Xbox 360 Update Will Block Unauthorised Memory Units

[danrok]

Looking forward to the next Xbox 360 update? You may want to think twice about installing it...

Speaking on his blog Xbox Live's Major Nelson proclaimed: "When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360. If you've moved your profile or saved games onto one to 'back it up,' you'd better move it back onto an authorized Xbox 360 storage device prior to taking the update. If you continue to use an unauthorized Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games."

Xbox 360 Update Will Block Unauthorised Memory Units - Video Game News - TrustedReviews

[Daniel ~]

Let me guess...this is to "protect" users from "unauthorized Memory Units " that have the unintended effect of making their Xbox run better?

[danrok]

No, I think the unofficial ones just cost less.

One of those class action law suits would be order here.

[Daniel ~]

Well...I assumed that! ":O}

[danrok]

A MAX card costs about £20, and the official Microcrap one about £30.

That's a massive 50% more.

[Daniel ~]

As I'm fond of saying...Pure evil!

[Gizmo]

The article writer pointed out that the Microsoft 120GB hard drive is 130 quid. I can buy Maxtor, Hitachi, and Toshiba 120 GB drives all day long for less than 50. Even allowing for the drive being customized to Microsoft's specs, that's still pretty pricey.

[danrok]

Cost me £40 for a 120GB 2.5" drive for my PS3.

£130 is a robbery.

[Aedan]

And the difference is? A signed block of data at the beginning of the disk...

[Gizmo]

I was getting the impression from what I was reading that the more recent units actually included some modified drive firmware as well.

I also gather that the signed block of data at the beginning of the disk contains information about the amount of usable storage on the device, so that even if you got a 1 TB drive and stuck in there, if your original drive was only 20 GB, you'd only have 20 GB of usable storage.

[Daniel ~]

That's MS always thinking of the little guy! ":O}