Step 1 ) Open the Xbox 360. Do some googling and you'll find a tutorial on how to open it easily enough.
Step 2 ) Now that you have access to the inside of the console you'll see a few different looks of drives. It can be a BenQ, Samsung or Hitachi. See below. NOTE : IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET THE SAME FIRMWARE VERSION AS YOUR ORIGINAL. You can change a Hitachi with a Samsung or vice versa but run the risk of being banned from Xbox live and it's more of a hassle than it's worth.
Step 3 ) Purchase the appropriate brand and firmware version of drive.(duh)
Step 4 ) Open the drive. As far as the Samsungs and Hitachi's are concerned they generally have (4) screws holding them together. Hitachi's have (2) additional screws.
Step 5 ) Remove the firmware board from your old drive. Put a post-it on it if you have to to identify it from the new one.
(Bottom View of F/W boards)
Step 6 ) Open your "new" drive and remove the firmware board from it and set it to the side.
Step 7 ) Install your "old" board into the "new" drive. Re-attach any and all cables to the board at this time.
Step 8 ) Install the drive into the Xbox 360 console, attatching the SATA and DVD Drive power cables into their designated spots. It's probably a good time to test the drives functionality at this time.
Step 9 ) If everything has checked out then re-assymble the console and play away.....
Tizz78
