I just had the update issue tonight. My call reference number is: 1154679228. I recorded my exchange with support and was advised the recording of my support call would be escalated and I would be personally contacted in 24-48 hours.
In essence I advised that I have purchased 5, maybe 6 XBox 360s. I always buy them in pairs, usually a few months apart. My XBoxes always fail, some generations fail consistently and the failure pattern is the same - Pair 1: Box 1 dies with RROD, Box 2 dies with the same problem a few months after the first - send em in for repair - get em back, box 1 dies with cd failure, a few months after - box 2 dies with same issue. Buy new pair of XBoxes. A few months after warranty expires (I think the first one was about a month after) CD Drive fails. A few months after that Box 2 pair 2 dies with same issue. Thats 4 Xboxes with 4 CD failures - 100% failure rate - really - what are the odds?
Had Pair 1 Box 1 CD Repaired locally - worked fine. Had Box 1 Pair 2 repaired locally - worked fine. Neither have broken after repair. Pair 2 Box 2 sits on a shelf - dead as a doornail - bad CD drive. Side note - Microsoft employee advises they had their Xbox for 6 years no problem - I'm left wondering why non Microsoft employees get the hardware with deficiencies - with a 100% failure rate how can this be?
Had the repair done locally cause well........... I'm upset that Microsoft keeps selling me what I consider to be defective hardware - I'm tired of sending hardware in for repair and getting it back and having another part break after I send it in for repair. Today 1 box is upgraded and refuses to connect to Xbox Live. I'm advised repaired box is considered "MODDED" and is a complete loss because of a driver issue. I'm an IT systems administrator - I'm insulted by that comment - I have to repair driver issues all the time on Windows servers - the servers are never a complete loss. I explained that if Microsoft competed on cost, quality of repair, and turnaround time no one would use anyone else. From my perspective this is anticompetitive behaviour. It was suggested my next step for escalation was to complain in a forum. I advised I've read the forums and consider that recommendation emotionally abusive.
I advised I would not have any issues if Microsoft sold hardware that is reliable and I consider it a terrible disservice to tell customers who spend over $1000.00 on hardware for personal use - only because it keeps breaking to try putting it writing so someone can respond in effect - its hopeless. I asked.... really? Why would anyone make that kind of recommendation to a customer?
It was explained to me that hardware does not last forever. I noted that I've bought at least five of these things (because of repeated hardware failures) and four have failed (the fifth is less than a year old) - some repeatedly. I noted that I have also purchased a PS2, a WII, gameboys, Computer Displays, a PSP, Computers etc. etc... and lets see.... in the last 15 years I had one display adapter and a power supply die. I've never had a hardware failure on any gaming system but Microsoft's. I cant give my working displays away - I have to pay someone to take them - same with the computers. One the other hand I've had all the XBOX failures noted above and now Microsoft is starting to make my working one's unusable.
I had adised the support rep - hey Microsoft - your not listening (let me repeat that) - hey Microsoft - your not listening - how bout you sell me something I dont need to keep getting fixed - how about competing on value? Dear Microsoft - Please listen to me. Please sell working hardware. Please compete on repairs based on cost and value - your a million times bigger than Joe Blow - there is no reason you cant do it faster, cheaper, and better. No one would use anyone else for repairs if you were competitive - you don't need to make systems unusable to justify inflated repair costs.
Please don't apply this update to my other boxes and screw them up. Please defer the update indefinitely. Please leave them just as functional as they were before you decided to improve them. Please return my XBox that is broke to its former working condition and again - defer this upgrade indefinitely (all of them appear to work just fine when you dont update them. Please leave them just fine. Here is a suggestion - if you think everyone wants this update - sell a new version of the Xbox that has this update on it - there is no reason they cant both work and the one with all the new value just does a little bit more. Leave everyone else just as functional as they were.
Please listen to my support call (1154679228), please listen to me.