Suck it, Microsoft!
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- SpongeBuell
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My friend recently got his 360 stolen, so I joined this place to vent/look for ideas. The 360 got stolen a couple days ago, and my friend is really upset about it. He gave it his own paintjob, and was really proud of this thing. Last night, we learned that whoever has it now has been going online with my friend's account.
This is where things get interesting. You see, I work for the technical support department at the University I go to. I was able to get the MAC address for the xbox, since it was registered to my friend (all devices on our network must be registered in order to be used). I took that number to a guy at work, who was able to look through the latest log files for that MAC address. That MAC hasn't been used since it got stolen, which means one of 2 things: a) The person is off-campus or b) They are using a router. Both situations are entirely possible, though I give a little better chance to the latter option. Unfortunately, it also means that there isn't much we can do without an IP address.
Enter Microsoft: Since it was connected to xbox live, it was connected to them. Since it was connected to them, they had to have the IP address at one point. Like all major companies, they probably log said IP addresses. These days, the liability involved is too great not to. So, my friend called Microsoft, and I ended up doing some talking as well (my friend doesn't know much about computers, and had no idea what he was talking about). Basically, my friend was told that he can't have the IP address used by his own xbox. I don't remember if they explicitly said this, but they implied that they don't even keep the logs. I mentioned that that didn't seem right, but they wouldn't budge.
So here I am, this >< close to getting my friends xbox back. Since Microsoft is being a pain in the ass, however, I'm a bit stuck. Anybody have any suggestions to bring this up in the chain of command? I don't believe them for a second that they don't keep logs. A police report has been filed, and am wondering if we should have them call. They've been excellent in helping us so far.
What really sucks, everyone is leaving now that the schoolyear is almost up.
Then, we have Windows updates. You know, those things that often get put on your computer automatically? Yeah, so they have been causing a lot of problems on campus lately. For those that don't know, I go to a school where everyone has laptops, and work where they get fixed. We've had to wipe so many laptops because of this, since the computers get really unstable (moreso than usual, that is)
So yeah, I'm hating MS right now. Any thoughts, at least for the first issue?
SpongeBuell
This is where things get interesting. You see, I work for the technical support department at the University I go to. I was able to get the MAC address for the xbox, since it was registered to my friend (all devices on our network must be registered in order to be used). I took that number to a guy at work, who was able to look through the latest log files for that MAC address. That MAC hasn't been used since it got stolen, which means one of 2 things: a) The person is off-campus or b) They are using a router. Both situations are entirely possible, though I give a little better chance to the latter option. Unfortunately, it also means that there isn't much we can do without an IP address.
Enter Microsoft: Since it was connected to xbox live, it was connected to them. Since it was connected to them, they had to have the IP address at one point. Like all major companies, they probably log said IP addresses. These days, the liability involved is too great not to. So, my friend called Microsoft, and I ended up doing some talking as well (my friend doesn't know much about computers, and had no idea what he was talking about). Basically, my friend was told that he can't have the IP address used by his own xbox. I don't remember if they explicitly said this, but they implied that they don't even keep the logs. I mentioned that that didn't seem right, but they wouldn't budge.
So here I am, this >< close to getting my friends xbox back. Since Microsoft is being a pain in the ass, however, I'm a bit stuck. Anybody have any suggestions to bring this up in the chain of command? I don't believe them for a second that they don't keep logs. A police report has been filed, and am wondering if we should have them call. They've been excellent in helping us so far.
What really sucks, everyone is leaving now that the schoolyear is almost up.
Then, we have Windows updates. You know, those things that often get put on your computer automatically? Yeah, so they have been causing a lot of problems on campus lately. For those that don't know, I go to a school where everyone has laptops, and work where they get fixed. We've had to wipe so many laptops because of this, since the computers get really unstable (moreso than usual, that is)
So yeah, I'm hating MS right now. Any thoughts, at least for the first issue?
SpongeBuell
Life of Brian wrote:I'll be honest with you - I would have never guessed that.RYW wrote:RYW:
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Yeah I can't believe that they don't keep log of the IP adresses. Heck I was talking to a guy a couple weeks ago that used to work for Microsofts game developers and he said that he talked to some guys that still work there. They told him that it is possible for them to scan any X-Box 360 to see if they have abnormally large hard drives in them or if they're abnormally large and they can remotely wipe out that persons hard drive. So I can't believe that they don't keep a log somewhere.
DCP---Done
- SpongeBuell
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Pretty sure that a LOT of people have XBL on a campus like this. Too many people to talk to for such weak evidence.gannon wrote:Well...you could try getting the school to setup a packet sniffer for all XBL oriented data, then track down all people using XBL. Best bet is probably getting MS to fess up the info though.
Life of Brian wrote:I'll be honest with you - I would have never guessed that.RYW wrote:RYW:
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- SpongeBuell
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- Super Cameraman
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Maybe you could use another Xbox and get the guy who stole it (You know the username/tag/whatever it's called, right?) and chat with him (if that's possible, I don't have an Xbox) and maybe somehow convince him to "hang out" with you.
But that really sucks, it just got stolen out of his room?
-Super
But that really sucks, it just got stolen out of his room?
-Super
If you're looking at this post and it was made before 2008, just ignore it.
- SpongeBuell
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I'm guessing that would be too suspicious for whoever stole it. Plus, they'd need a headset. I think it was just the unit/cables/game inside that got stolen. And yeah, it was stolen right out of the room during a floor meetingSuper Cameraman wrote:Maybe you could use another Xbox and get the guy who stole it (You know the username/tag/whatever it's called, right?) and chat with him (if that's possible, I don't have an Xbox) and maybe somehow convince him to "hang out" with you.
But that really sucks, it just got stolen out of his room?
-Super
Life of Brian wrote:I'll be honest with you - I would have never guessed that.RYW wrote:RYW:
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I'd say get the police involved. Microsoft obviously isn't going to reveal user data to some random guy on the phone. Or you could demand to speak with a supervisor, and keep making that demand at each subsequently higher level in the company until you either A) hit a wall, or B) talk with someone actually capable of rendering aid.
- SpongeBuell
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He's had the ability to give his information to them, though. I think that our next step will be to do what you mentioned (climb the chain till you hit a wall) or have the police call if that doesn't work, though I don't have my hopes too high about that, either
Life of Brian wrote:I'll be honest with you - I would have never guessed that.RYW wrote:RYW:
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Well... I'm with Microsoft on this one. I'd hate for them to give my info out to ANYONE. There's certain protocall you'd have to go through and all. Cancel the XBL membership is what I say. Chalk it up as a loss (Going through Microsoft)... cause that'd be really really bad on Microsoft's part to give up info on where someone is living or ip address over the phone(That could lead to an even bigger problem if you kill the guy or something).
If you're on Campus the person is prolly on Campus... Where exactly was it left? In someone's room or something? Maybe you know the person who stole it. Someone had to have known it was in there. And a custom paint job isn't easy to hide.
If you're on Campus the person is prolly on Campus... Where exactly was it left? In someone's room or something? Maybe you know the person who stole it. Someone had to have known it was in there. And a custom paint job isn't easy to hide.
- SpongeBuell
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Right, but they would be giving him his own information. It would be one thing for them to give me the information, that I'd be totally against, but they can't give my friend information about his own bloody account? And it's not an exact location, either that they'd be giving out, just an IP address. 4 simple numbers, like 64.150.165.11. There are plenty of ways they can make sure it's him, too... I've changed my PIN number for my check card over the phone, even. All they really needed was my SSN and I was set. I'm sure a password or something along those lines would be sufficient.
Life of Brian wrote:I'll be honest with you - I would have never guessed that.RYW wrote:RYW:
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