Microsoft promises relief for Xbox owners
by
Mike Smith
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April 14, 2009 2:31 P.M.
Was your Xbox 360 a victim of the recent rash of
"E74" errors?
Affected consoles are rendered completely useless in what's become a familiar tale to many
Xbox fans -- it's just the latest in a string of hardware problems that have given the three-year-old system a woeful reliability rep.
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E74 Error? Never Fear
If you've suffered from this latest crash, we've got some good news for you. In a move that mirrors Microsoft's response to the 360's
past hardware problems, the manufacturer
announced today it's granting all systems experiencing the error an extended three year warranty. In other words, if your console has the E74 error, you can send it back for a free replacement -- and if you've already had it repaired and paid out-of-pocket, Microsoft will be refunding your money in the next few weeks.
"While the majority of Xbox 360 owners continue to have a great experience with their console, we are aware that a very small percentage of our customers have reported receiving an error that displays "E74" on their screen. As a result, we have decided to cover repairs related to the E74 error message under our three-year warranty program for certain general hardware failures that was announced in July 2007," the company said in a
support article.
It's a classy move, and although it's not going to improve the console's terrible reputation for reliability -- we've heard from a number of consumers who've gone through as many as six failed machines -- it'll at least help out those affected by this round of problems.
