How to Clone an XBox 360 Hard Drive

The Xbox 360 uses a hard drive similar to that in a computer. You can clone the contents of the Xbox’s hard drive to a larger capacity hard drive that will provide for more storage space. You will need a replacement hard drive from a computer or electronics store. A cloning program, of which there are a number available at no cost, must be used on a computer to clone the hard drive. Removing the Xbox 360’s hard drive to clone it does not void the warranty since you do not have to open the game console to remove the drive.

Remove the power cord from the Xbox 360. Press the release latch on the hard drive compartment that is at the top of the game console with your fingers. Pull the hard drive compartment off the Xbox 360.

Turn the hard drive compartment over. Remove the screws surrounding the hard drive cage with the Torx screwdriver. Slide the hard drive cage out of the slot in the hard drive compartment. Slide the hard drive out of the hard drive cage.

Set the “dip” switch on the back of the Xbox 360 hard drive to “Slave” with the tip of your finger.

Remove the power cord from the computer. Unscrew the front or side panel with the Phillips screwdriver. Remove the screws from the side of two empty drive bays with the Phillips screwdriver. Pull the two drive trays out of the drive bays. Put the drive trays aside.

Pull the power cords and ribbon connector cords out of the drive bays.

Connect the power cord and ribbon connector cord from a drive bay to the connectors on the back of the Xbox 360’s hard drive. Place the Xbox 360 hard drive in the drive bay. Repeat this procedure with the replacement hard drive and the other drive bay.

Plug the power cord into the computer. Turn the computer on. Download a cloning program to the desktop, for example, the free PC Disk Clone Free program (see the link in Resources). Double-click on the file when it has downloaded. Follow the menu commands to install the program onto the desktop. Restart the PC.

Double-click on the icon of the cloning program to run it. Select the Xbox 360 hard drive from the ‘Original” or “Source” drop down menu. Select the replacement hard drive from the “Copy” or “Destination” drop down menu.

Click on the “Exact Clone” or “Complete copy” checkbox. Click on the “Format as needed” or “Format copy” checkbox.

Click the “Start” or “Cone” button on the cloning program’s main screen. Click on “Done” or “Finished” in the confirmation window that appears when the cloning is finished. Quit the cloning program. Shut off the computer. Remove the power cord from the computer.

Remove the power cord and ribbon connector cords from the Xbox 30 hard drive and the replacement hard drive. Close the front or side panel of the computer. Reattach the screws.

Set the “dip” switch on the back of the replacement hard drive to “Master” with the tip of your finger.

Place the replacement hard drive in the Xbox 360’s hard drive cage. Slide the hard drive cage into the slot in the hard drive compartment. Reattach the screws. Attach the hard drive compartment to the Xbox 360.