Xbox HDD’s, Data Transfer, Spring 2010 Dashboard Update Issues

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Spring 2010 Dashboard update (9189), has added functionality for users to attach any USB storage device to their Xbox console, and use this device for storage of Xbox 360 content up to 16GB (and you can use two devices for a maximum possible capacity of 32GB of storage gained on external USB devices).

Of course this is great if you have some extra 16GB+ USB-Flash drives laying around, but it also creates an interesting problem for those trying to transfer data from their existing Xbox 360 Hdd’s to a new Xbox 360 Hdd, say for example: 20Gb -> 250Gb.
Here is the problem: 

When you connect a new USB device, the Xbox console will prompt you to “format” or “configure” this device for the Xbox 360 console because Xbox 360 only reads data in FATX format, and requires certain system files exist on the device before it can be used. 

As such, when you connect an Xbox Hdd using the transfer cable (say from the transfer kit). Your Xbox will prompt you to format this device for Xbox (even though when it is connected to the regular Hdd port (on the top of the device), the Xbox recognizes it as a 228Gb storage device! 

Now if you do choose to format your device, you will loose your devices capacity to handle 228Gb of space, and be strictly limited to 16Gb. 

I am going to check, but I believe if you reconnect your drive to the regular port, and choose to “format” using the traditional menu option, it may restore your functionality. I’m not sure, so don’t hold me to this.

So, what are the options to transfer your data from a smaller device to a new one? Well, you can connect your drive to a Windows-PC (as mentioned in a previous blog post). Or you could find a spare USB storage device, format it for Xbox 360, and use it is as an intermediary for data transfer!

Good luck! 

I have contacted Microsoft about this to see what their official stance on this issue is, as they probably are going to have a lot of unhappy people with 250Gb drives that suddenly will only support 16Gb of space!

Jordan

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemupdates/default.htm

http://www.xbox360outletstore.com

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