DO NOT BUY: X-Box or Kincect – Microsoft can void your warranty and disable your product without justification!
By Rachael Smith Dec 10, 2010 | 15 out of 17 found this Microsoft Xbox 360 250GB Console review helpful
Pros: Was Fun
Cons: Does not work
Last year I bought an X-Box 360 250GB, Console Serial Number 043504593307, for my son, who at the time was 5 years old. It started to give the “Insert Disk” error about 70% of the time even when a disk was inserted. These were new disk, all disk ...were legitimate, not copied or pirated. My son only used the x-box for games not for DVDs or CDs. On November 18, 2010 I signed on to the X-Box website, typed in the console serial number and much to my relief, it said it was still covered under warranty until 12/28/10. So I set up a service request (1143087189), got the pre-printed shipping label, boxed it up and shipped it off. Thinking to myself, WOW what great customer service. Then on 11/25/10 at 11:55 AM, I received a courtesy e-mail saying they received the console and would be in contact, so far so good. Just a few hours later at 3:35, I received yet another e-mail saying “We were not able to provide service for your XBOX 360 console. Our standard inspection revealed evidence of internal tampering or modification. The internal modifications found might include: Modifications to internal components• Modifications to software The serial number on the back of the console does not match our records for the internal components of the console sent in for service. Internal modifications, tampering, or unauthorized repairs render your Xbox 360 console ineligible for Microsoft repair.” WHAT???? Nothing had been modified on this system. It was Thanksgiving Day so I thought, I will give them a call tomorrow and figure this out. However, at 10:35 PM that day, I received a third e-mail saying it was already being shipped back. Then on Saturday 11/27/10 at 7:12 AM, after they had already sent it back, another e-mail saying “We were not able to provide warranty service for your XBOX 360 console. Our standard inspection revealed that one or more of the following conditions exist, voiding the XBOX 360 Limited Warranty: • The anti-tampering label on your console is damaged or missing • We found pry marks, indications of forced entry, or other signs of tampering on the console The Xbox Limited Warranty states that the warranty shall not apply, and Microsoft shall have no liability, if your console has been tampered with or has been repaired, modified, or altered anywhere other than at a Microsoft authorized repair center.” Again, WHAT??? While my son is pretty smart in my opinion, I am pretty sure he does not know how to modify or tamper with an Xbox. So on Monday, 11/29/10, I called X-Box, to try to figure out exactly what had happened. I was told that due to confidentiality reasons he could not tell me over the phone what the reason was, but that when I got my X-box back it would have a letter that that said what the exact problem was. He told me there was nothing he could do to help. The console arrived and to my surprise, there was a letter in it and you know what it said? It listed all of the above reasons as to why they would not honor the warranty. So I turned to the internet and search “Insert Disk” error, guess what, this is a VERY common problem, which is due to the lens. We really wanted to get my son the Kinect for Christmas, so my husband decided to fix the problem himself. At this point he did open up the X-Box, breaking two different tamper seals in the process. We were not concerned at this point since X-Box already said it would not honor our warranty. He cleaned up the lens, put it back together, plugged it in to see if it worked and guess what, the X-Box would not DO ANYTHING! It was flashing two reds lights on top then and 2 green lights on the bottom, but won’t play anything. Called X-Box customer service again and surprise, surprise, they could not help and did not know what we were talking about! So back to the internet, it seems that it does this when the console is in manufacturing mode. There are several people who have had this issue and the “rumor” is Microsoft is doing this to “get back” at people that tampered with their system. However, I NEVER tampered with it. They judged me guilty without even asking and now I have a system that once was pretty useless, is Completely useless!!!! Read more Less
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