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Really don't need an answer to that. I see the inside of these consoles and it's something I will never forget. I was going to reply to Opalin's post but my reply got out of hand.
It's really hard to tell which is the worst console we have received back in the warehouse. I work for a game store in the repair centre for traded in items. I'm trying to be especially vague as this could identify me very easily.
360s are known for their carpets of dust (dust bunnies are more like dust kangaroos). Wiis are known for dust and roaches, though we find roaches in all consoles. You never forget the smell of a roach hotel.
Things jammed in disc drives. The record is 7 discs in a Wii drive, though I wasn't working there at the time. The most I have seen is 5 and a toy gun. Wiis are really loot galore. I recently found a diamond gold ring in a Wii U, and it was returned to the customer. Never underestimate the determination of a small child. The worst one was a used condom in a PS4. Luckily I don't work on PS4s.
Wax residue on console cases, because I just spent hundreds of dollars on a game console and it works great as a candle holder. And don't get me started on the mystery substances. Something I tell people when I train them is if it is sticky it is coke. If it is lumpy it is chocolate. If it is greasy it is oil because they touched it after eating greasy food. The things we do to get through the day without screaming.
I've seen a Wii that was gold coloured. It took 30 minutes to clean the outside with metho and who knows how many cloths to return it to its original white setting, then I opened it up and almost burst into tears. I'm convinced someone tied it to the back of the car and dragged it through the red dirt of the outback. Got it working though.
I've seen a PS3 which had an infestation of redbacks. Unusual since redbacks typically are not a house spider but rather a garage / shed / outdoor toilet type of spider. With that console it was carefully taped up, with every vent and opening covered, then placed in a sealed plastic tub, which was also taped up, then disposed of. Then the panicing happened.
I've seen consoles that obviously had been through the floods as the rust could be seen through the plastic cases. Ones where the rust has made it impossible to even attempt to open the console. Not that we want to as there is nothing to be salvaged.
I've seen a Wii that had a message for my company angle grinded into the case, on both sides, saying my company "sux". Really? We still gave you money for an item that had absolutely nothing that could be saved since we could see that the angle grinder had sliced through the motherboard and drive.
I have seen a 360 that didn't come with a HDMI port (pre 2007) that had been Dad fixed so it looked like it had one. Unfortunately just putting a port in the case won't make it work unless it is connected to the motherboard. It also has to be connected correctly, which for a console that didn't come with the port typically there is no functionality for it anyway.
I have seen dad fixes galore. Just because it is on YouTube doesn't mean it is right. I've seen videos that say you can charge a phone battery in a microwave and I sure as hell am not going to try that at home. Or at work really. Unless the boss lets us. That could be fun actually. Safety first, ear plugs and eye protection must be worn.
And as an aside we are now offering a service where you can get your console repaired for a fixed price. So for the love of deity don't dad fix it first, stuff it up royally, then send it to us. Half the time we enter these consoles in our system as "Dad fixed to death". Of course sometimes it's just that you forgot to plug a ribbon in, because you don't know what you are doing. But supergluing a ribbon in place because you broke the clip, then sending it to us saying it just stopped working. Right. You realise we know what you have done and depending on how bad it is, it will either be passed around so everyone can see it, or it might end up in The Book.
The Book is a record of "what the ..." that we get. What the customer says is wrong versus what actually is wrong. So if anyone needs a laugh after spending an hour and a half trying to raise a console from the dead, and it finally dying, The Book is there.
I realise that a lot of people would be put off by the surprises that we find in consoles, particularly the roaches live or dead, but I really love my job. I get paid to pull things apart and put them back together again.
Quoth Opalin
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360s are known for their carpets of dust (dust bunnies are more like dust kangaroos). Wiis are known for dust and roaches, though we find roaches in all consoles. You never forget the smell of a roach hotel.
Things jammed in disc drives. The record is 7 discs in a Wii drive, though I wasn't working there at the time. The most I have seen is 5 and a toy gun. Wiis are really loot galore. I recently found a diamond gold ring in a Wii U, and it was returned to the customer. Never underestimate the determination of a small child. The worst one was a used condom in a PS4. Luckily I don't work on PS4s.
Wax residue on console cases, because I just spent hundreds of dollars on a game console and it works great as a candle holder. And don't get me started on the mystery substances. Something I tell people when I train them is if it is sticky it is coke. If it is lumpy it is chocolate. If it is greasy it is oil because they touched it after eating greasy food. The things we do to get through the day without screaming.
I've seen a Wii that was gold coloured. It took 30 minutes to clean the outside with metho and who knows how many cloths to return it to its original white setting, then I opened it up and almost burst into tears. I'm convinced someone tied it to the back of the car and dragged it through the red dirt of the outback. Got it working though.
I've seen a PS3 which had an infestation of redbacks. Unusual since redbacks typically are not a house spider but rather a garage / shed / outdoor toilet type of spider. With that console it was carefully taped up, with every vent and opening covered, then placed in a sealed plastic tub, which was also taped up, then disposed of. Then the panicing happened.
I've seen consoles that obviously had been through the floods as the rust could be seen through the plastic cases. Ones where the rust has made it impossible to even attempt to open the console. Not that we want to as there is nothing to be salvaged.
I've seen a Wii that had a message for my company angle grinded into the case, on both sides, saying my company "sux". Really? We still gave you money for an item that had absolutely nothing that could be saved since we could see that the angle grinder had sliced through the motherboard and drive.
I have seen a 360 that didn't come with a HDMI port (pre 2007) that had been Dad fixed so it looked like it had one. Unfortunately just putting a port in the case won't make it work unless it is connected to the motherboard. It also has to be connected correctly, which for a console that didn't come with the port typically there is no functionality for it anyway.
I have seen dad fixes galore. Just because it is on YouTube doesn't mean it is right. I've seen videos that say you can charge a phone battery in a microwave and I sure as hell am not going to try that at home. Or at work really. Unless the boss lets us. That could be fun actually. Safety first, ear plugs and eye protection must be worn.
And as an aside we are now offering a service where you can get your console repaired for a fixed price. So for the love of deity don't dad fix it first, stuff it up royally, then send it to us. Half the time we enter these consoles in our system as "Dad fixed to death". Of course sometimes it's just that you forgot to plug a ribbon in, because you don't know what you are doing. But supergluing a ribbon in place because you broke the clip, then sending it to us saying it just stopped working. Right. You realise we know what you have done and depending on how bad it is, it will either be passed around so everyone can see it, or it might end up in The Book.
The Book is a record of "what the ..." that we get. What the customer says is wrong versus what actually is wrong. So if anyone needs a laugh after spending an hour and a half trying to raise a console from the dead, and it finally dying, The Book is there.
I realise that a lot of people would be put off by the surprises that we find in consoles, particularly the roaches live or dead, but I really love my job. I get paid to pull things apart and put them back together again.
I treat my movies and music like ROYALTY, yet I take out my favorites for a re-watch/listen frequently, so how the hell does this happen?!
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