So, on Tuesday I got what every 360 owner fears, the Red Ring of Death. I sort of feel a bit relieved I have it. My 360 have been mysteriously buzzing, humming and getting stupidly hot on a regular basis now, so I knew it was bound to happen at some point. And now it has.



When it did happen on Tuesday I didn't feel the need to mention it in any blog posts, I thought I'd be able to send it to Microsoft and have a new one by Friday. In hindsight, I overestimated Microsoft's competency.

This is what happened; a friend had his external hardrive on my system so I could do something on his Halo account. When it broke I contacted Microsoft and we went through the 'unplug-replug' procedure and established that I did, indeed, have a broken X-Box. At which point I was told I would be delivered an empty box which I could send my X-Box in. I asked them for the Microsoft HQ address (which is in Germany, I live in the UK) and we agreed it would be easier to send my X-Box in a box myself. I thought having to wait for a box was just a bit of a waste of time when I had boxes available. My friend then proceeded to laugh in my face, taking joy in the fact that this is the second time I've had the RROD, and his piece-of-shit X-Box which freezes on a weekly basis is still alive.

So, I got told the delivery men would arrive on Thursday to take my X-Box. fair enough. But on Thursday the delivery men don't show up, I got an empty box instead. The delivery men showed up on Friday and took my x-box.

I contacted Microsoft again to ask what happened, why I got an empty box and why the men arrived on a different day, and they say there was a mix up, but they won't be sending me a new x-box until they receive the empty box back! so delivery men need to come get an empty box now. They're supposed to be arriving Tuesday, fingers crossed. I guess they're low on empty cardboard boxes at Microsoft.

Seems like such a stupid system. I expect free MS points for such inconveniance!