Jpn 360 - ring of red - options?

[chipsgravy]

I bought a launch Jpn 360 waaay back when they first became avaliable. Unfortunately not long after I became quite ill and as such the machine has had little use really. Recently when playing games the 360 has randomly started displaying the 3 red lights of doom. Now its not all the time but it is annoying when it happens. So I got to thinking what my options are.

1. Contact Microsoft. Would they be interested? The machine is now 18 months old and imported?

2. Theres a seller on eBay that claims he can fix this problem for around ?40. Has anyone used him/them? Did it work?

3. Buy a new Jpn 360. I am looking at maybe the new Halo 3 one coming out. Yes its an awful colour but...will it have revisions made to the motherboard making it more reliable?

What does everyone think?

[Hulk Davidson]

I have a broken jap 360 and I asked MS when I called up about my PAL 360. They said they wouldn't take it because its out of region.

[Pavey]

Same with me for my US 360, so MS is a no go.

I'm going to use 360repair.co.uk, i think.

[dannywhac]

If you're brave enough you could try it yourself:

First check your error code:

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=484726

Then if its a 0020 or 0102 (the most likely sadly), try having a butchers at RBJTechs 360 site:

http://rbjtech.bulldoghome.com/pages/rbjtech_bulldoghome_com/

Personally I always try replacing the thermal paste first (follow the dissasembly instr under '9. X-Clamp Replacement' and clean the CPU and GPU and apply more paste. If it fails, give the clamp replacement a go.....
It's not as difficult as it looks, and all the bolt/nut/washers are readily available from B&Q

[IanE]

Nah the comments so far aren't true.. I called up when my Japanese 360 went boing, I didn't state that it was one but they took it anyway and sent me a new PAL UK one. They don't mind.

[dannywhac]

Nah the comments so far aren't true.. I called up when my Japanese 360 went boing, I didn't state that it was one but they took it anyway and sent me a new PAL UK one. They don't mind.

Thought that only applied 'if you can get away with it' - if you state the region of the console is anything other than PAL, they'll not repair it for nowt - same goes if you've opened a console and broken the sticker: if you don't declare it when you ring 'em, its a lottery if they notice......and you risk the costs of paying for outbound and return postage, and technically commiting fraud.

[Pavey]

Nah the comments so far aren't true.. I called up when my Japanese 360 went boing, I didn't state that it was one but they took it anyway and sent me a new PAL UK one. They don't mind.

Tell them it's an import console and they don't touch it, so not true is not true.

[EvilBoris]

Worst case scenario you could always just send it to them, I'm sure they'd at least end up exchanging it for a PAL one, at least you won't of lost 100%

[Pavey]

Depends who you get on the phone, as the serial number tells them the region of the console. You have to give it to them to organise the repair.

The first guy for me didn't twig until i mentioned it (doh!), the second guy knew straight away the console was an NTSC one.

[cavalcade]

If you have a PAL and an NTSC one give them the PAL number, then send back the NTSC one via UPS. I imagine they all go into a landfill without a second look, so a brand new PAL one will turn up. Sell it here, then rebuy another NTSC 360.

[chipsgravy]

I only have the Jpn model.

I like the sound of the repair site. Has anyone used them and how good were they. The only thing putting me off is they dont seem 100% sure they can fix the problem all the time.

[mackemansj1]

I only have the Jpn model.

I like the sound of the repair site. Has anyone used them and how good were they. The only thing putting me off is they dont seem 100% sure they can fix the problem all the time.

You could try microsoft mate. They fixed my jpn 360 in the past.

[Pavey]

What did you say to them mate?

I have spoken to three different people there now and they have all told me they don't fix NTSC consoles, i'd have to go to MS US.

Maybe they did in the past but since they announced the 3 yr warranty thing they have become overrun with broken machines and now don't?

My theory anyway.

[Commander Marklar]

There's no harm in phoning them up. Although please note that MS may not be in the position to fix the machine either; mine has gone back twice.

[mackemansj1]

What did you say to them mate?

I have spoken to three different people there now and they have all told me they don't fix NTSC consoles, i'd have to go to MS US.

Maybe they did in the past but since they announced the 3 yr warranty thing they have become overrun with broken machines and now don't?

My theory anyway.

This was some months back now, before the annoucement. I just told them it was a jpn 360 they didnt have any prblem with it my friend has also had a ntsc us one fixed. Mine did take 5 months to come back thats a whole other story.