360 Memory Card with only 51MB of space? WTF?!

[daphatty]

So I just got home from Game Crazy (seemingly the only game store open in my area) and managed to score a used 360 memory card for $25. Now, I thought I landed a pretty good deal until I loaded up the card. For some reason, it only shows having 51 MB of storage space, even after I formatted it. Is this normal? I'm thinking I need to call MS...

[menikmati]

Normal, "system info" cuts the 64mb to 51mb.

[Ugamer_X]

Quick Google search shows that this is normal. Some of that space is used for "System info."

Edit: what he said.

[Maynard]

DOODER, this is normal 250 Gig HD has 233 HD actual space.

[daphatty]

You know, it's bad enough that they take 6 GBs from the HD...

This really makes me wonder just how successful MS would have been had Sony released their console last winter. Being the only game in town seems to afford MS more leeway for their shortcomings than I think they deserve.

[daphatty]

DOODER, this is normal 250 Gig HD has 233 HD actual space.

DOODER, this is not normal. We are talking about MB not GB. Even if this were the same, which it is not, the overhead would be much closer to 2 MB, not 13! What the fuck do they need 13 MBs for?! Seriously?

[thebob101]

What the fuck do they need 13 MBs for?! Seriously?

They need it for stuff, MS stuff that is top secret. 2 MB is saved just for Mr. Bill himself. Just in case......

[DisturbedZen]

I really think they should have just made it a 128mb and kept whatever they wanted for "system info" and locked the rest till the memory card had only 64mb.

Production cost difference between 64mb and 128mb is minimal vs disgruntled customers.

[sj41]

You know, it's bad enough that they take 6 GBs from the HD...

This really makes me wonder just how successful MS would have been had Sony released their console last winter. Being the only game in town seems to afford MS more leeway for their shortcomings than I think they deserve.They're not taking 13 of your precious MBs just to fuck with you. It is being used.

And how is this a shortcoming? Would you like more memory? Then use the HDD.

[CheapyD]

Or maybe they just have labeled it a 50MB card, that way you would happy you got an extra MB for free.

It does seem kind of misleading that 17% of the stated space is unusable.

[Sarang01]

Or maybe they just have labeled it a 50MB card, that way you would happy you got an extra MB for free.

It does seem kind of misleading that 17% of the stated space is unusable.

Agreed and I still don't understand why you need to grab that much space for system info. Consider the PS2's system info with the memory card took up almost nothing in KB and I don't buy they actually need that much. I smell lazy programming.

[daphatty]

It does seem kind of misleading that 17% of the stated space is unusable.

Finally, a voice of reason.

And for the record, I have the HD. So tell me, why do I need to have system info on both the mem card AND the HD? I can live with the 6 Gigs taken from the HD. Frankly, I have no intention of ever storing that much content from XBL. However, I bought the mem card specifically to store my game saves and profile info. I've read too many stories about people sending their consoles/HDs to MS and losing all of their data. I don't want to be one of those victims.

And lets face it, if our launch 360's don't break then we will be in the minority. We all know at least one person who has had their system break. Hell I met a guy at game crazy today who admitted his system died. Is it really that inconceivable that you might be next?

As for my opinion of shortcomings, I meant this to simply be icing on the cake. The 360 already has enough of a history of shortcomings as it is. Our own internal 360 poll puts the failure rate at 15%. And that doesn't take into account the people who voted their systems to be functional only to have them fail a short time later.

[Spoon_si]

it's rite...

[Purkeynator]

I already knew about the formatting of flash memory and hard drives and the overhead that must be accounted for when measuring the actual usable memory. I took a quick look on my 128MB Secure Digital card and it actually has 122MB usable. So after formatting the Xbox card should have had around 61MB usable. My guess is that the rest was reserved for system use in the event that you don't have a hard drive. Whether or not you have the hard drive doesn't matter because they had to standardize the memory cards for everyone to be able to use. The missing 10MB has to be for mandatory sytem updates or to store Xbox Live user profiles for when you need to put your Live Account on you memory card.

[PittsburghAfterDark]

For those users that don't have an HDD, you know, the truly stupid in the world, they'll bitch if they have to make choices about which game to delete from their memory card when the fix for COD 2 becomes available.

You want to know who to blame? Blame the stupid.

[daphatty]

The missing 10MB has to be for ... or to store Xbox Live user profiles for when you need to put your Live Account on you memory card.

Good theory. I'm going to test that out when I go home tonight by transferring my Live Account from my HD to my Mem Card. If the available space stays the same, then cool. If not, then I'm right back to where I was. :bomb: :bomb: :bomb:

... when the fix for COD 2 becomes available.

I thought that already happened?

[terribledeli]

My guess is that 17% might be specifically for patches in games.

That being said, however, you should be able to reformat the card and get the full (or closer to) amount of memory. I mean, not everyone who buys a card bought it because an HDD wasn't available. Or they bought the core.

I was a little disappointed that I can't remove the emulation stuff from my hard drive.

[gregthomas77]

Or maybe they just have labeled it a 50MB card, that way you would happy you got an extra MB for free.

It does seem kind of misleading that 17% of the stated space is unusable.

Is it unusable, or already used? In other words, if that space is filled with files that allow the card to work properly, would you rather have that or a 64 meg card that doesn't work?

[Mr Unoriginal]

Is it unusable, or already used? In other words, if that space is filled with files that allow the card to work properly, would you rather have that or a 64 meg card that doesn't work?

What the hell kind of logic is that? If they knew how much space is needed to make the card work, then that space shouldn't be advertised as usable. The card should either be 70 something MB or advertise it as 50Mb like someone said.

[daphatty]

What the hell kind of logic is that? If they knew how much space is needed to make the card work, then that space shouldn't be advertised as usable. The card should either be 70 something MB or advertise it as 50Mb like someone said.

Thank you!

[Purkeynator]

The memory cards are a complete rip off anyway. Where else can you get away with charging $40 for 64MB of flash memory? (or $25 for 8MB of flash memory, I am looking at you Sony). Last time I checked $40 should get you about 1GB of flash memory if not more.

[gregthomas77]

What the hell kind of logic is that? If they knew how much space is needed to make the card work, then that space shouldn't be advertised as usable. The card should either be 70 something MB or advertise it as 50Mb like someone said.

Your right. What they hell were they thinking calling a card with a total capacity of 64mb a 64 mb card?

[Mr Unoriginal]

Your right. What they hell were they thinking calling a card with a total capacity of 64mb a 64 mb card?

It's not. You can't use all the space. If I called a tv 50" but you couldn't get a picture in 25% of the screen would that be okay?

[daphatty]

Your right. What they hell were they thinking calling a card with a total capacity of 64mb a 64 mb card?

I hate to say it, but if MS were taken to court over this, they would lose. Even formatting the card via the Xbox doesn't give you access to the 64MB the card has and last time I checked, the packaging doesn't clearly denote that 17% of the card wont be accessible to the purchaser. Ever.

[gregthomas77]

It's not. You can't use all the space. If I called a tv 50" but you couldn't get a picture in 25% of the screen would that be okay?

Does the card hold 64mb of information?

[daphatty]

Does the card hold 64mb of information?

Not 64MB of MY information.

[Indiana]

Oh boy here comes a court case. My prediction is someone sues over this and MS provides everyone with 500 Xbox Live points. Or 2 months of free Xbox Live service!

[gregthomas77]

Not 64MB of MY information.

Not that I don't understand where you are coming from, but does it say anywhere on the package "Store 64mb of your information on this card" or does it say 64mb memory card. You mention it doesn't say on the package that part of the space is already used, but I don't believe they cross into false advertising by telling you that it will store 64mb of saves either. It simply says it is a 64mb memory card that you can store saves on.

[daphatty]

Not that I don't understand where you are coming from, but does it say anywhere on the package "Store 64mb of your information on this card" or does it say 64mb memory card. You mention it doesn't say on the package that part of the space is already used, but I don't believe they cross into false advertising by telling you that it will store 64mb of saves either. It simply says it is a 64mb memory card that you can store saves on.

I refer back to a point someone else brought up earlier, namely Hard Drive space advetising. A lawsuit forced HD manufacturers to augment their packaging to inform the consumer that the HDs don't actually hold the amount of data they imply. Furthermore, that lawsuit resulted in a class action settlement benefitting the consumer (in an albeit very small way.)

This is no different. If I can't use all of the space on my storage device, regardless of the reason, then it is the manufacturer's responsibility to OPENLY DISCLOSE such limitations on the packaging.

[Saint'sRow911]

It is what it says it is. Doesn't mean the 360 doesn't take some of that for processing power. All comes down to..get over it.

[LinkinPrime]

Hasnt anyone every bought a PC Hard drive? an MP3 player? or a USB Memory Stick? They all state certain memory on them but its always less. Read the fine print on the packaging, its all there. This is normal, no one has been sued for this in years, why would it happen now.

[Scahom1]

Although I am one of those guys who would love to disagree with an OP's argument, I must agree with daphatty. If they say the card can hold 64 MB of information, then you should have ACCESS to 64 MB.

Memory card's are the biggest rip off of them all, considering you are paying $25 (or in this case $40) for something that should only cost a couple of dollars. Thank God I no longer have a need for them.

[graf1k]

I don't hold it against MS that they perpetuate a ultimately shady business practice that all other console hardware makers also do, but I do hold it against them that when their consoles fail and they refuse to replace the system unless you send the hard drive as well, that they just give you a big fat "T.S." when you ask "What about my saved games?" Then again, that's the same answer you get from hard drive makers when your hard disk fails. Sure, they will replace the actual hard drive if its still under warranty, but having up to date backups of all your data is on you. Doesn't really seem fair, but what are ya gonna do?

Another thing I will shake my finger at MS (and probably Sony will do this too when PS3 comes out) is actively locking a USB flashdrive out of being used for saved games. I can use it to load pictures and music to my 360, but can't save a saved game to it? Frankly that is outright bullshit and an arguement could be made, grounds for an anti-trust case. It certainly is preventing competition and is keeping 'memory unit' prices at $40 for 64MB.

[CokeCola]

If I called a tv 50" but you couldn't get a picture in 25% of the screen would that be okay?
Apparently (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824133165)

This really isn't the same situation as a hard drive being smaller than the stated size - a "250GB" HD only has a physical capacity of about 233GB. They got the higher number by screwing around with the definition of a gigabyte.

13MB out of a 64MB drive is a hefty chunk of space to take out without notification. I could see 1 or 2 Megs for formatting, but the basic fact is that if MS needs 13MB on every drive, they shouldn't be selling a tiny 64MB memory card. 13MB out of 128 would be a little more tolerable.

[Purkeynator]

Hey Daphatty did you ever find out if the xbox live account takes up additional space?

[basketkase543]

Another thing I will shake my finger at MS (and probably Sony will do this too when PS3 comes out) is actively locking a USB flashdrive out of being used for saved games. I can use it to load pictures and music to my 360, but can't save a saved game to it? Frankly that is outright bullshit and an arguement could be made, grounds for an anti-trust case. It certainly is preventing competition and is keeping 'memory unit' prices at $40 for 64MB.

QFT
:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Gojtron]

Anti-trust? Like Nintendo when they didn't allow 3rd party peripherals? Like MS not allowing 3rd party wireless controllers?

And no, the Live account doesn't take up space, just like on the original Xbox, it uses the reserved space. I seem to recall 8 accounts can fit, although I may be wrong, I know it was only 1 per card for original XB. I didn't even notice the space discrepancy, I've got a lot on my card and I still have 40megs free.