You can identify Xbox 360 consoles by their serial numbers, a series of 12 digits that is unique to each console manufactured by Microsoft. These 12-digit serial codes are important to document if you are sending the console in for repairs. You can locate your Xbox 360 console's serial code in a few places in about two minutes.
Microsoft has made it relatively painless to ascertain the serial number on the controllers of its gaming console, the Xbox 360. Locate the battery pack on the back of the controller. Pinch the pack between your thumb and your index finger, with you index finger depressing the button on the top of the pack. The serial number being needed to wipe your hard drive is just so you don't do it accidentally. Marketplace purchases are tied to your account, not your console. Also, you can't unban a Xbox with a serial number.
Turn on the console and wait for the main menu or 'Dashboard' to load. Hold the center 'Xbox Guide' button until a green LED appears on the controller to turn it on. Move the analog stick to the right and select 'System Settings,' then press the 'A' button. Select 'Console Settings' and press 'A' again. Select 'System Info' and press the 'A' button. The system will display your Xbox 360 serial number which identifies the machine.
Unplug all cables and USB devices from the machine if you wish to locate the console's serial number without powering it on. Look on the rear of the machine next to the A/V cable port. The serial code for your Xbox 360 will be printed above the A/V port.
Unplug all USB devices from the front of the machine. Push the small door on the USB ports until it moves and a sticker is visible below it. Your 12-digit identifying Xbox 360 serial number will be printed on this sticker.
Tips
The Xbox 360 is identified online by Microsoft's Xbox Live service using a separate code called the 'Console ID.' This code is different from the serial number and is only used by Microsoft to identify your unique Xbox 360 among other Xbox Live users' consoles. You can access your Xbox 360 console ID via the 'System Info' menu under 'Console Settings' in the 'System Settings' menu of the Dashboard.
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Microsoft's XBox gaming system has a wide scope of popularity due to the number of games it can play, along with serving as an entertainment center that lets you view DVDs and movies downloaded from the Internet. Changing the Xbox configuration using a modification chip (also known as a 'mod chip') has become a popular hobby for those that wish to experiment with the Xbox console. Find the version number of your Xbox console when looking to make hardware modifications.
Xbox One Console Id Number
Step 1
Face the back of the Xbox and locate the serial number tag. Note the long number located beside the 'Serial No.' text on the tag. Note the number next to the 'MFG. Date' text on the tag.
Step 2
Identify the last two numbers at the end of the 'Serial No.' text noted above. If the numbers are '03' or '02,' and the number next to the 'MFG Date' text is prior to November 2002 (2002-10-31 or earlier), then the Xbox is a version 1.0 model.
Step 3
Xbox One Serial Numbers
Identify the last two numbers at the end of the 'Serial No.' tag; if the numbers are '02' and the number next to the 'MFG Date' text is later than November 2002 (2002-10-31 or later), then the Xbox is a version 1.1.
Identify the last two numbers at the end of the 'Serial No.' text; if the numbers are '05' or '06,' note the fourth and fifth numbers from the end of the 'Serial No.' number, then refer to 'Table 3.3 Serial Number Check' in the 'Pearson Technology Group:Identifying Your Xbox Revision' document. If the number is in the table, then the Xbox version number is listed under the 'Revision' column in the same row as the number. If the number is not in the table then refer to the number that is closest in value to the number noted in the 'Serial No.' and the 'Revision' number in the same row which is the version number of the Xbox.
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