Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit hands-on

Here's that Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit that Microsoft so generously bundled with our Elite (don't expect to get one with yours, it doesn't come in the box). The documentation they sent with this thing was pretty substantial for an adapter and a CD you plug into your Xbox, but we think they want us to make sure we don't screw anything up and lose all our precious, precious data. Here's what you need to know (and some observations, to boot):

• You don't just transfer data to your 20GB drive externally -- you have to plug your 20GB drive into your Elite, and use the 120GB drive externally. (Yeah, we photographed the unit attached to our 20GB drive though.)
• You can only transfer content ONCE. This isn't a backup or duplication tool, it's one-time use per drive.
• Even after turning off the console our externally adapted drive kept spinning because it was powered by USB. Weird.
• Despite the on-screen diagram, our instructions say to use the BACK USB port. Woops, we didn't. Pray it doesn't kill our data.
• Apparently Microsoft wants you to dispose of your transfer cable after use. Um, ok?
  
• XBLA and Marketplace content (i.e. downloaded games and shows) require online authorization. In other words, some licenses can't transfer, and you won't necessarily be able to watch all your transferred media without logging on. Whatev.
• Movie rentals cannot transfer drives. "Watch them first!" because they're not going to make the trip, period. Double whatev.
• If your 20GB drive is maxed out like ours, it could take a while. The system transfer will tell you how long it estimates the transfer to take: moving our 17.5GB of data was estimated at 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• You can restart or stop the transfer at any time during the move, but you'll have to start all over again next time. But you won't lose any data. Supposedly.
  
• "Microsoft is not liable for any loss of data resulting from the transfer process." That's the third and final whatev!

We'll let you know the final time it took to transfer our drive's contents.

P.S. -Our bestest buds at Joystiq got the same document and scanned it in for us, check it out in the gallery.

Update: All done! It took under an hour to move all 20GB over, not the hour+ the guide estimated. Best to keep expectations low, right? Still not super fast, but we'll live. Stick close for more details about the device, pricing, availability. (Anything else you want to know? Ask it in comments while we've got Microsoft's ear.)

Gallery: Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit hands-on

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[David Hildreth @ Apr 26th 2007 2:18PM]

i don't even know what they are going to charge for a one time use usb drive controller

...that is slow as all hell

[bobartig @ Apr 26th 2007 2:22PM]

Perhaps the 'transfer once' restriction is built into the cable? So that when it completes a drive to drive transfer, it has a built-in self "bricking" function to prevent data duping? I'm grasping here, but M$ *did* instruct you to throw it away.

1) Hope it gets hacked for multiple uses.

2) What a load of eWaste. The last thing we need is a few hundred thousand of these in a land fill. Shame on you, M$

[Chuckles McGee @ Apr 26th 2007 2:25PM]

Kind of weird... oh well.

About time we got a modern-sized drive. 20 gig drives can prob be had for a few lincolns on Ebay.. good to see Microsoft modernizing.

[Contra666 @ Apr 26th 2007 2:26PM]

On the "XBLA and Marketplace content (i.e. downloaded games and shows) require online authorization. In other words, some licenses can't transfer, and you won't necessarily be able to watch all your transferred media without logging on. Whatev." point, content is tied to the console it was downloaded on.

Of course this wont be a problem for most users of the transfer kit as it only comes with the 120GB HDD (so your content will still be used on the same console).

[Conrad Quilty-Harper @ Apr 26th 2007 2:26PM]

That's freaking disgusting. I thought the whole idea with consoles was that you didn't have to bother with all this crap?

[Heath Stahl @ Apr 26th 2007 2:59PM]

If you don't want to upgrade to a larger drive/Elite then you don't have to bother with this "crap." If you want to then you follow some step-by-step directions and wait an hour or so. If you just want to use the 360 as a traditional "console" and not download XBL content, videos, etc thats your call. What's the big deal?

[Jeffrey Morgan @ Apr 26th 2007 2:28PM]

So for people who buy Elites but already have 20 gig drive, will they be able to buy pre-used transfer cables/software on Ebay and use them to transfer?

[JeffnLA @ Apr 26th 2007 2:32PM]

I agree - what a waste. I have 2 xbox 360's. So I'll have to dispose of two transfer cables?

Once more - shame on you MS!

[ChronoZaga @ Apr 26th 2007 2:33PM]

Did all of your digitally signed saves from your old white Xbox360 work flawlessly on the new Elite after the transfer?

[Ryan Block @ Apr 26th 2007 2:48PM]

Still transferring, I'll let you know!

[Zorque @ Apr 26th 2007 2:41PM]

How long until there's a hacked Windows driver?

[Danger @ Apr 26th 2007 2:53PM]

WOW, this to me does not make any sense, is it that they are trying to prevent people from transferring any dowloaded content to other people. Just seems like a large ploy to keep people from getting free marketplace items.
http://www.burnedbytheman.com

[watership @ Apr 26th 2007 2:55PM]

If you buy and Elite and want the transfer cable, you can call Microsoft and they'll send you one, Free.

[JimJimBinks @ Apr 26th 2007 3:01PM]

So I need to call Microsoft for my Transfer cable if I want to transfer all the data from my current 360 to the Elite Hard Drive?
Are they accepting those calls now? What's the #? I'd love to have that cable right around the time I can buy the Elite.

[ninja @ Apr 26th 2007 3:01PM]

Microsoft should have just stuck a computer hard drive in the 360 instead of their stupid proprietary one like the PS3. Problem solved none of this waste of time BS!

[Watership @ Apr 26th 2007 3:48PM]

Xbox Support number to ask about the transfer cable

1-800-4MY-XBOX

[Chappy @ Apr 26th 2007 3:23PM]

Attention Engadget: The "downloaded content requires online authentication" issue is not a minor problem as you imply. It affects every person who had a faulty xbox replaced under warranty (50,000 to 200,000 people by Microsoft's own numbers). I purchased XBLA games under the assumption I didn't need to stay online 24/7, and that other people in the house can play them with their silver accounts. After Microsoft's crap console failed and they sent me a new one, the games I paid for no longer work. You may say "Whatev", but I say "Fix your damn marketplace Microsoft." You yourself may want to pay attention to these issues yourself and perhaps even use your voice to call Microsoft out, because when you get the "ring of death" on your shiny new elite, you're going to have the same problem.

[Taomyn @ Apr 26th 2007 3:36PM]

I thought you could simply delete the content and re-download it to get around this or was it fixable with a call to Microsoft - not that I've tried.

[Michael Benner @ Apr 26th 2007 4:57PM]

Right on, not that but some of us have multiple Xboxs and the license is perfect for it lets one person play on Xbox 1 and another to play on Xbox 2 without multiple purchases of said game in my house. Now when I transfer I lose that ability. WTH is the point I could just download all that crap again and then not need the cable and yet that still doesn't solve the problem.

[Taomyn @ Apr 26th 2007 3:36PM]

I love the fact that all the images at the start show the drive connected to the front of the 360, and then the "instructions" state you _must_ use the rear one.

So it either doesn't matter or departments within Microsoft don't know their arses from their elbows!!

What a crock of sh*te!!!!

[JimJimBinks @ Apr 26th 2007 3:54PM]

Thank you!
I will call them in an hour as soon as I get off work. Hopefully they'll be able to get cables out to us soon.

[KirbyMeister @ Apr 26th 2007 4:01PM]

Dispose of the cable after use? What bullshit. I'm hoping it's just a line that marketing put in there to scare those who don't know better. If the cable self-bricks after a single successful transfer, then this is really stupid. The cable doesn't store any of the license data or actual content anyway.

Either way, the 360's insistence on using proprietary everything is crap. Proprietary memory units, proprietary webcams, proprietary $100 wifi adapters... M$'s argument that the wifi adapter costs a lot because people use Ethernet is BULLSHIT. I don't own a 360 yet, but when I do buy one, I don't want to run Ethernet from my computer room all the way to the living room at the other side of the house just to stream audio from my computer to my 360. Hell, I can already do that with my Wii. There are packages that provide the HTTP server and Flash file to stream media to your Wii - and it works on a Linux, Mac, or Windows box all the same.

And another thing... the non-transferability of downloaded content. What happens if you try to transfer your 20GB to the 120GB, but you have an episode of the Daily Show on there you bought off XBL Video Marketplace - does the episode just disappear? Does it stay on the 20GB? And hence another thing I hate. Digital distribution. It may be the newest buzzword, but it's crippled by anti-piracy restrictions. DRM was supposed to restrict copies only. Now, it's restricting moving that content too. Why? Because digital downloads aren't owned. When you buy that content off of XBLM or WSC or PS-Store, you aren't buying it. You're actually just renting it on indefinite loan. This... is stupid. Despite the suckiness of retail, it's actually a good thing to have a physical copy. Digital downloads force you to contract away your fair use rights during purchase time. Physical copies cannot enforce that restriction, except for some software that has a EULA. (I don't see console games on discs popping up EULA screens... yet.) Until the dumbasses in congress realize that fair use is a feature, NOT A BUG, we will continue to see these rights erode.

I'm already predicting the counter-point argument, the same that people have been using for a while. The "Piracy is evil, DRM stops piracy, so anyone who opposes DRM is evil" argument. I'm going to chop off the first two points, so the third can wither.

1. DRM stops piracy

NOT! DRM cannot stop piracy. Bugs are found in implementations, encryption has flaws, and you can always whistle the music you just heard. The nature of information itself includes copying. Building an online distribution system without acknowledging that some copies will be made is like trying to build a dam without realizing that water needs to come out of it eventually.

2. Piracy is evil

NOT! This is a bit more anecdotal. I have my fair share of copied TV shows, and I know people with some pretty big collections. They also happen to be very avid collectors of physical media - originals, of course. Pirates aren't trying to simply get stuff without paying. If you want free stuff, you can get free music off the radio, free TV shows off the airwaves (in HD, no less), etc. The difference is that filesharing networks have a greater depth of content than the "traditional, corp-sanctioned" distribution systems.

Not to mention, we've been able to record and share TV shows, movies, and music for 12 years. The "damage" has been a lot less than predicted by the RIAA, MPAA, BSA, and all those other lobbying organizations. The real reason for all these "oh boo-hoo, look at us, we're dying" cries from big media corporations, is to hoist more DRM on us. We'll never hear the end of these cries, because the threat isn't real. It's imagined - like Big Brother of 1984 - in order to create and manipulate emotions against anyone who dares compete with Big Media. Why? To step on the competition, of course.

If you find the past paragraph too dystopian, congradulations. That was an extrapolation. Extrapolations are notorious for being inaccurate. In reality, people will fight. People are already fighting. DRM gets broken all the time, and people can just stay with DVDs and CDs, which have less or no DRM.

3. DRM fighters are pirates

NOT! DRM fighters are most likely legitimate owners of the content that _THEY BOUGHT_. Pirates already can get at the content anyway. But the legitimate owners feel shafted. The pirates get to do MORE THINGS than a legitimate owner. They want the fair use rights that they are promised by the U.S. Copyright Laws, but taken away by big media corps. They'll fight against it legally or technically. It does not matter. Code is law.

[Crowza @ Apr 26th 2007 4:08PM]

I've heard no official Microsoft confirmation of sending free transfer cables to those of us who wish to upgrade. If someone has a link, please share it with the rest of us.

The only thing that Microsoft employees have said in a non-official capacity is that they are working on a solution they'll "announce soon". Hopefully, it is a cure to the DRM problems. In the last EGM (or was it OXM?), they stated that in the new dashboard update - there would be a fix for purchased content that owners of consoles that have had to upgrade for one reason or another.

Perhaps this is the reason they said it will be "announced soon".

[Durg @ Apr 26th 2007 4:08PM]

I'm not normally a big environmental freak, but a one use cable that you throw away when you're done? And there are 10 million possible machines looking to upgrade?

ARE THEY INSANE? Do you have any idea how much of a waste that could be?

Are they sending them out with SASE to send them back so they can recycle them after we're done?

Can they get in trouble for releasing something so obviously wasteful? I would assume some countries have laws against this kind of wasteful behaviour.

[engadget @ Apr 26th 2007 4:22PM]

"XBLA and Marketplace content (i.e. downloaded games and shows) require online authorization. In other words, some licenses can't transfer, and you won't necessarily be able to watch all your transferred media without logging on. Whatev."

No, not "Whatev." You've obviously never had a 360 (or two or three) die on you, only to be replaced with a refurbished console that won't let you or your family members use the content (games, DLC, TV shows, movies, gamerpics, themes, etc.) that you previously purchased. It generally takes *months* of phone tag to get their half-assed "solution" to the problem.

XBLM content is tied to the 360 on which it was purchased, as well as the Gamertag it was purchased with. Unfortunately, logging on with said Gamertag, in addition to giving everyone else on the 360 access to the content, also gives them access to any Points and games, movies and shows available to that Gamertag. If you're a parent, that's a *big deal*. I don't want my kids playing or watching things they're not old enough for, nor do I want them spending Points on crap DLC. Also, if your connection drops, your content immediately goes into trial mode or becomes unavailable.

There's a fairly lengthy thread (57 pages & counting) over on the Xbox.com forums about the effects of XBLM DRM brought on by numerous hardware failures -- http://forums.xbox.com/11979922/ShowPost.aspx. Microsoft refuses to acknowledge it as a major problem, and has also refused to implement some easily-implemented remedies for almost a year and a half now.

[James @ Apr 26th 2007 4:26PM]

"Apparently Microsoft wants you to dispose of your transfer cable after use."

Translation: PLEASE do not let anybody else get hold of this or they might upgrade to a commodity drive themselves, thus losing us the ~$50 profit we make on every loose 120GB 360 hard drive we sell!

[Izzy @ Apr 26th 2007 4:36PM]

Someone should check with MS on which port to use. The illustrations show the front of the box, and the text says the rear.

[Sanjoseguy @ Apr 26th 2007 4:52PM]

Does anyone know what the story is with the content that was on your original drive?

Here's my problem: I have a copy of Halo 3 on my current drive, I want to upgrade to Elite, but I can't sell my old system with Halo 3 still on it. Does deleting it from the dash on the 360 mean its REALLY gone? Does transferring it to an Elite mean that it gets completely wiped from the original?

[erion_298 @ Apr 26th 2007 4:57PM]

Number for the Xbox 360 data transfer cable.

202-456-1414. I just got mine sent to me.

[Chris @ Apr 26th 2007 5:11PM]

Is it quieter????

[chris fredette @ Apr 26th 2007 5:32PM]

Is it any cooler? Stick one of those laser gun/temp things on the back of the two systems running at the same time.
Also, plug them into a kill-a-watt and see how much energy they draw while playing a game.
Also also, any quieter?

[chris fredette @ Apr 26th 2007 5:32PM]

The "have to be on line" thing is major bogus. I just recently moved and couldn't get internet for 10 days(thanks Time Warner). None of the XBL games I bought worked. I thought they would but never received a warning when I bought them. I never would and I refuse to buy more until this is fixed. It sucks. DRM on a closed system is so lame I can't begin to explain.
Now as soon as my warranty is up I'm going to hack the thing. I Hacked my original xbox because it was "broken" and decided to play by the rules with the 360 because most of the problems seemed fixed. Mine has also died twice so I'm leary of doing stuff in the warranty.
When you are done can you try transferring one 20GB to another 20GB to see what happens? I'll probably by a 65nm system when they come out and I don't care what HD it comes with.

[Scooter @ Apr 26th 2007 5:48PM]

bit of a noob question, since I haven't bothered to check elsewhere, but interesting to confirm: can folks with the standard xbox 360 (no HDD) use your old 20GB drive? Presume there is no trick, i.e. Plug n Play?
This would ensure there is a good market for the old drives (e.g. eBay) and why not bundle the migration cable?

[Mert @ Apr 26th 2007 6:19PM]

The Xbox 360 is a mess, external hard disk, external HD-DVD, overheatin problems, a typical Microsoft product lol

They rushed it out, now they have a black version with a larger HD, what a joke, at least with the PS3 you get everything is a classy neat package.

[Cupajo @ Apr 26th 2007 6:23PM]

I enjoy my 360 and plan on upgrading to a 120GB HDD someday, but this is pretty stupid and wasteful. Especially considering the fact that the console has a damn USB 2.0 built right in. Shame on you MS.

[venk @ Apr 26th 2007 6:56PM]

Just called 1800 4MY XBOX and the guy told me that the retailers will have them available on the 29th and I can just ask for one.

[Brent @ Apr 26th 2007 7:45PM]

This does seem very wasteful. You think they could have just sent a few cables to each Gamestop or EBGames and had people bring in both hard drives to do the transfer. Sure, my solution has some problems but at least then there is MUCH less waste.

[Messs17 @ Apr 26th 2007 7:52PM]

So, this doesn't use the original Xbox 360 right? I only need the elite, 120gb harddrive, and 20gb harddrive?

[Zeus the God @ Apr 26th 2007 8:45PM]

Stop talking about proprietary hardware. Of course it's going to be, all of them have done that. I mean, the first things NONE proprietary are the PS3 hard drive and and the memory card readers. The WiFi isn't proprietary. Really, all that's "proprietary" on the 360 is the hard drive. The memory cards... Gahh, I've never heard such a pitiful claim against Microsoft.

Hey guys, don't buy a Wii, it uses memory cards and Wiimotes. It's proprietary. Don't use it. ALL HAIL SONY!

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Apr 27th 2007 1:35PM]

Actually, the Wii comparison is bad - it uses SD for its memory cards, not a proprietary card.

[Steven @ Apr 26th 2007 9:00PM]

They want you to throw it away? Pffffft, Puh-lease!

I'm a 360 fan but that is really stupid.

[kingofwale @ Apr 26th 2007 10:57PM]

what a dumb idea.. throw the cable away after 1 use? Al Gore is TOTALLY on board with this.

Microsoft, Please stop with this extreme-DRM stuff carried over from Zune, this is beyond stupid. if I own a 20GB and now a 120GB, why can't I swap files between my OWN (overpriced) Drives??

[bjarke @ Apr 27th 2007 1:08PM]

So... will this cable work for transmitting data between a 20gb drive and a 120gb drive with the original 360?

[logan42 @ Apr 28th 2007 5:21PM]

just got off the xbox customer service phone line, and the rep confirmed that the migration cable will be included with all xbox 360 elites.
So that's cool.... let's hope it's true.

[Ryan Worrell @ Apr 29th 2007 1:03PM]

Ya anyone got that number??

[Kevin @ Mar 31st 2008 1:19PM]

http://assets.xbox.com/en-us/support/MigrationKit-OrderForm.pdf just fill this out and fax it to the number on the form you should receive the cable abd software (free) in about 5 days or so. thats how i got mine you just need the serial number from your old system and the serial number of the new elite

[Todd Rushing @ Apr 29th 2007 3:11PM]

I've talked to Xbox customer service on 3 different occassions. I was told 3 different things....1 being that I had to order my transfer cable through them.....2 that I could buy the transfer cable at any retailer....and 3 that i couldn't order it through them for the next 3-6 days because they don't have them in stock yet. So I'm going to have to sit here w/my 20gig HDD attached to my elite and not able to sell my other 360 yet. What's up w/that????

[Flak Monkey @ Apr 29th 2007 6:51PM]

I have a question...

When the data has been transferred is it deleted off the old hard drive, I share a console with my brother and I want to get my own one so I just need to transfer my game saves across.

If i did the transfer would all of my brother's data be deleted?

[krazykarls.tk @ Apr 29th 2007 11:09PM]

can you still use the old hard drive just using the cable, along side the 120gb?

[Steve Luzynski @ May 11th 2007 4:49PM]

I just finished my transfer, took about an hour on a mostly full 20GB hard drive. Everything transferred over just fine.

Despite the silly warning in the manual, I took the old 20GB hard drive off, attached the cable to it, and plugged it into my laptop. It showed up as a USB 2.0 external hard drive with an unknown partition format. Blew that away, reformatted, and now I have a reasonably compact, bus powered, 20GB external hard drive to play with.

So don't throw that cable away.