XBox 360 disc drive failure

Dundradal

Dundradal

Frog Blast the Vent Core!
So the other day my 360's DVD drive decided it no longer wanted to spin discs. It had been working fine with no problems. I actually turned on the box and the disc spun up fine, however my friend and I had the controllers logged in wrong so I turned off the box to quickly remedy the issue.

When I turned the box back on it went straight to the dashboard and only had "open tray" where it normally says "Play X Game" Now the damn thing won't spin up any disc. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I'm not looking forward to sending my box back yet AGAIN for repairs (considering this time it will cost $100 to fix).
 
Dundradal said:
So the other day my 360's DVD drive decided it no longer wanted to spin discs. It had been working fine with no problems. I actually turned on the box and the disc spun up fine, however my friend and I had the controllers logged in wrong so I turned off the box to quickly remedy the issue.

When I turned the box back on it went straight to the dashboard and only had "open tray" where it normally says "Play X Game" Now the damn thing won't spin up any disc. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I'm not looking forward to sending my box back yet AGAIN for repairs (considering this time it will cost $100 to fix).
Click to expand...

Just from the layman that I am on things like this, it sounds like you're the victim of a simple drive failure. I had to replace one of my CD-ROM drives not three days ago simply because it wouldn't recognize CDs in the drive anymore when the day before it was working perfectly. Others who are more technically saavy than me may have a different opinion, but it's been my experience that drives quit when and where they want to sometimes, and the only thing you can do about it is either replace it with another (as in a PC, which I fortunately have several backup drives hanging around for just this sort of purpose) or with a console (which, unfortunately, would likely have to have the $100+ price tag on it because there is no replacement drive to swap it out with).

Hopefully, there may be a workaround without having to go the multi-dollar route, but I can't see how it can be much beyond drive failure when the disc simply won't spin.
 
I have found do-it-yourself kits for $60...and I'm not too concerned with voiding my warranty by cracking the case since my box is already past even the 3 year RROD warranty. It's just a bit ridiculous that with no signs of failing the drive just suddenly failed in the manner it did. I mean no grinding sounds, nothing to let you know it was going to die then poof 10 seconds later dead.
 
Dundradal said:
It's just a bit ridiculous that with no signs of failing the drive just suddenly failed in the manner it did. I mean no grinding sounds, nothing to let you know it was going to die then poof 10 seconds later dead.
Click to expand...

Warning wouldn't do any good. Grinding sounds means the drive is trashing your disc as it dies (likewise for a hard drive failure).
 
Yeah, there are a number of places that sell replacement DVD drives for the Xbox360 - e.g., consolesource.com. You'll probably need an xbox360 cracker tool, but those places also sell them as well (as well as toolkits that can open any console - always handy).

If you're not afraid of screwing things up, go for it. Else, find an Arcade unit on sale, swap the hard disk over and do the DRM transfer. Bonus is you get another warranty, perhaps if you can look, you'll get a brand spanking new Jasper unit.
 
I have had the same problem but the disk drive kit doesn't work for the elites and my warrenty was up by a month so I have to send it in. Actually I just sent it in today. Its been 2 months or so broken just never felt like getting it fixed haha.
 
Kilrathikiller said:
I have had the same problem but the disk drive kit doesn't work for the elites and my warrenty was up by a month so I have to send it in. Actually I just sent it in today. Its been 2 months or so broken just never felt like getting it fixed haha.
Click to expand...

Best bet... do what I do, buy a used one, plug it in, clean up the old one and return it claiming that it doesn't work. Hey they'll just take it, fix it, and sell it to some other poor bastard.
 
Best bet... do what I do, buy a used one, plug it in, clean up the old one and return it claiming that it doesn't work. Hey they'll just take it, fix it, and sell it to some other poor bastard.
Click to expand...

Do not do this. Aside from being entirely immoral, it will come back to bite you. The broken Xbox will eventually go back to Microsoft as bad stock... complete with a serial number that ties it directly to your Xbox Live account history (which, in turn, has proof that you swapped your DRM to... what do you know, a new Arcade console...).
 
Worf said:
Yeah, there are a number of places that sell replacement DVD drives for the Xbox360 - e.g., consolesource.com. You'll probably need an xbox360 cracker tool, but those places also sell them as well (as well as toolkits that can open any console - always handy).
Click to expand...

I've noticed that most of those places appear to be sold out of the Samsung replacement drives. From what I've found out those are the quietest drives (mine sounded like a jet engine spinning up).

I'm thinking I'm going to take the DIY route since my box is out of warranty and I'm fairly confident I can swap the drive out and not destroy the box. I'm just disappointed that the drive failed and yet again I'm without my console.
 
frostytheplebe said:
Best bet... do what I do, buy a used one, plug it in, clean up the old one and return it claiming that it doesn't work. Hey they'll just take it, fix it, and sell it to some other poor bastard.
Click to expand...

Bandit LOAF said:
Do not do this. Aside from being entirely immoral, it will come back to bite you. The broken Xbox will eventually go back to Microsoft as bad stock... complete with a serial number that ties it directly to your Xbox Live account history (which, in turn, has proof that you swapped your DRM to... what do you know, a new Arcade console...).
Click to expand...

Most stores that deal in used consoles don't even take returns and will just exchange you for another used unit. If you happen to find a place that does, then they'll notice the serial numbers are different and tell you to go to hell. If both of these fall through, then you get screwed by what LOAF just described. Just a bad idea all around.
 
Dundradal said:
I've noticed that most of those places appear to be sold out of the Samsung replacement drives. From what I've found out those are the quietest drives (mine sounded like a jet engine spinning up).

I'm thinking I'm going to take the DIY route since my box is out of warranty and I'm fairly confident I can swap the drive out and not destroy the box. I'm just disappointed that the drive failed and yet again I'm without my console.
Click to expand...

Well, they're sold out of the samsung drives because everyone is cherry-picking those over the others, probably because they're the quietest.

Then again, I have a 120GB hard disk (official, but unofficial hard drive upgrades are possible), and I copy the game to the hard disk via NXE. During the copy it sounds like a jet engine. And it spins up a bit to grab the game key when it loads the game off the hard disk (since NXE requires you to have the disc in the drive even if you're playing off hard disk). Hard disk is quiet, disc doesn't spin up at all except initially, and fast load times...

If you're still using a 20GB hard drive, you might as well do the 120GB unofficial upgrade.
 
Does anyone know what DVD drive MS replaces failed drives with if you do send it in? I'm having a bit of trouble trying to find anyone who has the quiet Samsung in stock. If MS does it themselves I think I might have to bite the bullet and send it to them.
 
I doubt it.

Microsoft will just replace your Xbox360 with another one. What drive it has, or what motherboard, is effectively random. All they do is just pull a refurb unit out of stock and send it back to you.
 
Cracked the case today. Drive motor is definitely shot. We got it to do about a quarter spin but other than that the thing wouldn't spin.

Looks like my best option is to send it back to MS since everywhere online the Samsung drive is sold out.

As another note to Xboxers, I kept my box vertically for 4 years. My dad thinks this may have contributed to the drive failing because of the weight distribution. I plan on keeping my horizontal from now. Ugh.
 
Around here there are lots of console modding guys, but these also can repair your working original console, like replacing the optical drive with an original spare part for less then 100$. But warranty=warranty, so apply there first.

Replacing the drive lens would cost you €20-25, depending on the revision, and you can get a brand new optical drive in it for €40. for €99 i could get a brandnew 360 and slap my hard drive and extra's onto it, so 100$ while under warranty sounds ridiculous to me.
 
It's not the lens. Checked that today. It's definitely the drive motor.

I'd like to get a replacement drive but I've been unable to find one anywhere online. Everyone is back ordered on them.
 
Other than the silence, is there any other reason to go Samsung? After the NXE update lets you copy a game to the hard drive, I don't even know how loud my drive is...
 
I'm not a fan of copying games to the HDD. Most games are designed to be run without the HDD so some (most notably Halo3) actually run slower from the HDD.

I mostly want it for the silence to be honest. I complained for years that my Xbox sounded like an F/A-18 warming up its engine for a carrier launch. There were times I was nervous the Xbox itself was literally going to take off and it sucks having to crank the TV volume to hear over the drive.
 
I know there is some stock of these drives in germany and can actually purchase them straight from a guy who fixes consoles from everything that goes back to the NES days. Unfortunately, for some reason i do not know the billing it would cost to take it to the Confederate archives.

But i'd bet you are an american, and no doubt with credit crisis going on(we are experiencing things about it too, but all in all less worse then we see on the news from the states), there would be tons of second-hand 360's and Ps3's available in i believe the term you use is "pawn shop"?, and it seems from your replys you would be capable of transplanting the drive yourself.
 
we are experiencing things about it too, but all in all less worse then we see on the news from the states
Click to expand...

Our news is about how everything is worse in Europe. Has anybody actually seen this crisis?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top