# XBox users......question for you **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156 "2002-12-27T14:27:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![skittles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@skittles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skittles)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/1 "2002-12-27T14:27:34Z")
I purchased an XBox for Christmas and I have a question about saving information on it. I know I can save games as I’m playing them. I do not have any type of card to save this information on. If I unplug the XBox will the information that I have saved currently be lost? In other words, do I need to buy a memory card? I’m not entirely sure how the system works and figured you would be the best to ask! Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/2 "2002-12-27T14:34:14Z")
The information is saved on the Xbox’s hard drive, and won’t be lost when you unplug. However, the Xbox doesn’t seem to have a battery, so if it’s unplugged for more than a few hours, you’ll have to set the clock. ---
**Author:** ![skittles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@skittles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skittles)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/3 "2002-12-27T14:39:13Z")
Thanks for the information **Mikahw**. I’ve noticed that I’ve had to reset the clock every time I turn it back on. Now its off to the store to buy some games and a second controller. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/4 "2002-12-27T14:40:57Z")
As already mentioned the XBox saves information to a hard drive so data will remain there indefinitely whether the machine is plugged in or not. As to saving games realize it is up to the game on when and where you can save. Some games you can save anytime you feel like it while others only let you save at ‘save points’. Don’t get mad at XBox if you can’t save where and when you’d like to. A memory card is unnecessary but it allows you to move saved games around. For instance, if you want to take your character or team or whatever over to a friend’s house to play you can save the game to the memory card and then just carry that to your frineds house. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/5 "2002-12-27T15:09:25Z")
It’s not normal for you to have to reset the time every time you power on the Xbox. I only have to do that with mine if I leave it unplugged for a while (say three weeks). You might wanna look in to that… ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/6 "2002-12-27T15:30:45Z")
WAG - Is the Xbox plugged into a switched outlet, like one on a cable box? If so, when you shut off the cable, the outlet goes dead too. ---
**Author:** ![skittles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@skittles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skittles)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/7 "2002-12-27T15:42:17Z")
The Xbox is plugged into a power strip. Not too sure why I have to reset the time. Strange. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/8 "2002-12-27T15:52:06Z")
Does the Xbox have a power switch like the PS2, which also has a standby mode? On a PS2, there’s an on/off switch in the back, which you are always supposed to leave “on”, and then you use the “reset” button on the front to switch the system from “standby” to “active”. But PS2s don’t have the clock problem–heck, mine even had the correct time out of the box. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/9 "2002-12-27T17:41:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > \*\*But PS2s don’t have the clock problem–heck, mine even had the correct time out of the box. \*\* That would suggest that a [reasonably] local technician set the right time zone. ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/10 "2002-12-27T17:54:56Z")
IIRC, the PS2 asks you for the time zone you’re in the first time you start it up. ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/11 "2002-12-27T19:35:01Z")
Can you transfer files from one X-Box to another via, i.e. save games? ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/12 "2002-12-27T19:49:23Z")
Yeah, but you have to buy a $35 memory card, or know someone who has one. For some reason, the cable that lets you connect two Xboxes doesn’t transfer saves. (hmm, probably because they want to sell $35 mem cards?) ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/13 "2002-12-27T21:30:03Z")
Blah, you answered the question I tried to ask but didn’t, (meant to say “via Live”). But yeah, I figured that if Live were to get popular enough there would be no use for memory cards… ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xbox-users-question-for-you/145156/14 "2002-12-27T23:38:15Z")
The Xbox HD is 8 gigs. That’s a lot of saves. You can see what’s on it with some special programs on the net.