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Xbox 360 technical problems

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.141.134.103 (talk) at 04:15, 21 May 2007 (→‎Disc recognition issues). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

An Xbox 360 showing 3 red lights, a general hardware failure.

Since its release the Xbox 360 has gained a reputation for its poor reliability and technical problems [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] including occurrences of total failure, where the unit becomes completely unusable. Microsoft has stated that the overall return rate (i.e. the failure rate) of the Xbox 360 is far below the consumer electronics industry average of 3-5%, but this may be disputed as IGN journalist Matt Casamassina did write in a blog entry on IGN about having to replace his Xbox 360 multiple times.[6] Many have recently complained of hardware malfunction after playing Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2.[7][8] The Term "Red Ring of Death" most likely stems from the term "Blue Screen of Death", a name for the common error screen that shows up on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

General hardware failure

When a Microsoft Xbox 360 console experiences a "general hardware failure", on the front of the console three red lights appear (also known as Ring of Death, Red Ring of Death or RROD). To date, Microsoft has not commented on the source of the general hardware failure, but many believe it is related to the console overheating or the motherboard PCB warping and flexing due to poor mounting because the xbox 360 sucks ass, causing the board to bend away from the CPU and GPU and lose contact with those components (hahahahahahahahah). It is also shown if the console is not getting enough power to run certain components bullshit, 360 sucks ass buy ps3, the most affected being the loud ass fans. Every person that owns a xbox 360 have experienced system failure.

Diagnosing errors and troubleshooting

File:Xbox360 bsod 02.jpg
Photo of the Xbox 360 error screen on a Wal-Mart kiosk

The Xbox 360 will display a "Screen of Death" if the system experiences a serious error. In such instances the user is prompted to contact Xbox customer support

In the case of certain specific errors, the Xbox 360 system will display a diagnostic pattern of red lighting in place of the standard green "Ring of Light." These patterns indicate the following:

Quadrants lit in red Indicated error Troubleshooting
4 The A/V cable is either not properly connected to the Xbox 360 system, or is not being detected.[9] Check cable and connector.
3 Console is experiencing a hardware failure. Contact Xbox customer support
2, left Console is overheating Turn console off, unplug power supply
1, bottom right General hardware failure Contact Xbox customer support

If three red lights are flashing at the same time, a general hardware failure has occurred and the unit needs to be sent to the repair center. Xbox 360 sucks buy PS3.[10]

Overheating

Because of its shity desigh[citation needed], the Xbox 360 console poses a moderate risk of overheating if users do not follow the guidelines prescribed by the user manual. Users are advised not to obstruct air flow to the enclosure vents or power supply. Problems associated with overheating include reduced system performance and instability that may result in crashing or hardware failure. Some Xbox 360 owners have even installed custom cooling solutions in their consoles to prevent this from happening.

Microsoft has been working with a Singapore-based company, Chartered Semiconductor, to create new 65-nanometer chips, however due to development issues these chips will be unavailable for manufacturing within the new Xbox 360 'Elite' system. These new chips have reduced power consumption and in turn, run cooler. They will also be cheaper to manufacture than the current 90-nanometer chips. Because the logic design and clock speed will remain unchanged, performance will not be affected.[11] However, less heat may result in less warping of the printed circuit board, a major cause of hardware failure[citation needed].

Disk drive problems and scratching disks

Disc recognition issues

Alot of the time when a user inserts a game disc the game will not load and a white screen will display, followed by this message:

To play this disc, please insert it in an Xbox 360 console.

This message appears despite the fact that the console is, indeed, an Xbox 360. The error may be accompanied by a short and low buzzing noise. The best way to fix this is to either restart the console, eject the disc and re-insert it or power-cycle the console.

This could, however, be the initial symptoms of a hardware failure. (Note: This problem sometimes arises when no Xbox 360 controller either wired or wireless is connected to the console when loading a disc, or the disk may need cleaning)

Another problem has occurred wherein discs of any type will not be recognized by the reader, and the dashboard will display an "Unplayable Disc" prompt. This is accompanied by a similar buzzing noise from the disc reader, although it affects all media and not just Xbox 360 game discs. This is due to a total failure of the disc-drive; the console itself still functions for Live and Arcade purposes, but discs can not be read, and the drive itself will fail to even spin up or read any discs.

Another error that will pop-up during actual gameplay is "This disc is unreadable", with little indication as to why it is unreadable, other than sounds of the drive straining to read the disc. The frequency of this error is also inconsistent, sometimes happening many times in one play session, or not happening at all with the same game. Many people have complained of this error while using game discs that do not appear to be dirty, scratched, or damaged.

There have also been reports of certain HD DVD movies (i.e. Children of Men as well as other new releases) not being read by the external HD DVD drive. As of April 9 2007 there is no fix for this problem from Microsoft.[citation needed]

Scratching disks while moving the Xbox

As discovered by a.o. Llamma.com [2], some Xbox 360 drives erroneously lack a mechanism to secure the disc solidly in place. When in operation, with these quality-questionable drives, tilting or moving the console when operating with disk spinning inside can potentially cause damage to the disk, in rare occasions rendering the disc unusable.[12] This is a very widespread problem and is not covered by the warranty, and there are no indications that the problem only affect certain drives. [citation needed]

Microsoft Publishing will replace, at no cost, any scratched discs that are published by Microsoft [3]. Other Publishers can be contacted directly for a disc-exchange, but it is unclear whether they will also replace disks at no cost. But some have gained resistance with Microsoft. for some have been told to contact their corporate and attorney offices.

Dutch television investigation of circular scratches

In February 2007 a Dutch television program, Kassa, received several complaints from Dutch customers about circular scratches made by their Xbox 360. Some of these customers also claimed that their discs became unreadable. As a result Kassa investigated these complaints and concluded that Microsoft's "TSST" versions of the Samsung DVD-drive lacks rubber cushions around the optical lens which should have prevented this problem.[13][14] while identical Samsung drives sold for PCs did have these rubber cushions. The affected Xbox 360s all seem to be produced in the period of the end of 2006.

During this first test, the Xbox's Kassa tested (with TSST drives) could only be made to reproduce the problem by moving the Xbox 360 during the playing of a disk.[15] So Kassa's conclusion was that either not all Xbox 360s without protective pads would spontaneously scratch disks, or that the complaints were from Xbox 360 users who had moved their Xbox during use, or who used an unstable setup.

Two months later the program had received another 1000 complaints, with many customers denying the Xbox had moved when the scratching occurred, or was not placed stable,[16] while Microsoft was still denying the problems, and refusing to replace affected Xboxes. So Kassa decided to do several tests with multiple stably placed and untouched Xbox 360s from customers who claimed their Xbox had the problem.[17]

A scratched gamedisc, visible in the Dutch broadcast Kassa

These studies were designed to show conclusively whether or not the problem of spontaneous scratching DVDs was real.

The test setup details can be found here, and the complete movie of the Kassa TV program that includes the test can be found here (in Dutch) [18] And the part of the Kassa program about the Xbox problem, with English subtitles can be found here (part 1) [19] and here (part 2) [20]

Also, A shorter fragment of the Kassa program with English subtitles can be found here:[21]

The results of the test were that even under "laboratory conditions," one of the nine tested Xbox 360s had spontaneously scratched a disk after five hours of gaming. It was apparent that the problem worsened when the Xbox was standing upright, and that when tested under more normal conditions (using a non "laboratory", but stable setup, and guaranteed without touching the Xbox) the problems worsened even further. After five hours playing, of the nine thusly tested Xboxes, three had significantly scratched their games disk. Shortly before airing of the show, Kassa received a response from Microsoft Netherlands stating that "as a result of regular use it is possible that scratches on discs can arise"[22][23][24], and that Microsoft Netherlands "would seek a solution for the Dutch customers with this problem".[25][26]

What exactly this means was not clearly stated, but in practice Microsoft Netherlands now accepts these complaints from users (when within the guarantee period), and offers to replace the Xbox 360 free of charge. Whether Microsoft Netherlands will also replace scratched disks is still unclear [27], but there are reports from some other regions where Microsoft will replace scratched disks when published by Microsoft. [28]

Drive eject problems

A less common problem related to the Xbox 360 disk drive is that of the disk tray jamming or struggling to open[citation needed]. This can be caused by the consoles faceplate being loose or not properly secured to the unit[citation needed]. It's also a widespread problem present in the Samsung DVD-ROM drives when using the console in vertical position[citation needed].

As far as Toshiba Samsung Drives are concerned, without any error messages, but showing signs that the drive door edges forward but does not open, can be caused by the drive mechanism. This type of drive uses a small rubber band to transmit the motor's energy into the open / close gear mechanics.

This type of fault usually comes on after time and use. The first part of the mechanisms trajectory inside the case, on eject, is to drop and disengage the magnetic drive hub from the captured top crown which magnetically sandwiches a disc. Once worn, stretched, or dusty from internal friction wear of plastic parts the rubber drive band looses its frictional grip and the small, smooth plastic drive pulley on the motor unit can slip against the rubber drive band causing this problem.

Fall 2006 update technical issues

The first Fall of 2006 update patch released on November 1 2006 is known to lock up consoles, rendering them useless. The most obvious issue occurs after the installation of the patch, the console immediately reboots and shows an error message. Usually, the error code, E71, is shown during or directly after the booting animation.

The origin of this problem is not fully understood. Much of the Xbox community believes it was caused by the lack of an installed Summer 2006 update patch. [citation needed]

The problems caused by the first patch range from slow, unstable performance to effectively bricking the system. The latter is the usual result.

In response to the Fall Update error that "bricked" (rendered useless) his console, Mr. Kevin Ray of California has filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft in Washington federal court in early December of 2006. The lawsuit seeks $5 million dollars in damages and the free repair of any console bricked by the Fall Update. This will be the second such lawsuit filed against Microsoft, the first having been filed in December of 2005, shortly after the 360's launch; that lawsuit was based on the 360's overheating issues, but the case was withdrawn by the plaintiff in March of 2006. [citation needed]

Other Patch/Update technical issues

A review of Microsoft's Xbox Forum (xbox.com) reveals that other updates are having problems as well. For example, over 600 replies were posted on one Microsoft Xbox Forum relating to the update recently released for Guitar Hero II. Users complained that immediately after the update issued for Guitar Hero II, their systems responded with a hardware failure and had to be returned to Microsoft for repair.

DRM restrictions and complications

An issue has surfaced regarding Xbox Live downloadable content when users return consoles to Microsoft for in-warranty repair. If a user purchases and downloads DRM-controlled content such as game expansions (e.g. Knights of the Nine for Oblivion), that content is dually licensed: both to the Xbox Live account which downloaded it as well as the console onto which it was originally downloaded[citation needed]. If the Xbox is sent to Microsoft for repairs and is subsequently replaced rather than repaired, only the original Xbox Live account may utilize the downloaded content. This is the situation if one person owns two Xbox 360s, if the console containing the content is stolen, or if a broken box is exchanged at the store from which it was originally purchased. As of March, 2007, Microsoft has yet to address the problem, other than grant Microsoft Point credits in rare circumstances[citation needed]. Unfortunately, content can only be downloaded one time per Xbox Live account, so this is only a partial solution as it requires users to purchase or utilize a separate Xbox Live account and many people are refused the workaround if they are out of warranty or do not have proof of their replacement.[29]

Support

Microsoft offer 1 year warranty and immediate replacement of broken consoles [30]. This support is offered for who bought and live in countries which Xbox 360 is officially released. In countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China the support is only offered for who bought the official console in the country - imported consoles from U.S. and Japan are not officially supported [31].

References

  1. ^ "BBC - Consumer - TV and radio - Xbox 360". BBC. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  2. ^ "Ring of Death: An Xbox 360 story - Part 1". Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  3. ^ "Ring of Death: An Xbox 360 story - Part 2". Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  4. ^ "Xbox.com Forums - three red light club". Xbox.com. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  5. ^ "Digg - Xbox 360 Elite Prone to Same Problems as Others". Digg. Retrieved 2007-05-03.
  6. ^ SR388 Sanctuary - My Fourth Xbox 360 Just Broke
  7. ^ "G.R.A.W. 2 Lock-Up Issues". HConsole. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  8. ^ "Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 locking up?". qj.net. Retrieved 2007-04-03.
  9. ^ "Xbox 360: Four lights flash red on the Ring of Light", Microsoft, 24 November 2005
  10. ^ Xbox 360: Three red lights flash on the Ring of Light, Microsoft, 2006-12-22. Retrieved 2007-01-06
  11. ^ Xbox 360 getting new CPU, GameSpot UK, 2006-04-21. Retrieved 2007-01-06.
  12. ^ "Xbox 360 scratch". YouTube. 2006-06-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "English subtitled fragment from the first Kassa broadcast about the supposed scratches". Google Video. 2007-02-24. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Template:Nl icon http://tweakers.net/nieuws/46490/Kassa:-Xbox-360-maakt-krassen-op-schijfjes.html
  15. ^ "Scratching Xbox 360?". Hardware.info. 2007-03-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ Template:Nl icon"Bijna duizend klachten over Xbox 360". NRC Handelsblad. 2007-04-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ Template:Nl icon Kassa broadcast with the test (asf) (Consumers program). Hilversum: VARA. April 14. Event occurs at 14:13. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  18. ^ Template:Nl icon Kassa broadcast with the three day long tests (asf) (Consumers program). Hilversum: VARA. April 14. Event occurs at 9:00. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  19. ^ "first part of the second broadcast about the scratches, with English subtitles". YouTube. 2007-04-24. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "second part of the second broadcast about the scratches, with English subtitles". YouTube. 2007-04-24. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Fragment of the second broadcast about the scratches, with English subtitles". YouTube. 2007-04-14. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Template:Nl icon"Microsoft geeft krassen Xbox 360 toe". VARA (broadcaster). 2007-04-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Template:Nl icon Kassa broadcast with the reply from Microsoft Netherlands (asf) (Consumers program). Hilversum: VARA. April 14. Event occurs at 22:11. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  24. ^ Template:Nl icon http://tweakers.net/nieuws/47135/Microsoft-neemt-verantwoordelijkheid-voor-Xbox-krassen.html
  25. ^ "Microsoft admits Xbox 360 problems". Hardware.info. 2007-04-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ http://www.n4g.com/xbox360/NewsCom-35218.aspx English language article about the case
  27. ^ [1] Template:Nl icon After the official broadcast, (in a continuation of the show which can be viewed on-line) you can see a customer calling the Microsoft help-desk, who was told Microsoft would replace his Xbox 360, but could not promise him they would replace his games
  28. ^ http://www.xbox.com/hu-HU/support/discreplacement/discreplacement-program.htm
  29. ^ "Xbox 360s Downloadable Content Time Bomb"
  30. ^ http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1222-xbox360warrantyextended.htm
  31. ^ http://finalboss.uol.com.br/fb3/ctu.asp?cid=40244

External links

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