So today my buddy comes over and we set out to find the tools needed to do the x-clamp mod. The hardware store doesn't have what we need, but we decide to open the 360 and take a look anyway. We can't even get all the pieces off to open it properly...fuck it.

I take my second PSP and some games and go sell it all off, and walk out with the surprising sum of 31,000 yen! This is enough to buy a 360 core, so I'm set.
We head over to the biggest electronics store here to pick up a core. They're sold out of them, but instead have new core packs with Trusty Bell plus a bonus faceplate, clock, and soundtrack CD, all for 31,000 yen. Not too shabby; I don't give a crap about Trusty Bell, but I'll take it. These have to be the newest systems out in Japan, too, so they have to be good, right?
WRONG.
I get home, hook it up, and get weird static/colors all over the screen. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!!!

:'( I figure I'm screwed, but hey, I have a new warranty with Microsoft so I can send it to them free of charge. (maybe)
My buddy convinces me to head back to the store to exchange the system. I think it's pointless since every store I've been to, including that one, told me before that all warranties are handled by Microsoft, so if it breaks, you have to send it to them.
But they took it back and exchanged it for a new one!!

And so far, so good. No problems, although I can't get it connected to the internet. Always something. The broken unit got on no problem; this one is giving me IP errors. MORE FUN!

Plus now that I switched the HDD, my videos won't play because of my region, and some XBLA games have to now be played on my other account. AND I always have to be online to play XBLA games. If this system breaks and my warranty is up, I really will be done with MS. Even I can't bring myself to buy a system for a third time.