Fix Xbox 360
Note: this is the continuation of the E74 error article. Anyone joining us now can go ahead and read that article for general information concerning that error, or jump right in here for information on how to fix an Xbox 360.
At this point, there are a few options, based on your patience and budget. General hardware failures ARE covered by Microsoft’s extended warranty. If that’s what you need to fix, Xbox 360 falls under that umbrella. You can contact customer service for details, and fill out an online repair request. No doubt, free is the cheapest option. However, Microsoft people are busy people, and this option will take a LONG time. They want to keep you happy, but they also need to keep thousands of other people happy. Nonetheless, no harm can come of talking to a customer service rep.
Click Here to learn how to fix your Xbox 360 yourself!
On the other end of the spectrum, purchasing a brand new Xbox is an option. This is, of course, the most expensive option. Some money could be saved buying used or refurbished, perhaps; and unfortunately your broken E74-Xbox will not sell for much of anything. I guess I would pick this if I was getting really tired of the Barbie stickers my little sister put all over my 360’s cover.. or my new FIFA game simply could not wait another half hour. But honestly, I cannot recommend it.
Option three is, to a degree, the worst of both worlds. Numerous “Fix Xbox 360 Centers” have popped up all over the place, and plenty of people send their consoles there to have them repaired. Being fair, I am sure these people can satisfactorily fix Xbox 360’s. Also, they are more motivated to do it faster than the Microsoft people—they have a business to sustain. Faster is good, but more expensive is not. Shipping in your Xbox and getting work done on it often can cost around $100. At that point I’d just buy used rather than fix mine. Moreover, you could do the same repairs they would from the comfort of your own living room.
That brings us to our fourth, and most highly recommended option: just.. fix.. Xbox 360.. yourself. “Fix Xbox 360’s? Impossible!” All jokes aside, this probably sounds rather daunting and dangerous, but really, it is not as bad as it seems. An Xbox is just a collection of circuit boards, and hardware failures typically mean reconnecting one little piece of it. That said, I by no means am suggesting you go tear open your 360 and start pulling parts out. That would undoubtedly make your woes worse. Rather, you should fix your Xbox 360 by getting all the information and following the advice and instruction of experts. With the knowledge of people that know what they are doing, fixing an Xbox would not take long at all.
Hence, that is what I highly recommend. Cost-wise it would be free if you knew a really smart Xbox nerd; even if you do not, getting an in depth guide that explains the whole process only costs roughly $30. (I’ll give a few examples at the end) And concerning time: such a guide can be downloaded instantly, and the actual repair often takes less than an hour! For me, anyway, that is actually faster than driving out to Best Buy and taking a new one through the lines.
So alas, you know what you must do. That Halo match is not done for, oh no, this is just halftime. Grab some sodas and be back in a bit, you tell your friends, you can sort this out by yourself.
Click Here to learn how to fix your own Xbox 360 now!
Quick recommendations:
RedLightFixPro: covers all the red light problems extremely well
360RepairGuide: great guide covering all the Xbox issues.
Or just check out my review pages, or Comparison Page!