Recently, I provided steps on moving an older model Xbox 360 hard drive to a newer model 360, a feat that Microsoft would have you think is impossible.  In the first article I did not have one of the proper replacement cages, but since then I’ve bought one and have had the chance to try it out.  While the method from the previous article is perfectly acceptable, many people will have peace of mind knowing that their hard drive is inserted “correctly.”  So for those of you with the replacement cage, here’s a small addendum on how to accomplish such.

You can order the replacement part here from Amazon for only a few dollars.  Though I think the cardboard is sufficient, I do recommend purchasing one of these to be on the safe side.  However, you should be fine using cardboard during the interim if you absolutely can’t wait for the new part (I couldn’t!).

If you haven’t already done so, refer to my previous article about transferring the external hard drive from one of the older model 360s to a new 360 (models S and E) that utilizes an internal hard drive.

If you’ve performed the above procedure, you’ll need to undo a few things.  First, open the new 360 and carefully remove the small piece of cardboard.  The drive needs to come out as well, but it’s not easy for everyone to get their fingers in there.  If you have to, use a pair of needle nose pliers.  When you grab the hard drive, grab the black part and none of the green.  Better yet, use a small piece of cloth, like a rag, to go between the drive and the pliers.  This will require a little bit of force.  It’s best to grab on tight once and wiggle the drive back and forth until it releases.  Once it’s out, we’re ready to begin anew.

If you haven’t done this yet, you can go through the instructions verbatim until step 4.2.  Stop there!  Instead of carefully sliding the hard drive down into the open bay, we’re first going to put it in the replace cage.  The cage’s shape and opening at one end will make it obvious how the hard drive fits in.  All you’ve got to do is snap the halves together with the drive in place and gently lower it into your new(er) Xbox 360.  Give it a small push and you’ll hear a click, meaning the unit is secure.

You’ll then want to refer back to the previous article for information on how to transfer your licenses, and then it’s the end!

I must again reiterate how simple and essential this process is.  Worst case scenario, it costs you $7 for the replacement part and less than $10 for the necessary Torx wrenches, which can come in quite handy for other small electronics projects.  It’s still cheaper than buying a new internal hard drive when a new hard drive isn’t exactly what’s needed, and less than the transfer cable you’d need even with the new HDD.  It’s also pretty hard to make a mistake doing this, so the risk of really destroying one of your consoles is minimal.

Everything on your 360 will work exactly as before.

Enjoy!

Written by The Cubist