The Return - The Update

[fitbabits]

As some of you may know, my launch Xbox 360 red-ringed for the second time earlier in the week. Well, it's back already, and it's the same one. I've yet to hook it up and turn it on, but the fact that the turnaround was less than six days is worrisome. I can tell it has a new drive in it, though.

I did speak to someone at Microsoft's Customer Service department, though. I asked if they could tell me what the problem was, and the reply I got was interesting.

"Probably the same thing that's wrong with every 360 we get back."

[Radioguy9698]

see this is one of the reasons i will not waste money on a 360...

i already hate that MS wants to price gouge me for asking a vista related question when i call their tech support ($85 to ask a yes or no question about a point of sale software one of my clients runs on his computers)

[Johan]

"Probably the same thing that's wrong with every 360 we get back."

Unless they meant "fundamentally defective design" by that comment, it's basically a bunch of crap. We all know by now that there are a half-dozen different plausible possibilities for a RRoD on a 360.

I'm glad your system is back; hope it keeps working.

[Slack3r78]

As some of you may know, my launch Xbox 360 red-ringed for the second time earlier in the week. Well, it's back already, and it's the same one. I've yet to hook it up and turn it on, but the fact that the turnaround was less than six days is worrisome. I can tell it has a new drive in it, though.
While I know the inclination is to expect the worst from 360 hardware, it's possible that the new hardware revisions have dropped failure rates down enough that those kinds of turnaround times are realistic.

I mean, in the IT biz, companies that emphasize solid support would consider a six day turnaround slow. When my Macbook Pro went off to Apple for repairs ranging from a keyboard to a complete top and bottom casing replacement, I was without it for about 4 business days. When my Gateway notebook had a screen issue, Gateway paid DHL overnight both ways, had my laptop at the repair depot for less than 4 hours per their paper work, and back in my hands in less than 72 hours from the time the DHL guy picked it up.

The only reason 360 returns were taking as long as they were is because the high failure rate was causing Microsoft major backlog problems. The fact that they swapped the DVD drive means they probably did whatever work needed to be done. Be glad you got it back quickly. :)

[fitbabits]

While I know the inclination is to expect the worst from 360 hardware, it's possible that the new hardware revisions have dropped failure rates down enough that those kinds of turnaround times are realistic.

I mean, in the IT biz, companies that emphasize solid support would consider a six day turnaround slow. When my Macbook Pro went off to Apple for repairs, I was without it for about 4 business days. When my Gateway notebook had a screen issue, Gateway paid DHL overnight both ways, had my laptop at the repair depot for less than 4 hours per their paper work, and back in my hands in less than 72 hours.

The only reason 360 returns were taking as long as they were is because the high failure rate was causing Microsoft major backlog problems. The fact that they swapped the DVD drive means they probably did whatever work needed to be done. Be glad you got it back quickly. :)
Yeah, you're probably right.

So I hooked it up, pressed the power button, and...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/redring.jpg

Weirdly enough, I was kinda expecting it.

:(

[Johan]

Weirdly enough, I was kinda expecting it.

:(

That is very, very sad.

[Rogue_hunter]

Wow, that's sad. At this rate, I'll probably beat Dead Space before you.

[Slack3r78]

Yeah, you're probably right.

So I hooked it up, pressed the power button, and...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/redring.jpg

Weirdly enough, I was kinda expecting it.

:(
Ouch. That is major suckage.

[wyeast]

That's just... sad. I would've hoped that by now they're pretty much just yanking out whole Mobos and replacing the guts all at once. Anything less is a crapshoot.

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

So... it RRed again, immediately after getting it back?

[pomeroy]

So... it RRed again, immediately after getting it back?

A little slow on the uptake, EvD?

[Maskatron]

Wow, harsh! So now they're half-assing it on their repair service, it seems.

[Widgetcraft]

Yeah, you're probably right.

So I hooked it up, pressed the power button, and...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a390/fitbabits/redring.jpg

Weirdly enough, I was kinda expecting it.

:(

Micropwned :mad: Who'd you piss off over there, fits? Did they hear about you getting a PS3 or something?

[KamaItachi]

6 days may be suspiciously fast for a 360 repair turnaround, but that was the same time it took for mine to get back to me. Same model, perfectly fine.

Shitty that yours apparently wasn't.

[LongStepMantis]

That's extremely terrible, sorry man.

It's also disheartening for me. When the big RRoD news first broke, I told myself I wasn't buying a 360 until it wasn't an issue anymore. Then I was waiting for a price drop and heard about the new chipsets...decided to continue waiting. Now I'm just not sure if I want to bother getting a 360 at all.

I feel left out because I only have a Wii and a PC. I kept finding reasons to delay getting either a 360 or PS3. Now I'd like to get at least one of them, I'm just always torn about which to choose. Now that the PS3 is getting more good titles as opposed to early on, I'm starting to overlook the increased price because of 360 issues like this still being so common.

[Radioguy9698]

That's extremely terrible, sorry man.

It's also disheartening for me. When the big RRoD news first broke, I told myself I wasn't buying a 360 until it wasn't an issue anymore. Then I was waiting for a price drop and heard about the new chipsets...decided to continue waiting. Now I'm just not sure if I want to bother getting a 360 at all.

I feel left out because I only have a Wii and a PC. I kept finding reasons to delay getting either a 360 or PS3. Now I'd like to get at least one of them, I'm just always torn about which to choose. Now that the PS3 is getting more good titles as opposed to early on, I'm starting to overlook the increased price because of 360 issues like this still being so common.


Come to the darkside (PS3 fan club)...we have milk and cookies..and buy 1 get one every wed. at pizza hut..

[darkbase]

As some of you may know, my launch Xbox 360 red-ringed for the second time earlier in the week. Well, it's back already, and it's the same one. I've yet to hook it up and turn it on, but the fact that the turnaround was less than six days is worrisome. I can tell it has a new drive in it, though.

I did speak to someone at Microsoft's Customer Service department, though. I asked if they could tell me what the problem was, and the reply I got was interesting.

"Probably the same thing that's wrong with every 360 we get back."

So what's a bigger bummer to you, Red Rings or no HDMI cable included? Ba-dum-tish :o

[Purple Santa]

I vote we start a "Get Fits/Jay a new Xbox 360 fund.

[Haemorrhage]

I vote we start a "Get Fits/Jay a new Xbox 360 fund.

I agree, since Arcades are damn cheap (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=1282) now. That way you can alternate between RRoDing Xbox's :)

[Johan]

I vote we start a "Get Fits/Jay a new Xbox 360 fund.

NOOOOOOOOOO! That would be like a government bailout; we'd have to keep paying and paying and paying into the black hole of broken 360s, with no end in sight. :D

Edit: I'm on my third 360, and this one has given me four or five RRoDs in the past few weeks, including just a few minutes ago after only ten minutes of play-time.

Just a matter of time now...before #4.

[fitbabits]

So what's a bigger bummer to you, Red Rings or no HDMI cable included? Ba-dum-tish :o
That would be....

...well...

...fuck...

[Gormanimal]

That would be....

...well...

...fuck...

Don't feel bad, I think everyone hopes for it.

[jpublic]

*sigh* I figure mines gonna RROD in about 3 weeks, right after the warranty runs out.

[SilentScreams]

I've had 3 RRODs and 1 drive failure...and yet I still love the 360.

[DeathtollWRX]

I've had 3 RRODs and 1 drive failure...and yet I still love the 360.

I've only had to send mine back once since launch, However if mine goes bad I will buy an arcade and use it till mine comes back and maybe hold on to it as a spare. In my opinion Xbox360 is the best system we have had .. well ever.. The selection of games and the online capabilities are exactly what I want and like.

On another note the X360 is also the most unreliable hardware I have ever seen and I have bought some crappy things in the past. Imagine how many 360's would have been sold if they never had this RROD issue? Would it have been selling as numerous as the Wii?

[pomeroy]

On another note the X360 is also the most unreliable hardware I have ever seen and I have bought some crappy things in the past. Imagine how many 360's would have been sold if they never had this RROD issue? Would it have been selling as numerous as the Wii?

No, it wouldn't have. Wii is cheaper and much easier to get into.

[astranoir]

On another note the X360 is also the most unreliable hardware I have ever seen and I have bought some crappy things in the past. Imagine how many 360's would have been sold if they never had this RROD issue? Would it have been selling as numerous as the Wii?

Would it have sold fewer? I know a lot of people who have had hardware issues and temporarily given up on the system, only to buy a new one a few months later.

[Harv]

The thing that worries me is that I haven't played mine a lot in recent months. I'm wondering if I will get back into it and then it will red ring after the warranty is out. Three years should be enough I would think. Mine is not a launch system, but also it isn't an updated model either.

[Talanvor]

Even if the 360 sold less due to more solid hardware, that billion dollars they had to throw out for repairs and extended warranties ate up a lot of potential revenue.

My 360 came back that fast after my second RRoD, and I think I got a new drive too. I was hoping they would give me one of the newer units with the HDMI port, but didn't happen.

[astranoir]

Even if the 360 sold less due to more solid hardware, that billion dollars they had to throw out for repairs and extended warranties ate up a lot of potential revenue.

This is certainly true. And maybe if the units were more reliable, this recent price drop would tempt even more people.

[DeathtollWRX]

I think gaming will be a better place if the Xbox360 keeps selling strong. Then again I want all three systems to sell well so it will push the envelope and better games are designed. We don't have enough Gears of War 2, Fable and LBP type games out there.

Now only if we got Blizzard games on the consoles... then I wouldn't need my PC.

[araczynski]

damn, you guys are scaring me. my unit is a late 2006 model, that i bought used, and so far its been running like a champ, maybe i don't play it enough? there's days where its on for 6 hours straight, but then again i don't have it on every day.

but yeah, i've never had a moment of doubt about my ps3/wii always working.

if the success of the 360 doesn't show microsoft that people will buy crappy quality products, i don't know what will. just drop the price and they'll buy more! heck, sell them the cheapest model possible, then tell them they have to buy a hard drive because it won't work in a few months.

wonder what will happen in the next round. i'm definitely not touching one for the first year they come out.

[KingGorilla]

I discovered the ultimate cure to the red ring. You travel back in time to when I bought my 360, 2005, sell it on Ebay, and then start building a PC.

[jeffbax]

Hey, not all of us have put up with the PintoBox-360 ;) I for one, put my money where my mouth was. Sorry, but while the 360 is cheaper up front, it doesn't pack the value the PS3 does (free online, blu-ray, non-proprietary accessories) and I will not support such a complete fail in terms of quality assurance and hardware design. Next time don't rush out such a turd, and maybe I'd still have the damn system.

It'd b interesting to know about 360 sales w/o the RROD. It could be higher if there really was a big impact upon consumer trust, or lower because of less people just buying a replacement (especially when the original warranty was a complete joke at 90 days and I'm sure people got screwed)

[Radioguy9698]

Hey, not all of us have put up with the PintoBox-360 ;) )

so let's set this straight..

this is the Xbox 360
http://jamesptaylor.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/ford-pinto.jpg

and this is the Sony PS3
http://www.madle.org/ms07mercedesslr.jpg

and then this must be the Wii
http://www.woodystoystore.com/images/LP001_noddy-Pedal-Car.jpg


:D:D:D:D:D

[Generation ABXY]

and this is the Sony PS3
http://www.madle.org/ms07mercedesslr.jpg

Oh, wow! :eek:

...Can you sodomize a car?

[Radioguy9698]

Oh, wow! :eek:

...Can you sodomize a car?

this guy did.. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2000899/Man-admits-%27having-sex%27-with-1,000-cars.html)

[Darkmatter]

Oh, wow! :eek:

...Can you sodomize a car?

If you could marry a car.....


*shakes head* anyways, that sucks about the 360... I'd call back and have a serious talk with them. You should throw in what you were told on the phone when you called them after getting it back.

After you tell the person what you were told you should say, "So I guess we both already know whats wrong with it huh? To bad you guys obviously still don't know how to actually FIX it..."

[fitbabits]

So get this, I was on the phone with Microsoft Customer Support and going through the standard procedures (checking the hard drive was attached correctly, the component cables were attached correctly, etc.). Just as the lady was about to give me the pertinent information (ticket number, etc.), I decided to press the power button and...it frickin' worked.

I made the mistake of blurting out what happened to the lady on the phone and she abruptly canceled the whole ticket. Now I'm in a quandary - my returned 360 'seems' to be working fine, but for how long?

I swear it's like Russian Roulette each time I press the power button.

[pheriannath]

Time to buy Dead Space for PS3?

;-)

[Sandman]

So get this, I was on the phone with Microsoft Customer Support and going through the standard procedures (checking the hard drive was attached correctly, the component cables were attached correctly, etc.). Just as the lady was about to give me the pertinent information (ticket number, etc.), I decided to press the power button and...it frickin' worked.

I made the mistake of blurting out what happened to the lady on the phone and she abruptly canceled the whole ticket. Now I'm in a quandary - my returned 360 'seems' to be working fine, but for how long?

I swear it's like Russian Roulette each time I press the power button.

The 360 has a mind of it's own.....and it's evil.

[Radioguy9698]

The 360 has a mind of it's own.....and it's evil.

treat it like a ford pinto and make sure nothing hits it from behind..

[DangerousDaze]

I honestly don't know how Microsoft still get away with this shit. There might be a lot of people watching the California class action to see how it goes.