Latest Xbox 360 update causing problems for some

While Xbox 360 users with 1080p displays enthusiastically greeted last week's dashboard update, it seems some folks are finding that the update is causing more problems than it fixes, with reports of random crashes, bricked consoles, and various display issues filling the forums on the official Xbox site, among other sites. From the looks of it, the majority of problems appear to be coming from those using VGA connections and resolutions less than 1080p, though there seems to be no limit to those affected. Amending his initial post on the update, which also saw a flurry of complaints from disgruntled 360 users in the comments section, Microsoft's Major Nelson says that the company is aware of the problems and that they are investigating it, although there's no indication when a fix for the fix will be available.

[Thanks, Segadc]

[Ross @ Dec 6th 2006 7:33PM]

Thank goodness it says 360 instead of PS3. I'm pretty sure we'd have another paragraph bashing the update, and somewhere close to 500 comments about how Sony is horrible.

It just saves us all a lot of trouble when it's an Xbox having a problem.

[skygunner27 @ Jan 16th 2008 2:30PM]

I have an Elite and I also use the VGA cables because I believe it has better results than my HDMI cable connection displays with the Elite. I'm having no problems:)

[chris @ Dec 6th 2006 7:37PM]

i updated my system and it ran perfect in any resolution other than 1080p, i swithched it to 1080p and it froze. I restarted and it crashed. Restarted again and it crashed,after a few reboots the red ring of death appeared and didn't go away. I had to send it in for repair on monday. I love the 360 but there was something buggy with that update. The worst part is no Gears of War or Splinter Cell DA for a while.

[LJKelley @ Dec 6th 2006 7:52PM]

I've had no problems since the update, and it did fix the minor issues of echos in my wired headset attached to my wireless controller :)

-------------------------
Console Wars: http://www.gowafg.co.uk

[Tonicboy @ Dec 6th 2006 8:04PM]

I'm not sure if the problem is with the game or with the 360 update, but my Rainbow Six Vegas has had the occasional odd problem since the update. For example, it once had no textures for about 5 minutes. I'm connected with the VGA cable at 1360x768 resolution.

[icepop4who @ Dec 6th 2006 8:09PM]

well, it seems all the High-Def consoles are having problems, indicating the immaturity of HD gaming technology. From an unknown source, about 25% of American households own a HDTV, but if this problem and the PS3's does not fix, the future of HD gaming might be put off until nintendo releases a HD console.

[Shmoe @ Dec 6th 2006 8:17PM]

Just use component. Better yet, MS should release a damn HDMI cable and DVI cable.

[Veritas II @ Dec 6th 2006 8:18PM]

Where's the snark?

[Peet @ Dec 6th 2006 8:29PM]

I really wish they would just release a HDMI cable. I haven't had any problems using my VGA cable, but I'm only using the 1024x768.

[Bill @ Dec 6th 2006 8:48PM]

I purchased my 360 in January and have not had one problem until yesterday when it bricked. I use the VGA connector with a 720p Samsung DLP. Luckily I bought it at Costco and was able to return it for a new one.

[fingerbanger @ Dec 6th 2006 9:11PM]

Updated my 360 today and froze my screen, after 2 resets it bricked(the 3 lights of death). Called tech support an they claimed it was a hardware issue even though the update was made today. It's a scam by Mircrosoft to make up for the lost dollars on every unit sold. $1,200.00 dollars all in all spent and now they want another $140 to repair because my unit is outside of its 4 month warranty. Called for 6 hours today and every supervisor I spoke with was scripted with the same response "Microsoft does not recognize this as a problem and you will have to pay the repair cost if you want it fixed". Please if this has happened to you please voie your comments on this board.

[sparty @ Dec 8th 2006 10:07AM]

I had the same exact problem! im using the VGA connection also! Total BS that they make us pay $140 no matter what the problem is. They also told me that i when i get my 360 back i will have no idea of what the problem is. If im paying $ to get mine fixed i want to know what the fu$k was wong with it. Im going to raise hell until i get some $ back.

[bxbailey @ Dec 6th 2006 9:23PM]

This happens with almost every update they put out, it's a really good thing this is the 360, this would be on every website if it were a Sony product.

[humpty @ Dec 6th 2006 9:26PM]

Well they ARE trying to hit that 10 million sold mark before the end of the year. I suspect there will be many more 'updates' to come.. with a handy bricking feature.

[embee @ Dec 6th 2006 9:29PM]

Fingerbanger, stop banging your fingers.

Because 360 is made with "off the shelf" parts, it now sells at a profit. 360 never cost $1200 to manufacturer and now costs about $325 to make. In fact, your 4 month old console was probably sold at a profit.

Source: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=21256

[Veritas II @ Dec 6th 2006 9:41PM]

Read the comment again. He said he'd spent 1200, not MS.

[T @ Dec 6th 2006 9:33PM]

Ya my Xbox 360 has also broken right after the update was installed this will be my 4th yes thats right my 4th console that they are replacing.

[evilfixx @ Dec 6th 2006 9:39PM]

Guaranteed no one will pay attention to this one and Engadget will quickly brush this one away... I agree that if this was the PS3, ther'd be people bashing Sony to hell.

[embee @ Dec 6th 2006 11:10PM]

I wasn't sure due to the near complete lack of pronouns. Besides, who was spending $1200 for a 360 4 months ago? Even with the wireless adapter and plug-n-charge cable, it's still below $600.

Hence, my confusion as to who spent the $1200.

[ccb @ Dec 6th 2006 10:00PM]

Folks, here's what you do. Go to Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or any other store that sells the XBOX 360, and buy a new one. Save the receipt, re-box the old one, and take it back.

Problem solved. I don't know much about the saved settings, but it's a small loss compared to the waiting time and shipping fees.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 6th 2006 10:27PM]

You can't simply re-box a different console into a different box anymore. Retailers like Best Buy have become hip to that kind of transaction. This is why they scan the serial number of the unit and is why it is on your receipt.

[010111 @ Dec 6th 2006 11:03PM]

even better. you could just go break into someones house and steal one. i mean... might as well go all out since you are committing a crime anyway.

what you described is a form of refund theft and functionally equivalent to shoplifting. anyone who does it or promotes it is a worthless piece of shit.

[Menny @ Dec 14th 2006 10:14AM]

errr.... Serial number anyone ???

[Bricked Console @ Dec 6th 2006 10:10PM]

This update bricked my 360 too. Microsoft will not fix it because I'm 5 days over my warranty and I refuse to pay! Microsoft needs to fix this update problem and recall all bricked consoles. Microsoft would rather spend their resources performing 'damage control' and screwing over their customers who were unlucky to have a bad update, than to fix the problem.

[Stefan @ Dec 6th 2006 10:17PM]

I got my xbox a year ago and Microsoft still fixed my brickbox, although I had to pay to ship to them. They sent me a brand new xbox360 back :)

[Earl @ Dec 6th 2006 10:21PM]

Gotta love the uber-super gaming system technology!
HD "this" and better graphics "that"...
I bet all the "graphics do matter" are mad now. Graphics don't mean anything if you can't play your games!
I will be enjoying my "sub-par" Zelda tonight.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 6th 2006 10:26PM]

I enjoyed my Zelda, all 30 hours of it.

[Earl @ Dec 6th 2006 10:52PM]

30 hours, huh? *Sniff, Sniff* I smell a liar!! It's ok, you don't need to pretend to have Zelda to try and knock it. Just cause M$ is THINKING about fixing your bricked 360, doesn't mean you have to knock Zelda. Maybe in a year you will get a rebate for paying someone to repair your bricked 360 :P
I am on about 40 something hours, and I am pretty sure that's about 3/4 of the way there. Of course, I actually PLAY video games and not just rush through them as fast as possible. Most great games have tons more to them than just sticking to the main story. Oh, and I NEVER use guides. Takes all the exploration out of games.

[Jon Graft @ Dec 6th 2006 10:52PM]

"Ross
Thank goodness it says 360 instead of PS3. I'm pretty sure we'd have another paragraph bashing the update, and somewhere close to 500 comments about how Sony is horrible."

I agree...if it was SONY, all the comments would be SONY is terrible...XBOX 360 all the way! But when it is Microsoft, all they say is oh well...did SONY do anything stupid today?

SONY PS3 and PSP FTW!

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 6th 2006 11:46PM]

I don't have a 360. So that assumption is out of the door. I didn't use a guide, but I didn't collect everything, couldn't find everything. Yet I did not rush through the game. Sniff sniff, I smell a presumptive jerk who doesn't know what he/she is talking about.

I've been playing Zelda games since the NES. My favorite had been the N64, Ocarina of Time. But Twilight Princess is my new favorite.

So no I don't have every single heart or bottle. Neither did I spend my time fishing for fun or anything like that. All I wanted to do was figure the next piece of the puzzle. Sure there is more to the game than the main story. But I was into the MAIN STORY.

So watch yourself before you start making assumptions. Did I honestly say anything bad about Zelda. NO. So get your head out of your rear, I said I ENJOYED my 30 HOURS.

[riggs @ Dec 6th 2006 11:01PM]

alot of my friends are experiencing problems with their 360's and the update.

[Veritas II @ Dec 6th 2006 11:29PM]

Understandable. I didn't pay more than retail for my 360, but I did wait awhile.

[fingerbanger @ Dec 7th 2006 12:54AM]

embee this is the breakdown for YOU. $400 for the consol, $160 for 3 controllers and charger combos, $30 for a headset, $600 for 10 games. Lack of pronouns, YOUR a dick!

[Fire Hazard @ Dec 6th 2006 11:21PM]

M$ sucks. this is why i don't play xbox live and i don't plug my 360 into the internet. that and i got mine used so i doubt they will honor the warranty if it does brick. this sucks i really wanted to get on live and dl the dead rising demo but now i think i will just go get the game instead of risk bricking. M$ needs to start TESTING! these updates before they push em out, unless the brickings are how they plan on making a profit.

[Bhagiratha @ Dec 6th 2006 11:32PM]

would I need a PC to do the update on the XBOX? I have an iMac .... how can this be done with an Apple computer?

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 6th 2006 11:53PM]

All you need is a connection to the internet to the 360. It is not done thru a computer. The update will either be automatically suggested (in a popup in the 360 menus), or it will be around the main online front page.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 6th 2006 11:44PM]

I think it is very interesting that Microsoft didn't do any forward thinking about putting in HDMI or DVI. VGA is not in every HDTV. Sure component is, but a digital connection is better than an analog one.

[Andy C. @ Dec 6th 2006 11:57PM]

Big surprise. Funny, the PS3 has had 3 updates since it's launch, and not a single story of people having issues with it, meanwhile over a year into the 360's life and we're still hearing about widespread issues. Seems Sony has built a more reliable product. One more reason to pick it over the 360. So the PS3 is a better value, better technology and more reliable.

Too bad if your 360 is out of warranty and the update bricks it, Microsoft will tell you to go fsck yourself.

[Porsche 911 @ Dec 7th 2006 4:22AM]

Finally someone who agrees with me. PS3�s advantage is HDMI (native and digital 1080p), not all televisions support 1080p over component and not all televisions have a VGA input. Remember Microsoft (and their extreme genius computer engineering team) imitation and copying does not always help/succeed, originality is the key.

[Garry @ Dec 7th 2006 2:19PM]

C'mon, Andy, lay off the Kool-Aid. The PS3's been out for two weeks, and there are maybe 200,000 people who have them. There are about 8.5 million Xbox360's out there. I hardly think you can be saying anything about the reliability of the PS3 at this point. Remember the PS2 launch? There were more than a few bricks in that building.

As as for "better value" and "better technology," those aren't even worth addressing. It's pretty clear you've already eaten everything Kutagari's spoonfed you. Flame on.

[Jeff Foster @ Dec 7th 2006 12:04AM]

funny how when a few people have troubles with their Apple products (Macbooks) you guys call it a "Plague" ...but when it's problems with a Microsoft product, about which you yourself say "there seems to be no limit to those affected" your headline reads "causing problems for some"


...i'm just sayin'

[chadalyx @ Dec 7th 2006 1:52AM]

It would be YOU'RE a dick. If YOU'RE gonna berate someone...PLEASE do it with grammatical correctness!!! For the love of god...if we have to read it...make it RIGHT!!!

[Veritas II @ Dec 7th 2006 3:51AM]

How is using ellipses every fifth word grammatically correct?

[L337Biker @ Dec 7th 2006 2:12AM]

I had so many problems, I ended up having to exchange my 360 under Best Buy's WONDERFUL psp [/sarcasm]. My console would lock up loading a game, and would often lock up just browsing the menus.
Here's an example: http://www.l337server.com/video/xb360.mpg

[sp00nz @ Dec 7th 2006 3:35AM]

Update worked great for me. Before I wasn't able to get 1080i on my old plasma. Runs right now. woo

[Frank @ Dec 7th 2006 11:52AM]

originality? so when Sony lost the lawsuit with Immersion over force feedback, they made the "six-axis" controller and stole Nintendo's tilt sensor idea.

Very original indeed.... the Pot just called the kettle black.

[tonyatf @ Dec 7th 2006 7:24AM]

Hey Engadget,

where is the flare for the dramatic. whenever Sony has a problem or anything for that matter in the news, Engadget always have your usual snide remarks against Sony. Wow. how much microsoft is paying you? Is it cut from the same check that M$ gives to kotaku and joystiq (which both sites are banned on most video game boards, thank goodnes)

[lou @ Dec 7th 2006 8:32AM]

My 360 is working fine at 1080p to my Samsung

[NLN350 @ Dec 7th 2006 9:04AM]

That's why I'm sticking to the component cables 'til MS releases their X360 HDMI connectors!

[Joel Heflin @ Dec 7th 2006 9:05AM]

If this happened to the PS3 people would be talking so much trash. I think this shows that consoles just have problems, doesn't matter what company made them.