Xbox 360 HDD Upgrade

[Seizure1990]

I want to upgrade my 360's pitiful HDD size. However, after briefly checking around for guides and looking at some of them, I figured I should come here first...

I basically need help for the entire procedure, A to Z. I need to know how I will be copying my old data over, as well as how to physically replace the drive and such, if it isn't readily obvious. I also saw some mention that only specific HDD models will work, something to do with needed special custom firmware? Is this true?!

Thanks in advance.

[takkun]

First of all the back up, unless you have many "big" games installed in your console, most stuff is just save files and maybe avatar and app stuff, all that can be backed up to a USB pendrive and moved back to the new HD when installed. If you bought games, but you have a decent download speed at home you can just re-download, I guess you have to weight the convenience of backing up manually VS just having to let your console downloading overnight, like I said if you have many full games, or installed from disks.

For the second part I hope I'm right because otherwise I'll look like a dumbass haha.

Xbox 360 don't have in internal HDs only internal flash memory, which can't be replaced, or even if it could there wouldn't be much point in doing so because external HDs make more sense. you have to buy a normal Xbox 360 HD which is kind of "plug n' play", depending of how old your Xbox is it's gonna look like one of these:

.

Unless you already have one of those, there's no need to back up anything.

Just plug it in, and that's it, for backing up you have to sign in, then go all the way to settings, System. Storage, then either Hard Drive or Memory Unit, and from there you have to start copying everything you want to keep manually

[tsupersonic]

For the second part I hope I'm right because otherwise I'll look like a dumbass haha.

Xbox 360 don't have in internal HDs only internal flash memory, which can't be replaced, or even if it could there wouldn't be much point in doing so because external HDs make more sense.

Wrong. Some Xbox 360's do come with hard drives installed. The exception to this is the current Xbox 360 S 4GB.

OP, which Xbox 360 do you have? Do you have one of the newer S models or the one of the older models?

[takkun]

I have Slim. 4GB and older model, Elite, neither have internal HDD, haha I didn't think they existed.

In that case I probably can't be of much help 'cause I've never seen one :D

Edit: they must be rare. even looking for images in google I only find the second one I posted.

[Seizure1990]

I have one of the original Xbox 360s with a 20GB HDD, though the piece looks exactly like the first image in takkun's post. I was looking to swap out the drive inside that case for a larger one, without having to overpay by purchasing straight from MS.

And yea, I have a couple large games and updates downloaded, and then a bunch of smaller games... if backing it up is relatively easy, I'd definitely like to, but if it's a hassle, then yea, I guess I'll just re-download everything.

Edit: Here. This is the kind of Xbox I have, and it shows off the HDD piece I am talking about.

[random_n]

You need one of these. If you (or a friend) is in the situation where you had an old Xbox and upgraded to an Elite, you can fill out this form for a free one.

[takkun]

Oh i see, you want to put in a regular HDD, inside the case without having to buy a MS brand new, ok that makes sense, I have zero experience doing that, but you should just re-download your stuff because if you add the price of the transfer cable you'd be closer to just buying the HDD from MS.

Good luck let us know how it goes.

[Seizure1990]

Does anyone have info on what drives models are compatible? Also, I read something else mentioning that the 360 checks to see if the drive has been replaced? Some people say they have been banned for it, but who knows... Is there anybody here who has experience with this?

Thanks to everyone for their help so far

[Astra.Xtreme]

I upgraded my black Elite 360 from 20gb to 250gb a while back. I believe it has to be a Western Digital blue.

From what I remember, it was a pretty nice automated process to get it working.