Microsoft Addresses Xbox 360 "E74" of Death, Offers Fix

Just because it doesn't slap you in the face with the dreaded red ring of death, doesn't mean that an E74 error on the Xbox 360 is a less devastating event. You still have to send it in for repair and wait a few weeks, provided that you're still covered by your warranty. Microsoft's recent announcement that they will be offering extended warranty support for the E74 error comes as good news. And while it's only anecdotal evidence, I've had more friends and acquaintances' machines succumb to generic errors of the E74 type than to the classical RROD.

Microsoft addressed the RROD in '07. But being the conspiracy theorist that I am, I almost suspected that MS included an Xbox Live update that recoded RROD occurences to display an error message rather than the ring. I know it sounds a bit extreme, but like I said, I don't know anyone suffering from red death rings these days, but disc read errors and system errors reminiscent of those on a TI-82 seem increasingly common. Am I just paranoid?

Either way, it's good to see that Microsoft is addressing the problem. From Xbox's support site:

"...we have determined that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. 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."

Associated with the RROD?!? I don't know MS, a red ring of death by any other name...

But yes, in short, the E74 error is now covered under the same 3-year warranty as the RROD.

Wait, you say, you already paid out of your own pocket for E74 repairs? You're in luck. Just head over to MS's Xbox support site before November and they'll cut you a check for damages owed.

Check out Xbox 360 game reviews on our gaming site. For more on nefarious console conspiracies, continue reading our tech news blog:

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