How to Install the Xbox 360 120GB Hard Drive

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Updated: January 2, 2020

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You have an Xbox 360 and Rock Band, and you've been buying either all the DLC (downloadable content - in this case, songs) or all the DLC you like, and you've watched your free space dwindle away, gigabyte by gigabyte, until you face the harsh reality: the 20GB hard drive that came with your Xbox 360 does not have enough space to satisfy your rock n' roll fantasy. You need the Xbox 360 120GB hard drive.

Currently Rock Band is the only game that actually allows a gamer to fill their hard drive with DLC. While you could fill it with CDs ripped to the hard drive and game demos, that's beside the point, especially with much cheaper ways to listen to music on your Xbox (such as by streaming media). Whether you play Rock Band or not, the process for upgrading your console's hard drive is the same and is detailed in this article, which aims to answer all of your questions.


  1. 1
    Acquire the Xbox 360 120GB hard drive. The MSRP is $150 in the United States. You can buy it for less online, but be warned that if you buy it used it may not include the transfer cable, which is very important. You can usually find one on eBay.
  2. 2
    Open the plastic container. This is a bit tricky. Get a pair of craft scissors (they're heavier duty than regular scissors) or a box cutter. See on the back where it shows the scissor line? Cut along there.
  3. 3
    Hold the container upright so the hard drive, which you can see through the front, is upright. CAREFULLY peel back the top of the container. This will take some effort, but hold the base firmly. The hard drive is not made of eggshells, but it is a fragile electronic device. Treat it as such.
  4. 4
    Inside you will see a translucent tray. When you can safely do so, pull it out and set it aside. This contains the hard drive and the transfer cable. Left in the container will be a CD-ROM and a booklet.
  5. 5
    Remove the CD-ROM from its sleeve. The tape will not give easily. Go ahead and rip it. You will need this CD-ROM only once.
  6. 6
    If your Xbox 360 has a disc in its drive, remove it. Disconnect all wired controllers and turn off all wireless controllers if they are on, signing out the associated profiles, if any. Leave just one controller connected.
  7. 7
    If you have the Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter, remove it. Do not worry about being disconnected from Xbox LIVE. If you have a network adapter plugged in, remove this.
  8. 8
    Before you initiate transfer, the following should be connected to your Xbox 360: Your TV via HDMI or the AV cable; your Xbox 360 power supply; your original hard drive or Memory Unit (MU); and one wired or wireless controller. Sever all other connections in the safest way, first signing out the profile, if any.
  9. 9
    Insert the Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Disc in the Xbox 360. It should start automatically. If it does not, access the drive as you normally would.
  10. 10
    Your screen will turn purple, and you will be told what is about to happen. If this is OK with you, press A (the green button) to continue.
  11. 11
    Remove your Xbox 360 120GB hard drive from the translucent tray. Remove the protective strip from the bottom. Pull it firmly, but not quickly, as you do not want to leave any residue behind.
  12. 12
    Now hold your Xbox 360 120GB hard drive in your hand so that you can read the safety information on the bottom. Hold the transfer cable so that you can read the writing on the back of it. Plug the hard drive into the transfer cable; there is only one way that it can plug in, and holding them as described, you'll be in the right place.
  13. 13
    Plug the USB end of the transfer cable into the USB port in the back of the Xbox 360. Microsoft advises against using either of the two on the front. The most likely reason is that the USB port in the back is soldered directly onto the Xbox 360 motherboard, where the two in the front are connected to the motherboard by a wire and the connection is not quite as direct (though all three are equal in gaming).
  14. 14
    This article's author was informed that the process would take 1 hour and 21 minutes, for a 20GB hard drive with 1.6GB free. The time estimate you are given will depend on how much data needs to be transferred. Press A to begin the transfer.
  15. 15
    After so many minutes, your TV screen will dim, but the Xbox 360 will continue to work. You cannot use your Xbox 360 during this process.
  16. 16
    This article's author's Xbox 360 took exactly 55 minutes to complete the transfer.
  17. 17
    As it instructs, remove the disc. As it suggests, this will restart your console.
  18. 18
    Do not panic as when your console restarts, everything is gone. You no longer have any profiles. There will be no data. Your 360 will be new again.
  19. 19
    Turn off the Xbox 360.
  20. 20
    Disconnect the Transfer Cable from the back of the Xbox 360 and the Xbox 360 120GB hard drive.
  21. 21
    Unplug your old hard drive, if that's what you transferred from. In front of the hard drive is a little button, kind of hard to see. Push that down and lift up on the hard drive. If this is your first time removing it, it might jam. Do not force it, but firmly lift straight up, pushing the button. Holding the button is not necessary, but press it again if it resists.
  22. 22
    Set your old hard drive aside.
  23. 23
    Connect your new hard drive by backing the back into the back of the back of the console and pressing the front firmly down. It should click into place.
  24. 24
    Turn on your console.
  25. 25
    Sign into an Xbox LIVE enabled profile. Your console will "find" an update; it won't tell you what it is, but this is most likely the license transfer that allows you to continue using your DRM-protected DLC on the new hard drive. This update starts with an estimated time of 5 minutes and warns that the console "may" restart. It will. Once it does, everything should work as before, but you will have a heck of a lot more free space.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What happens to the save data on the XBOX 360's built-in memory?
    Community Answer
    If you are removing the original hard drive in the 360, it will remove the save data on the hard drive. If the data is saved to your online account via the Cloud, then it will remain on your account regardless of hard drive.
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    • The Xbox 360 120GB hard drive will not actually contain a full 120Gb of storage for you to use. The drive comes with operational software that will require some of this space, how much will be subject to the version of software that Microsoft puts onto the drive.
    • As the transfer cable is only good for transferring, Microsoft recommends that you dispose of the transfer cable. Feel free to sell this as well, as people who buy 120GB hard drives used find themselves without a transfer cable, and the choice to get more storage, or keep their stuff. Your transfer cable can help them get the best of both worlds.
    • Your original Xbox 360 hard drive will be completely erased. You can continue to use it for additional space if you so desire, though there are no licensed devices for switching between the two, and this would be inconvenient for many reasons. Feel free to sell your old hard drive or give it to a friend who bought the Arcade unit with no hard drive.


    • Microsoft advises against connecting your transfer cable to your old hard drive and attempting to use it on your PC. The worst case scenario, though highly unlikely, but strangely, suggested in the manual, is that this will damage your PC. The best case scenario is that you find a driver online to use your old hard drive as an external 20GB SATA hard drive (which it basically is), but the author of this article knows of no such cable. (And, with prices of high-end flash drives sinking, why bother?)

    Things You'll Need

    • An Xbox 360. This guide is not intended for owners of the first Xbox console.
    • An Xbox 360 120GB hard drive (read on)
    • A 20GB or 60GB hard drive, or a Memory Unit (MU). This guide is not intended for Xbox 360 Elite owners who already have a 120GB hard drive.
    • One Xbox 360 wired or wireless controller. A guitar, drum set, dance pad, or other controller might work, but Microsoft recommends a regular controller.
    • A television. Doesn't have to be HD.
    • A pair of craft scissors, or a box cutter.

    Article Info


    Categories: Video Game Console Maintenance and Repair | Xbox 360

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    Español: instalar un disco duro de 120 GB en una Xbox 360

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