Microsoft's big new Xbox update

***wraggster*** · August 4th, 2009, 18:50

The ability to optionally install games on the Xbox 360's hard drive is something we've been jazzed about for some time, because while the machine's DVD drive isn't terribly slow, it isn't terribly quiet either -- and who has time for progress bars? However, those of us still rocking older, 20GB machines quickly discovered that the 6-plus GB install files of some games put a real hurtin' on what little disk space we had left, leaving us to choose between reducing load-times while exploring the Urban Wasteland or deleting all those random demos we keep forgetting about. Microsoft has a solution, and this time it's not a moderately less expensive new hard drive. Included in the upcoming Xbox 360 dashboard update, due one week from today, is a previously unmentioned feature that shrinks those game installs, sometimes by a huge margin. King of Fighters XII went from 3.4GB down to 703MB, while Raiden Fighters Aces is now just 484MB. Any of you early bird previewers finding other titles that have trimmed the fat?

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/04/m...stalls-much-m/

**Baboon** · August 4th, 2009, 22:23

Yeah I've been trying this on the beta. I managed to shrink my games by reinstalling but none of em are as good as the space saved mentioned in this article (SFIV saved about 1gb, Left4dead about 1.5gb etc). More space is good though as I've only got a 60gb hd.

Now if only you didn't have to put the disc in each time when loading from the hd then I'd be happy (obviously this won;t ever happen though lol).

**beetroot bertie** · August 5th, 2009, 12:35

That sound pretty handy. Working with the 20GB drive is always a bit of a juggling act. Having a few demos on there and map packs so forth means it's one install at a time for me. Hopefully the new reductions will help.

Does it mean demos will use less space too or (as I assume) are they're already trimmed of any excess baggage to start with?

**Baboon** · August 5th, 2009, 16:27

Originally Posted by beetroot bertie

Does it mean demos will use less space too or (as I assume) are they're already trimmed of any excess baggage to start with?

I think its just for retail games (it removes the padding and update crap from the disc).

**jammie*dodger** · August 6th, 2009, 10:04

Originally Posted by beetroot bertie

Does it mean demos will use less space too or (as I assume) are they're already trimmed of any excess baggage to start with?

I doubt it - any developers worth their salt would have stripped demos to the minimum size. It saves space on their servers and speeds up the download service.

Rob.