X360´s first issues.

[WhiteX]

Reports of various error messages and problems with the new console are coming in thick and fast while the most worrying concern is that they seem to cover a wide range of problems, anything from drives scratching game discs to hard drives that are dead and consoles freezing mid-game. Other reported problems include the console refusing to power down and various overheating errors. As a result of these problems, XBox support lines are overloaded and hard to get through to while users are turning to related forums for possible answers. A common problems seems to be the freezing-up of X360 during gameplay and one owner felt so confident his console would freeze that he actually filmed it (google it).

One XBox 360 owner felt compelled to create a guide to help-out X360 owners facing problems since: ...between my friends and I, we bought 6 machines at the Zero Hour event. Of the 6, my machine has a dead hard drive, another machine is working but is rather flaky (seen some strange behavior - the drive may also be scratching discs, as my friend's copy of Condemned is now unplayably scratched, but we don't know if the drive caused it - the machine has also had problems booting games and being turned off...), one seems to be good, and I haven't heard yet about the status of the other three.
His forum post should help you, if not to solve your problem, at least to identify it.

Users claim that the solutions offered by 1-800-4-my-xbox offer a 2-4 week delay at best while EBGames claims it can't do anything until the next shipments arrive.
The DIY info is that for error code E64 you disconnect the HD and repower the console, Red in Sector 1,3 and 4 indicated hardware failure and the list goes on.

It is, of course, too early to know how widespread these problems are and how likely you are to experience similar problems. It is however clear that the launch has not been as successful as MS bosses would have you think and that knowledge should help you make an informed decision when choosing whether to buy the console immediately or to wait just a little while longer.

It was stated on a games news site that i am not sure if i can reveal because of other contents they host.
Those are the images of X360´s crashed:

 

[Trotterwatch]

Defective hardware is common with all launches of this magnitude. Wouldn't read too much into it at the moment. Some of the issues seem to be due to the heat release of both the system and perhaps moreso the power brick.

I'm confident all issues will be worked out soon.

 

[Male Chicken]

Hmmm them there next generation graphics look a bit ropey, Maureen get my gun I'm gunna find that there inbred Bill Gates.

 

[DarthDazDC]

Hmmm them there next generation graphics look a bit ropey, Maureen get my gun I'm gunna find that there inbred Bill Gates.

and u can tell this from the white dots and the bluriness that are surrounding the picture? lol

 

[WhiteX]

Defective hardware is common with all launches of this magnitude. Wouldn't read too much into it at the moment. Some of the issues seem to be due to the heat release of both the system and perhaps moreso the power brick.

I'm confident all issues will be worked out soon.

i agree, just posted as useful info.

 

[Doomulation]

But the real question is: how could they have missed all these issues? How can they release such poor quality consoles? That's worse than sony! It shouldn't be released in this state!

 

[WhiteX]

Dunno, overheating seem pretty easy to discover, but maybe it is just this shipment.

 

[Doomulation]

Still, don't they have test teams? If the console isn't this buggy, then how did this come to happen? Figures...

 

[Hexidecimal]

Its likely in beta that a differnt PSU was used, and then cost cuts changed it slightly, causing heating issues, the same goes with the internal workings of the console. As far as the OS crashes go, probably also cost cuts using a cheaper brand of Hard Drive, causing a fubared OS install.

 

[Modem]

Makes me glad I know people that work at MS, and I'm eventually gonna get a cheap system, haha. At least then I know I won't be out much $$$$$. *shiver*

 

[Trotterwatch]

But the real question is: how could they have missed all these issues? How can they release such poor quality consoles? That's worse than sony! It shouldn't be released in this state!

Worse than Sony? I guess you've forgotten the PS2 launch fiasco then?

This is the downside of such close release schedules, you don't have another country to be your Guinea Pig to effectively mass beta test your product before release in America and then eventually Europe.

 

[davidpoiu]

Ouch man!!! But we're sure than Microsoft is working in fixing all those bugs, and logically they will release another version of it.

 

[Doomulation]

Worse than Sony? I guess you've forgotten the PS2 launch fiasco then?

This is the downside of such close release schedules, you don't have another country to be your Guinea Pig to effectively mass beta test your product before release in America and then eventually Europe.

Haven't heard of that fiasco. And I was comparing to sony in general. Although they've gotten much worse lately.
So it was because they replaced hardware for the different regions that caused the problems? Stupid region encoding I say. All should be united - there should be only one country. Hmph.

 

[WhiteX]

More on this...

A rather busy XBox 360 owner has figured out a way proud owners of Microsoft's console can avoid the embarrassment and delay involved in contacting tech support for their console. In a post in the Gamespot forums, the user claims the solution should work for all consoles facing overheating problems. The solution is neither elegant nor conclusive but seems to have done the trick for quite a few X360 owners troubled by overheating related freezes.

According to Goldeneyemaster then, the problem is not the XBox console itself but the brick-like power supply. Since, by design, a large flat surface of the unit lies on the floor, the PSU tends to overheat causing the entire console to freeze. The current solution is to find a box slightly larger than the unit and to remove the cover, balancing the unit on the box edges. This way the edges of the box will provide support for the PSU while allowing all of its large surfaces to remain well ventilated. The idea is to keep as large a surface area of the PSU as possible in contact with the surrounding air, if you can accomplish this in any other way that should also work.

This solution is not risky unless the box you decide to use is not strong enough to take the wait of the power supply. If you are in any way uncertain about how to achieve this please do not try it and contact Microsoft tech support.

 

[Hexidecimal]

Haven't heard of that fiasco. And I was comparing to sony in general. Although they've gotten much worse lately.
So it was because they replaced hardware for the different regions that caused the problems? Stupid region encoding I say. All should be united - there should be only one country. Hmph.

Haven't heard? The PS2 lauch was more or less the exact same way. Consoles over heated, there were mass shortages, and when playing with the console in verticle position, discs were trashed. The PS2 was just as flawed.

 

[tye stik]

heh, i thought console developers had learned from their mistakes when PS2 came out with bugs. Hmm, perhaps they did learn... maybe, in a scheme to gain more media coverage of the console, they planted a bug in the early systems!

 

[Doomulation]

Haven't heard? The PS2 lauch was more or less the exact same way. Consoles over heated, there were mass shortages, and when playing with the console in verticle position, discs were trashed. The PS2 was just as flawed.

No, I don't think I was around such community when the ps2 launched.

 

[Cönker1]

I've heard people just suspending the PSU with string totally helped eleviate the problems. You could also take of the coverings, put some passive heatsinks on there and leave it.

 

[Jaz]

Mine works fine.

 

[WhiteX]

More news as i am getting them...

A Chicago-based consumer, who purchased an XBox 360 console only to be frustrated by its overheating power supply unit has sued Microsoft claiming that the device has a design flaw which allows it to overheat and freeze.
The suit states that Microsoft, in an attempt to gain a larger market share by releasing its next-generation console before Sony and Nintendo, rushed the XBox 360 even though there was a vital flaw in its design.
According to Robert Byers, the plaintiff, there is a more intrinsic problem with the console as the overheating is not limited to the power supply but also is a CPU issue. The increases in temperature brought about by these components cause other heat-sensitive chips in the console to stop working, resulting in the various lock-ups some gamers have experienced.
complained about the XBox 360 regarding the overheating and this case may well prove to be a good test for the software giant as the more people get behind Mr. Byers the better his chances of actually taking this complaint to court. Microsoft has, of course, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but this will just bring more negative publicity to the console, especially now when shortages are raising questions regarding the launch and rumors of Samsung and Seagate having problems meeting demand on the hard-drives causing even further speculation.
Mr. Byers' lawsuit does not mention the exact compensation sought but interestingly, asks for the replacement or recall of the XBox 360 console. Many will scream that Sony has put him up to this but even if that were the case, it is unlikely anyone would sue Microsoft without having enough evidence to support their claims.