Xbox 360 freezing issue. Need help from Gurus.

[Jiggyfry]

Here's the dillio, my xbox 360 has always had issues freezing, would only happen about 1 every 2 weeks. I thought nothing of it as it was a minor annoyance. Now, for the past week, my xbox 360 is freezing everytime I try to play a game. No red lights on the front, no error message, just the screen freezing. Every time this happens I have to reboot the system and try again, which ends up failing.

Called 18004MYXBOX and spoke to the technical dept. They had me clear the system cache, didnt help. Next they told me to remove all demos and previews/vids from my hard drive. Didnt help. Got to the end of their diagnostic and they said my 360 has to be sent in for repairs. Heres the catch though, my 1 year warranty expired on Nov 11. They said it would cost me 110$. The 3 year warranty doesnt apply to the freezing issue, only to the issue resulting in the red lights. Bull****. How can you warranty something for 1 issue only?

So my question is this, does anyone know a remedy to this problem? Is anyone familiar with their warranties and maybe know something I dont? Is there any way to cause the fault resulting in the red lights on the front?

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

[Jiggyfry]

Did a little more tinkering with the console. With my harddrive removed it won't freeze anymore. I have my COD4 save data on a memory card and have yet to experience any freezing what so ever.

I really want to "make" the red lights appear so I can ship this console out for a free repair. Something is definetly wrong with it.

Can the red lights appear by overheating the console?

[MinisterofDOOM]

You probably just need a new hard drive then. I wonder if MS will replace that alone?

Do you know anyone with another Xbox that you can borrow the HDD off to test on your machine? That's what I'd do. Try playing various games, even import the saves/profiles from your memory card (which I assume came from your HDD originally?) and see if it behaves poorly or not.

[Morph]

I'd try ministers suggestion. That will give you a better idea of wtf is really wrong.

[Zee]

I am having the same problem, but mine is adding in the fact that the tray keeps getting stuck so I am probably just going to go pick up a new one.

Good Luck the borrowing of a friend HDD is probably your best bet.

[Jiggyfry]

I do have to local buddies who just picked up a new system, so ill borrow a hard drive and try it out.

If that doesn't work im thinking im gonna wrap the whole console in Saran-Wrap and leave it on overnight in hopes of oberheating it and causing the 3 red lights to come on. Sounds stupid but worth a try.

Thanks for the input guys!!

[redtop91]

I really want to "make" the red lights appear so I can ship this console out for a free repair. Something is definetly wrong with it.

Can the red lights appear by overheating the console?

Bad idea. When you ship in your console for repairs they do not look at the hard drive. You are actually told to keep it. If you RROD your Xbox not only will you have a broken console but the hard drive won't be fixed as a result. The RROD repair is only on th console itself, not any peripherals. Honestly if you swap out the drives and the problem is fixed then your easiest solution is to buy another drive, or if you are feeling tinkery, you can take out the drive and try to reformat it. IIRC it's a SATA drive but it doesn't use FAT so finding a PC that will read it might be difficult. If however the problem remains when swapping the drives it's probably a problem with the actual plug for the drive or the drive's connection internally to the console in which case having MS fix it is your only option.

[OriginalWheelman]

I am having the same problem, but mine is adding in the fact that the tray keeps getting stuck so I am probably just going to go pick up a new one.

Wanna sell me your old one for parts?

[Jiggyfry]

Well, the hard drive has been off for about a week now with no freezing issues at all. Been loading all my games from a memory card. I finally tried my buddies brand new hard drive and it works just fine. After the test I plugged my own hard drive back in and it hasnt froze yet, played COD4 most of the night without a problem. Im gonna leave my hard drive on until it freezes again, then its off to get me a new hard drive. Thanks for the help guys!

[xekushnr]

Good, thats an odd problem you have. Maybe there is some corrupt data on there. Try this as preventative maintenance:

- Go to the Xbox Dashboard, select the System Blade, and select Memory.- Highlight the hard drive symbol and press Y.- Press X, X, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X, X.

This will clear the memory cache on the hard drive. Dont worry, this wont erase your saved games or system settings. You will have to redownload game patches though. I usually do this once every month or two.

[Jiggyfry]

The dudes at the Tech support had me doing that, now im gonna make that part of my routine, ill do it once a week or so. Im just glad I can play COD4 again!!

[Jiggyfry]

Just wanted to update you guys, the freezing issue has still been MIA since I disconnected the hard drive. I reconnected it for the day today and everything is still fine. Im sure itll freeze again with the hard drive attached. Issue resolved.

As a final note, im getting pissed at MS. I love my 360, when it works well. It seems there is always an issue with it. Now for the past while I cannot connect to Xbox Live at all or messenger from the xbox. Seems as though the holiday sales have overworked Xbox live, lol.Gimme a friggin break.

[redtop91]

Not connecting to XBL is always a network setup issue so I wouldn't blame that one on MS LOL. Good to hear your Xbox is back to semi working order though LOL.

[Jiggyfry]

Troof, I just had to rant a bit. I LOVE my xbox, just get frustrated with it sometimes.

It's a love/hate thang.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Actually, I know a LOT of people who were having XBL issues that day, so it may actually have been an issue on MS's end in this case.

[S3t0_S13]

yea the website said the overload of holiday gamers lagged the sh1t out of the servers

yo try reformatting the HDD againi did it and found like an extra 2.3 Gb of more space on it!!!

[Jiggyfry]

Yeah, Ive toyed with that idea, I just dont want to lose my saved games and all the Xbox live Arcade games Ive purchased. If I can get my hands on a few memory cards ill do it though.

For now im content without the hard drive, at least I can get my fix of COD4.

[redtop91]

Any content from Xbox Live can be redownloaded for free.

[S3t0_S13]

Yeah, Ive toyed with that idea, I just dont want to lose my saved games and all the Xbox live Arcade games Ive purchased. If I can get my hands on a few memory cards ill do it though.

For now im content without the hard drive, at least I can get my fix of COD4.

i have a 512 mem card layin around if u want it for like a few bux

[Jiggyfry]

Any content from Xbox Live can be redownloaded for free.

Sweet, didnt know that.

i have a 512 mem card layin around if u want it for like a few bux

I have no money in my PayPal as of yet, when I do add some ill definetly take it off your hands.

[bmike818]

my xbox used to freeze once and a while...mostly when I used to play Gears of War. It frooze maybe once every two weeks and then eventually every week until oneday it frooze and wouldnt turn back on and then...i got the 3 red lights.

Call Microsoft again and tell them you have the three red lights. (even if you don't- this will entitle you to a new console...and if youre lucky you just might get one with HDMI)

it's sucks that the Xbox 360s break...at least we have a 3 year warranty.

P.S. be nice to those people on the customer service line, depending on when you call, you might be talking to someone from a different country (MS like most companies out source their call centers abroad to save money)

[Jiggyfry]

If I tell them I have the 3 red lights and they receive it and they see there are no red lights they'll simply send it right back, probably with a turd in the box.

Havent had a freezing issue for a while now, so im pretty content.

[Kckouki]

My xbox360 just started freezing. I take the harddrive out and it still freezes.

Idk what the deal is ?

[redtop91]

Good, thats an odd problem you have. Maybe there is some corrupt data on there. Try this as preventative maintenance:

- Go to the Xbox Dashboard, select the System Blade, and select Memory.- Highlight the hard drive symbol and press Y.- Press X, X, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X, X.

This will clear the memory cache on the hard drive. Dont worry, this wont erase your saved games or system settings. You will have to redownload game patches though. I usually do this once every month or two.

Also try giving your xbox a break LOL. You play too much. ROFL.

[Kckouki]

I dont get the third step. lol

[redtop91]

Press XX, the button above the left trigger, the button above the right trigger, xx. LOL.

[Kckouki]

I know that.

But when I highlight the HD, and press Y, it takes me to device options. lol And I get to choose between rename and format ?

[redtop91]

You don't choose. That's the thing. Just enter the command and ignore what you see on the screen.

[xekushnr]

Also try giving your xbox a break LOL. You play too much. ROFL.

I havent played in two weeks. You're just jealous of my leet gamerscore. My gamerscore is like a red Ferrari F430 right out of the factory. Yours is like an ugly rusted Pinto with a Yugo motor and seats from a '82 Volkswagen Scirocco.

BTW I'm getting Halo 3 soon.

[redtop91]

No I was telling Casey to do what you said and saying that he plays too much.

BTW I'm getting Halo 3 soon.

Awesome. I'll be ready to pwn that as$ LOL.