Tips on hardware preservation from Xbox 360 launch survivors

[btmmayor]

going to Staples right now to buy erasers...

I want the intercooler for sure. I can't believe how HOT that system gets!

Yeah, the discs themselves are always extremely warm after an hour or so of playing time.

I highly recommend the Intercooler. Before I installed it, my discs were very, very warm when I removed them from my 360. Now with my Intercooler the discs are room temerature no matter how long I have been playing. The only downside is that the fans definitely add some noise to an already noisy console, but the trade off is worth it in my opinion.

[jondiehl]

Launch PS2, Xbox and 360 all with zero issues... no lockups, no dirty disk errors, no problems at all.

I've always kept my consoles (and everything else in my home theater setup) in a dust free environment, with plenty of access to fresh air. I never stack components either.

As for the 360, I run it horizontally in metal A/V tower. It sits on it's own glass shelf, about 3ft off the ground with open air on all 5 surfaces. Because I'm using a high shelf in my A/V tower, the 360's power brick is off the ground (barely) and has open air on all sides.

[Leebo33]

I have to say that if I truly need to leave my 360 in one place and not ever switch TVs or go from the TV to my 21" monitor setup for fear of killing the unit, then it simply isn't very well made. If carrying the 360 from one room to another every other week is something I shouldn't do, then I guess I never should have bought a 360.

Let's be frank, if it is standard procedure for Microsoft to ship a unit via UPS from Texas to my house in nothing more than cardboard wrapping in a cardboard box and expect it to arrive in working order - then I expect it should be OK for me to carry it down to my living room to play a game of hockey on the widescreen every few weeks.

Seriously. I haven't moved the 360 mainly because I only have one HDTV in the house, but there is going to be a time within the next year or two that I will want to move it occassionally. I moved my PS2 *A lot*. I took it several times as checked luggage on trips, moved it dozens of times to the basement, took it to friend's houses, etc. I'm not saying PS3 is going to be any better, but I expect some more portability out of a gaming console. I can see not moving it while it is on, of course, but if you can't move it at all then that is just a poorly designed product. Christ, my last desktop PC I probably moved 10 times.

[wco81]

Just out of curiosity, is there a shutdown mode for consoles with hard drives?

Or do you just shut off the power switch at the back?

You would think the hard drive heads need to be parked before powered off.

[Jimmydeicide]

Got mine in December and was on end at first ,on a hard surface in the open on my desktop.
After hearing it maybe harder on the hardware that way and maybe it helped freezing in nhl2k6 (what a laugh) i layed it flat like the original xbox on same surface same place.

While i do try to unload evey disc and exit to menu after a game my lad doesnt.

I have noticed a few extra rumblings from the disc drive lately gulp....

[SoMisss2000]

I was going to get the intercooler but then I read some people had problems with it. Be careful.

no problem with my intercooler. just like with any consumer products, there will be problems with some items and someone will post it on the internet.

[SoMisss2000]

2) The foam filter pad inside the Intercooler might come loose and cause a buzzing noise because the fan blades are hitting the foam insulation.

I've dealt with that. I just took a pen and pushed the foam back in...lol...problem solved.