Sensei]

My latest re-furb (my 3rd) I've had for a few weeks and just got my first freeze up last night. I'm not a happy camper. :bullshit:

[swlovinist]

Wow, I am sure noticing alot of death rings on this forum and atari age. It makes me wonder when mine is gonna go. I have had one since day one with no probs, but that does not mean it wont happen.

[norkusa]

My latest re-furb (my 3rd) I've had for a few weeks and just got my first freeze up last night. I'm not a happy camper. :bullshit:

Ehh, it could just be the game and have nothing to do with the system. I've had Oblivion freeze up on me once and Rainbow Six Vegas at least 4 or 5 times. Some games just do that.

[PallarAndersVisa]

I've had XBLA games freeze up on me. Well, just once the other day SotN froze when I pushed start while the map screen was fading away or something. It just froze tha FUCK up.

Oblivion froze a lot, especially during one quest where an item supposedly showed up outside, I couldnt even go into that zone because the game would just freeze.

[dethink]

After getting back my 5th unit, I ebayed it.

Sorry, I loved the games, and there are a ton I want to play on the horizon (Mass Effect...*sniffle*), but I'm supposed to be having FUN here, not spending night after night on the phone for "permission" to be able to enjoy the $400 I spent on my new console. By the 4th time you're calling for warranty replacement, they're not too happy with you, and think you're trying to pull some kind of scam.

I am beyond anal about my electronics and media...there's NO WAY I should have to go through 5 of these, and replacing them with refurbs that look like they've been through a rock tumbler is no way to treat customers who just want a new working console. Sorry, I understand I'm probably an infintessimal statistical anomaly (hopefully for everyone else's sake), but this is redonkulous.

[attilathehun]

Dayum I'm so lucky that's way worst then me buying the Sega Saturn in 1995 2 controllers and 2 games for $400.00 This oval button model still works.

Are these pieces shit still being crapped out or is it just a first year run?