14 DAY TRIAL // The latest system update for Xbox 360 is now available over Xbox LIVE, according to Microsoft. The Redmond company reveals that it started rolling out the refresh at 02:00 Pacific Time on April 6th, and that the update will slowly be made available to Xbox 360 console owners worldwide. The April 6 Xbox 360 System Update is designed to add USB Memory support to existing consoles. Essentially, console owners will be able to expand the storage space available by simply deploying the system update and leveraging USB Memory storage devices.
“The system update over Xbox LIVE for your Xbox 360 that will allow USB flash drives to be used for storing profiles, game saves, demos and more. I’ve been testing this feature out for a few weeks, and I have to say it’s really great. Once you take the system update on April 6th, you’ll be able to connect your USB flash drives to your console and head over to the memory section to configure your new storage device,” Larry Hryb, director of programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live, explained.
It is important to note that Xbox 360 owners will only be able to enjoy an extra 16GB of storage space per every flash memory device they add to their console. According to Hryb, this makes USB drives the preferred storage extenders rather than USB hard drives, since, despite the space of the disk, only 16GB will be used. At the same time, Microsoft recommends that users stick to flash-based USB storage in order to benefit from the best performance possible.
“The system will conduct a one time performance and integrity check to confirm the drive is working properly. You will then be able to configure how much storage to use on the device, up to 16 GB. The remaining space on the flash drive will be accessible by your PC or Mac,” Hryb explained. “We’ve also enhanced the memory management functions, so you’ll be able to have better control on what you want to copy or move between storage devices.”
Still, one important aspect of the latest Xbox 360 System Update delivering USB Memory support is that, despite the 16GB limitation, users can leverage as much as 32GB of extra space. This will be possible through the connecting of two 16GB devices simultaneously.
“The system won’t just configure the device once it is connected to the console. You’ll need to head to the memory area in system settings, select your USB Device, and choose from Configure Now (Format and Configure the Full Device), or Customize (you can choose how much memory you want configured for Xbox360 from the free space on the device),” Hryb said.