Scale of Xbox power cable problem much greater than feared

Microsoft has advised Xbox owners that British and Irish consoles manufactured as recently as January 2005 may suffer from the same problem that saw it pledge to replace 14.1 million power cables in February.

In a letter sent to Xbox owners, senior vice president Robbie Bach of Microsoft's Home & Entertainment Division said: "We have recently determined that in the UK and Republic of Ireland a small number of consoles manufactured between October 23, 2003 and January 14, 2005, require a new replacement cord as well."

Earlier this year Microsoft announced plans to replace 14.1 million Xbox power cables following the discovery of a fault that had caused "smoke damage, or minor damage to a carpet or entertainment centre" in more than 20 cases.

Microsoft advises that anybody whose Xbox bears a manufacturing date prior to January 14th 2005 on its base either go to www.xbox.com and click on "Power Cord Replacement for Xbox" or phone 0800 0289276 to receive a free replacement.

Te replacement cord should take 2-4 weeks to arrive. Microsoft recommends turning off and unplugging your Xbox while it's not in use before said replacement arrives.