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Blog: Gadgets My Xbox 360 Gets The Dreaded RRoD... AGAIN!
Brandon Hill (Blog) - May 10, 2007 5:34 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 52 comment(s) - last by IntelGirl.. on May 15 at 9:07 AM
Come on Microsoft, you have GOT to be kidding me!

I've had it up to here! That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more! My Xbox 360 is dead once again. The Xbox 360, which has been sitting upright, rather close to a vent which is blowing out cold air from the central air conditioning system, will have to go back to Microsoft... AGAIN!

I wrote in late March in my blog when my Xbox 360 died the first time. At that time, my Xbox 360 died after some gaming sessions in GRAW 2 and streaming music as a Media Center Extender. Microsoft "repaired" my console and sent it back to me good as new.

Today, my Xbox 360 showed signs of failure while downloading the Forza Motorsport 2 demo. Not long after I posted my blog earlier today about the demo, my Xbox 360 locked up while downloading the game. I restarted the Xbox 360 to see it get the dreaded RRoD. The first thing I thought isn't printable here, but you can probably imagine what came out of my mouth.

I rebooted the machine and all was well for a while. I set the option in the Dashboard to put the Xbox 360 in "low-power mode" while downloading and proceeded to start the download again. I then "turned off" the Xbox 360 and the power light began flashing to signify that it had gone into low-power mode. I came back about two hours later to see that the Xbox 360 had turned off. I assumed that the download had finished and started the machine back up. The demo was nowhere to be found, so I went to view the active downloads and the demo was pegged at 0%.

At that moment, the console froze again. So I decided to try rebooting it again and managed to get back into the Dashboard. I restarted the download and all appeared to be well. Once the download finished, I went to play the game. I performed a single race using the 993 911 Turbo and performed another race using the E36 M3. Having satisfied my fix for that moment, I decided to turn the machine off for a while.

I come back a few hours later and turn the Xbox 360 on. RRoD. I turn it off and back on again. RRoD. I unplugged the unit, waited 5 minutes and plugged it back in again. RRoD. I removed the 20GB HDD. RRoD.

Thanks Microsoft, thanks A LOT!

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Reps
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 5/10/2007 6:38:30 PM , Rating: 5
Well, the CSR was very kind and polite and understood my frustration. They're sending out an empty box via UPS and are including a free 1 month subscription card to Xbox Live.




RE: Reps
By Alpha4 on 5/10/2007 6:42:22 PM , Rating: 2
Thats good to hear. What do you plan on doing when you get the replacement?


RE: Reps
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 5/10/2007 6:47:17 PM , Rating: 2
Probably will fire up Forza Motorsport 2 again. Either that, or contemplate selling it.

After it died the first time, I haven't had much of an urge to play as much anymore (either out of fear of it croaking again at any moment or just out of sheer boredom of the system and the games).

I just haven't had the drive to play games any more. Hell, I haven't even finished GoW (just got boring to me... run gun, duck repeat). I have gotten pretty far into GRAW 2 though.


RE: Reps
By Alpha4 on 5/10/2007 7:04:57 PM , Rating: 2
Heh. I can't say I blame ya man. Its a phase I've seen several people go through, in some cases with gaming computers. They'd spend over a thousand $ pimping out their rig and hours upon hours tweaking their OS & Hardware, only to have to endure a 5 week RMA for some vital component after the sh*t hits the fan. I found it sobers them up and they find themselves content to enjoy some of their machine's more simple functions.


RE: Reps
By bplewis24 on 5/11/2007 4:09:22 PM , Rating: 2
How many times do you think you'll go through this before you just give up?

Brandon


RE: Reps
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 5/11/2007 5:01:59 PM , Rating: 2
I think this is my last time. When it comes back, it's getting sold along with all of my games and accessories.


RE: Reps
By bplewis24 on 5/12/2007 1:12:11 AM , Rating: 3
It's unfortunate that you have to go through this. Of course Microsoft has done a good job (so far) of extending warranties, giving speedy returns, etc, but when a product is seemingly this defective, more proactive measures should be taken. If not by them, then a third party.

I posted this in another blog:

This probably doesn't have anything to do with the Spring Update, but I went into BestBuy today and as I glanced past the PS3 and XBox360 kiosks I had to do a double-take as I noticed the RRoD on the Xbox360 in the kiosk.

I looked around to see if anybody else noticed, but nobody had a clue, and the TV just flashed a "no input" signal. I pressed the reset button on the kiosk and the RRoD would go away for a split second and come right back on.

Brandon


RE: Reps
By Sharky974 on 5/12/07, Rating: -1
RE: Reps
By Marcus Yam on 5/10/2007 6:44:50 PM , Rating: 2
I hope that my console doesn't follow in your footsteps this time. I'd better go check on my Forza 2 download.


RE: Reps
By deeznuts on 5/10/2007 7:00:53 PM , Rating: 3
So they gave you the equivalent of $4.17? That's what I'm understanding? Pfft, keep the crack money (actually not even enough for crack) and get me a console that works ... On second thought with Peter Moore's comments the other day that won't work.

Brandon, you need to focus on how you were treated during this process, and not dwell on the actual failure of your console!


RE: Reps
By Sharky974 on 5/12/07, Rating: 0
RE: Reps
By mmichii on 5/11/2007 3:13:11 AM , Rating: 3
Sorry to hear your troubles I'm on my second 360. You should read these articles, if you haven't already.

http://www.consolerealm.com/Tech/modules.php?name=...
http://www.consolerealm.com/Tech/modules.php?name=...

Basically no matter how many times you return your console it will end up failing in the end. Come on how could such dinky heatsinks with a fan barely moving any air cool the unit sufficiently. Then there are the x-clamps, crap thermal compound, cheap pcb material, and the fact that the board is not secured properly. Would you ever treat your PC this bad and expect it to keep on working?

If you want to run the 360 in the default config i would say your chances aren't good. You're probably best off selling the thing. i'm giving mine one more chance. I didn't start playing it until I made all my mods with a spare cage, and stuff from home depot and fry's. I run the case open with an extra fan and fans at 12v. Also the board is new so I know its not already fubar. I've done everything reasonably in my power short of phase change cooling and that costs more than this piece of s..t is worth.

If it fails now I give up. I think you should buy a PS3 with the replacement plan from Best Buy. I am whether my 360 lives or dies.

Oh ya if you do decide to take measures, spare metal cage, ronsonol, razor blade, and wax paper. You'll figure it out :)


RE: Reps
By Hemipower on 5/11/2007 11:25:06 AM , Rating: 2
Sorry man but its what I have been saying for such a long time. Everybody called me a Sony fanboy, but now you have your own experience. I am on my fourth 360, my brother on his third and every single one of my friends (that have a 360) except one have had to replace theirs as well at least once. Oh yea, I rather pay the 50 dollars and get the bestbuy replacement plan, rather then wait for the shipping. If you buy your ps3, definitely get the PR warranty.

Here are some of my receipt pics.
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/jose70mino...
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/jose70mino...
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/jose70mino...
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/jose70mino...
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z246/jose70mino...


RE: Reps
By Sharky974 on 5/12/07, Rating: -1
RE: Reps
By thebrown13 on 5/13/2007 2:50:20 PM , Rating: 1
Because there's no other system out there. Period.


Don't leave electronics near AC vents
By Flunk on 5/11/2007 12:21:27 AM , Rating: 3
Not that I think this actually matters in this particular case but you shouldn't leave electronics right next to AC vents because the air that they push out is colder than the air inside the device (especially a hot one) and cause condensation (which = short).

This is a very unlikely circumstance but it did actually happen to a friend of mine who had his computer right next to the AC vent.




RE: Don't leave electronics near AC vents
By Rampage on 5/11/2007 12:43:41 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah I was going to say the same thing.. thats just not a good idea and I'm guessing the author is at fault here.. possibly every time hes had a problem, it was just unknowingly..

Just set the 360 in a regular spot.. not near an AC vent, a passing circus, or a hook it to a flux capacitor. Just use it regular and it might work regular, like mine..


By AkumaX on 5/14/2007 2:42:10 PM , Rating: 2
really? hmmm.. i hooked mine up to my flux capacitor, and the only thing that shorted in my delorean was mr. fusion *shrugs*


By DingieM on 5/11/2007 4:51:10 AM , Rating: 2
Reportedly, harddisk drives are very sensitive to air conditioning outlets.
This should apply to all electronics devices.


By Spyvie on 5/11/2007 5:56:45 PM , Rating: 3
Condensation forms on surfaces that are cooler than the surrounding warm, moist air. Things that are cooler than the dew point of the air around them get wet.

AC lowers the dew point.

Dry air is more favorable to static charge though…


...
By Hyperlite on 5/10/2007 6:28:04 PM , Rating: 2
wow, you have ridiculously bad luck.