30GB Zunes mysteriously begin to fail at 12AM, December 31st -- day of reckoning to follow

Do you have a Zune 30? If so, does the thing look something like the above? That is to say, stuck at a loading bar and completely non-functional? If so, you are not alone. We've been flooded with tips about users whose 30GB players started locking up at midnight last night, essentially bricking themselves without any help from their owners. The failures are coming 24-hours ahead of the big '09 changeover, but that hasn't stopped Zune aficionados from dubbing this unfortunate flaw "Z2K." No official word yet from Microsoft, but we're guessing a made-for-TV doomsday movie staring Louis Gossett Jr. can't be too far off. Trailer after the break.

Update: Jim wrote in to let us know that someone at Microsoft has apparently finally woken up and checked their e-mail (yikes, imagine that inbox). The official Zune site now has a message stating that Redmond's best are aware of the problem and "are working to correct it." We'll keep you posted.

Update 2: Major Nelson just tweeted that anyone with an issue "should be good to go." Exactly what that means, however, remains to be seen, as there's still no word of an official fix on the Zune site.

Update 3: Oops, sorry for getting your hopes up. Seems the Major was wrong and is now indicating the team of Zune developers is working like mad to figure it out. Somebody had better order in lunch for those guys -- it's going to be a long day.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[RicoW Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:54AM]

Its a good thing I keep music on the curve also.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:51AM]

Oh snap mines dead too ROFL. This is so brutal I wish I could type in comic sans to show how brutal it is.

[Jomolungma Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:51AM]

I have a Zune 120GB, and it isn't frozen per se, but it definitely did some crazy crap yesterday. It began stopping and starting on its own, even when I had the lock switch engaged. I had difficulty syncing it as well - took me a few tries before the computer recognized the device. Haven't touched it yet today - it might be possessed. But I don't think it's playing right now, so that is a good sign.

[kmcmatt Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:52AM]

Funny you should mention it...yes, my Zune just so happens to look very similar to that picture right about now...

[kmcmatt Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:06AM]

Hard reset by removing the battery seemed to work, now I just can't use the zune software...

[kmcmatt Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:46PM]

Well, it worked initially. Now my Zune's worse than ever. It booted and went to a blank screen after I did this again...Maybe I'll just wait for the Microsoft fix...:\

I won my zune and got it a few months ago, so I'm not sure if the warranty is valid for me, and don't feel like paying for a repair.

[moldymac Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:52AM]

Planned obsolescence at its best!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:11AM]

call me a conspiracist, but i have long held the theory of programmed failure so you are forced to go out and buy another one, or send it out to be repaired by the company for seemingly ungodly amounts. having massive amounts of a product fail for no reason all at the same time and date, shows that maybe they failed to randomized the time and date of programmed failure. im not familiar with the zune UI but if you can access the date/time via your computer, try setting your zunes calendar back a few months and see if this might help. im interested to see if this will work, that may also prove if corperations intentionaly program products to do such thing.

[Ruben Posted Dec 31st 2008 11:49AM]

Considering the way information travels now-a-days, that practice no longer works.

A single failed Zune per person has the negative concenquence of allowing them to make a decision on the purchase of a new MP3 player.

Hardware breakages are the only way to pull off such a conspiracy, since those can be attributed to the user, in most ways (i.e. users that drop their device so many times that it eventually breaks, or a part of the device comes loose). Such breaks must be controlled, so as to assure blame is on the user, and not on a shoddy device. Software breakages cannot, and therefore can raise the question to the user, "how reliable is this device".

Microsoft is going to get hell from this, and by getting hell, they are going to offer free fixes to all 30GB owners, because the bad PR costs far outweigh the cost of repair/replacement.

Remember, their reputation is on the line here, and being number 2 (or 3 i forget) in the MP3 business, they have absolutely no choice but to repair every single 30 that is affected. How the repair will work out is up to them.

[Brandonh33 Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:50PM]

Conspiracist!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:55AM]

Damn. Got 2 from w00t- thought I was being smart avoiding the Apple Tax (yes, I know there is a M$ tax too- but it's lower in this case). Now I have a couple bricks. Wife will be displeased when she finds out.

Everyone screws up- the important thing is what you DO about it. Here's your chance to look like you actually care, Redmond! Don't blow it!

[White Noise Posted Dec 31st 2008 9:55AM]

So judging by the number of comments, people really do own Zunes.

Or they have a desperate need for sympathy on the internet. For some reason I think owning a zune is the more believable.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:01AM]

I was thinking the same thing too, all the closet zune owners, coming out.

[Chickenatr Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:29AM]

i think it's the latter.

[OshiHidra Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:01AM]

My brother's 30 is still alive... Because he still has firmware 3.0, not 3.1! It's a firmware issue, there's still hope!

Unfortunately this probably means wiping the device to install new firmware whenever MS pushes the patch.

[kenstick Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:02AM]

I'm a victim too! Come on, Uncle Bill, this is NO WAY to run a railroad!! NOW WHAT!?!?!?!?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:01AM]

I just read on the Zune.net forums that one guy has a 30GB with 3.1 software bricked, and one 30GB with 'older' software that was fine.

Same thread had a guy with a Toshiba Gigabeat (the spiritual predecessor to the Zune) which has locked up as well.

Just an update.

[hajj3 Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:03AM]

cant seem to find a single uk store selling zunes, did ms decide not to sell them in the uk??

[MattWPBS Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:06AM]

Pretty much.

[MidwayFlux Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:04AM]

I replaced my Zune 30 HDD with an 80Gb HDD and am having the same problem. I know that the size isn't the issue, and that it's the model, but I just wanted state this, too. It's limited to the model.

[MidwayFlux Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:05AM]

I tried holding the left "Back" button and Down like you would to turn it off and still nothing...

[twfx Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:06AM]

I Have the perfect fix for all your zune problems...

Buy an ipod ...
problem solved!!

[CJ Posted Dec 31st 2008 7:49PM]

And I, likewise, have an excellent fix for your stupidity problem.

High speed led injection, directly to the brain.

[c w j Posted Jan 2nd 2009 7:16AM]

How exactly does one inject an LED?

[CJ Posted Jan 2nd 2009 8:43AM]

Well, at high speed.

Given the right velocity, you can inject ANYTHING.

[Picklesworth Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:09AM]

We all know the real reason it locked up:

Shame!

That is a brown Zune, after all.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 6:24PM]

that just sounds racist........


if it is......FUCK YOU very much.......you Racist Son of A Bitch.....

if its not......do explain......

[Franio Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:12AM]

I recently downgraded my zune 30G to the original firmware and it locked up too.

This means that every version of the firmware from the oldest is affected.

Any bets on a timebomb left by a pissed off programmer?

[inteller Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:15AM]

class action lawsuit you fuckers. Microsoft, you have SERIOUSLY pissed me off with this one.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:21AM]

Get fked

[derekmel75 Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:15AM]

This is why I avoided the Zune and the XBOX 360, MS hardware blows. Might I suggest the iPod touch?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 1:26PM]

Same thing here ......

Let my 30 run right down thinking that a recharge might fix it..... NOPE I got the same damn screen everyone has !

Going on a southern Holiday, WTF I need my music!

FIX it ASAP Microsoft please !!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:19AM]

This MIGHT be the problem. lets hope they all recover in the New Year......

Triggerx wrote:

Found this interesting tidbit on Gizmodo...

After reading a lot of posts it looks like this is tied to midnight PST December 30th 2008. It may be a coincidence but that today is the 366th day of 2008 since it was a leap year. One part of the firmware probably calculated that it is 2009 already and another that it is still 2008.

I wonder if they all recover at midnight PST tonight?

If someone with a 30, can recover enough to change the Zune's clock to some other day.... does that fix the problem?



figgers3036 wrote:
+1 to the dead zune list. I miss my podcasts... Now the work day will go much slower. I was thinking that since today is GMT 366 (leap year) and the software might not realize that there is in fact a GMT 366, this might just resolve itself tomorrow once it turns over to GMT 1 2009. My industry keeps track of these sorts of things, so my money's on that possibility.

[foley7 Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:22AM]

@misterk213
good thought but dont all the zunes share the same firmware?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:19AM]

Is anyone's Zune that's locked up getting really warm...?

and a IR thermometer reports it at 85 F, and my room temp is around 68F ~

[FallenArms3 Posted Dec 31st 2008 1:37PM]

Yeah... if this screws up the hardware I might be in for a replacement. Great, because mine has scratches all over! :p

[Brandonh33 Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:56PM]

Sansa... rofl. Seriously I am kind of on your side but please dont use sansa to back up your case! Thats like me saying that your brand new car is so stupid because its a Toyota! I would take a littletykes over that any day!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:21AM]

Unlucky guys!
Another reason why NOT to buy MS. You should've got iPods :P

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:32AM]

WOW, your fanboy reply really helped the issue! Thanks! *shakes head*

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:48AM]

iPods are no better. I'll take a Sansa with Rockbox over an iPod any day. With SD expansion and $70 I now have a 14GB video/music player that can be EASILY customized and will play pretty much anything I put on it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:24AM]

Wife's Zune locked up, I think its funny. Thanks Microsoft !

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:45AM]

i have 2 of the 30 gs zune, i was planing to use that piece of crap tonight, in the new year celeb, but both are death now,

[MidwayFlux Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:36AM]

I'm wondering if anyone was actually using their Zune at the stroke of Midnight and if anything happened or if some error message would have came up or something.

Is anyone's Zune getting hot? Leaving it bricked like this for a while?
Just curious if the thing's going to blow up in my face...

BLAMMO!

Or maybe it will just start melting.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:31AM]

I hear shit all the time because I bought a iPod and all my friends have zunes (including my wife). So when I woke up and saw this post on here this morning the first thing I did was call my friend. He checked it and sure enough...BRICKED! I laughed my ass off...this made my morning...thanks engadget...

[deitiphobia Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:51AM]

Mine died just after midnight last night. I saw it all happening with my own eyes! Was shocked to wake up this morning and read this. I let the battery die completely and then plugged it back in when I woke up. Still the same thing happening.

Son of a b%tch!!!!

Nooooooooooo!!!!!

Zune haters say what you will. The Zune is still way better than any other MP3 player given that the Zune Pass $15 for 10 tracks a month plus Access to Entire Zune Library is just unbeatable. And you can share Zune pass with 2 other people! So there are 3 of us with zunes having all the downloads we want for only $5 a month a piece!!! It's all about the Music! Zune software is much better and more stable than Itunes and the access to all of the music is way more appealing to me than an iPod Touch with anemic memory and way over priced.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:14PM]

Jesus, you are one hell of a Zune fanboy. Trying to cover up a massive widespread failure by boasting about features (which, might I add, you can't really take advantage of when it's not working) is an incredibly new low. You're about on par with some of the worst Apple fanboys I've seen.

[The Fuzz 53 Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:31AM]

Can you update something that is bricked?

[Wiigee Posted Dec 31st 2008 2:53PM]

thats what ive been wondering. its not mounting so im not sure how they plan to do an update.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 3:51PM]

Mine is hosed as well. F.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2008 10:37AM]

Mine, too. And my Mom's. Yes, I like iPods. Yes, I should've stuck with an iPod. Damn me for my endless hunger of all I can download. Glutton. Maybe it is the end of the world. My mom called and has been on the line with Microsoft for an hour! THEY HAVE A MESSAGE RECORDED SAYING, "You must call back we are closed due to BAD WEATHER!" WHAT!?!?!?

This is so wrong.