Can I swap dvd drives?

[Beezerk]

I have a flashed 360 but unfortunately I got wallopped by the Live ban hammer a few weeks ago!
I was at my sisters house yesterday and she has an old 360 which has also been flashed but the dvd drive always shows "unreadable disc" errors or something. She hasn't used the 360 for a good year or so, if I can't do a quick fix on the drive, is it possible to take the drive from my banned 360 and put it into the one given to me?
Alternatively is it just as easy to get the donated 360 repaired if a lens cleaner doesn't do the trick?

Cheers and merry christmas 
Beez

[Arakon]

you can swap the drives, but you will have to flash them with the opposite key so they work in their "new" consoles.
you can also swap out the laser, it's not that hard to do if you can handle a screwdriver and are careful with the ribbon cables.

[jelle2503]

i'd surely put in the drive from your banned one and put in into the live-enabled box... a 360 without live is boredom. multiplayer (L)

then you could choose to have that other drive repaired or replaced whatever, to put in your banned 360... then sell it on ebay

happy holidays

[Beezerk]

Thanks for the replies, I'm not too hot on this flashing malarky, but I don't think I have the cables and stuff to do this.
I'm ok with having a look at the laser, are there replacements I can buy from somewhere?
Alternatively, could I purchase a new drive to fit into the buggered 360?

[Arakon]

to put a new drive in you still have to flash, no way around it.
replacement lasers are cheap on ebay, just make sure they're the same model (there's a sticker or print on the laser somewhere).

[Beezerk]

Top banana, cheers 

[turny]

IF they are same type of drives you could swop the drives pcbs its easy but take your time with ribbons.

[Beezerk]

Ok, I've just got home and fired up the donated 360, I'm getting an "open tray" message whenever I put a game in, I also tried a lends cleaner but the screen just went blank when it tried to load.
I've just read about a couple of bodges like an elastic band and/or a piece of plastic jammed against the reader. Not sure what drive it is at the moment but if the above fail is it worth trying a new laser before getting a new drive?