Can you connect Xbox 360 S 4gb to computer to read internal flash memory?

SpicyPrincess82 · May 24, 2015

Hi,

I recently had a problem where my 4GB of internal memory became corrupt somehow, which means I can't access any of my game saves. I contacted Microsoft/Xbox support and they told me their Repair Center does not offer data retrieval services and that my only
option would be to try using a 3rd party recovery software on the computer. Problem is, it seems the software is designed for hard drives - and my data is stuck on the internal flash memory.

Question - is there a way to hook up a data cable from the Xbox 360 S to my computer so I can try to run this recovery software? I know there has to be a way - surely Microsoft hardware technicians have done it before. But since their Repair Center won't
touch it, I wanted to reach out to you guys to see if anyone knows how. Since it was internal flash memory, I never thought it would be corrupted like normal hard drives. Hard lesson learned, for sure, but I still want to try and get my game saves back. Any
insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

:)

IceStorm III · May 24, 2015

My Console won't get Past the Splash Screen

You don't have an internal HDD on a 4GB 360 S. There's a USB-connected 4GB USB flash drive attached to a USB header on the motherboard.

Yeah, that's a big downside to the 4GB console. If the internal flash goes, there's no non-warranty-voiding way to remove it.

gds1972 · May 24, 2015

Missing memory unit (internal storage) for Xbox 360 S

Hi

If you are referencing the Xbox 360 S 4GB internal memory then this option was not available on all Xbox 360 S consoles please see the link below and quoted text.

https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-360/accessories/add-remove-hard-drive

The Xbox 360 S 250 gigabyte (GB) console has an internal hard drive, which can be removed and replaced.

The Xbox 360 S 4 GB console has internal flash memory, which is not removable. The internal hard drive can be purchased separately.

onyxishere · May 24, 2015

Sorry to hear it, however I find it very strange that phone support would suggest this as Microsoft does not support 3rd party products at all whether they be software or hardware related.

Also, connecting your console to the pc could translate any files that you would have on the flash drive to a format that is unreadable by the Xbox anyway.

I think your only option here is going to be to format the internal drive using the console's system. Go to Settings>System>Storage to start the format procedure.

banej

The Xbox 360 4GB models is actually internal flash memory. You cannot play with flash memory sticks or internal flash memory - Either the game requires a physical disk, or it needs to unpack a file > 4GB.

onyxishere

Sorry to hear it, however I find it very strange that phone support would suggest this as Microsoft does not support 3rd party products at all whether they be software or hardware related.

Also, connecting your console to the pc could translate any files that you would have on the flash drive to a format that is unreadable by the Xbox anyway.

I think your only option here is going to be to format the internal drive using the console's system. Go to Settings>System>Storage to start the format procedure.

BrianGunter

I just read that the xbox 360 E 4GB indeed has no hard drive but a flash memory. So I think you are right

It's the same as the S model. If you get the 4GB version, then that 4GB is internal memory that you can not remove. Any model though (including the 4GB) has a slot where you can add a hard drive, and of course the 250GB models (or any besides the 4GB) will
already have a removable hard drive inserted there.

The old "arcade" models worked basically the same way too except they only came with 512MB of internal storage (IIRC).

IceStorm III

The 4GB 360 S's storage space isn't "treated" as flash memory, it IS flash memory. It's attached to an internal USB port on the motherboard.

A HDD is required because every XBOX game expects there to be a 2GB cache partition it can cache game content on. USB's read/write performance and its read/write durability do not lend itself to use as a cache partition for the XBOX. The 2GB cache partition
only exists on the 360's HDD. It's part of the 4.7GB of space that the 360 reserves for system usage on every HDD.

The 360 S has a small trap door on the right/bottom of the console. That's where the HDD goes. This bay is empty on the 4GB 360 S. Opening the trap door and fitting an official 250GB 360 S HDD does not void the warranty on the console.

Obsessive Power

The 4GB of internal flash memory is built into the 360's motherboard and can not be removed. The 320GB hard drive isn't availabe on it's own yet, but I'm sure it will be soon.

Can you connect Xbox 360 S 4gb to computer to read internal flash memory?