360 Issues thread

[Dezm0nd]

How do you know when your machine is coming back to you? does it just turn up or do you need to arrange a date?

[Robster]

When you return it for repair they will give you an approx date for return i.e in 10 working days.

I only know my console has to arrive before Thurs as I was promised it within 10 working days from despatch which was 2 weeks ago on Thurs.

[ChrisF]

I managed to find some kind of tracking number when I sent mine back. I think I extracted it from the original email they sent me. Then I used that on the courier (who I cant remember! May well have been UPS)'s website and tracked it's return.

[JP]

I wasn't given any sort of time frame by Microsoft when I asked them. The courier told me it was standard for 6 or 7 weeks before they return repaired consoles.

I got lucky and had a replacement and it was a couple of weeks. It just turned up, I wasn't informed it would do.

[angelx]

Well it had to happen, my launch machine bought in the December period has finally succumbed to crappy workmanship and started crashing, 3 lights on Tony Hawks Project 8, then back to Dead rising which also died, now it crshes on boot. Good thing I havent bought a game in ages as I had way too many I hadnt finished. Is it really worth going for a new machine after this now?

[fallenangle]

I just shouldn't read threads like this. I'm almost anal about console reliabilty and the thought of having games I couldn't play because the thing was acting up/being repaired/permanently busted drives me mental. I've never had a console failure yet I have always bought spare ones - just in case.

But the XB360 is just too expensive and this, seeming congenital unreliability, has really put me off, in fact it is the main thing stopping me going NG. I'm waiting for the new 65nm ones and confirmation it's sorted the problems out. So, until then, sympathy for those having so much hassle and no Bioshock for me :-(

[crocky-chocky]

My copy of Bioshock has crashed my 360 four times in as many sittings now. Complete with terrifying disc drive noises and a fresh set of odd marks on the disc everytime, I've had it less than a week but the disc just looks buggered. It's always when I go to some sort of vending maching to upgrade too. Bioshock's lack of an autosave proves a real killer, as I often lose around half an hour of progress...I'm now saving it every 5 minutes, which is something I hate doing.

I'm guessing it's because it reads an awful lot of data constantly, my copy of The Darkness did it once or twice.

I hate this feeling that my console could knacker at any moment, there's a sense of dread everytime my 360 makes a queer noise. Honestly, I've never known a console like it...I don't know why there isn't a bigger fuss about how broken it is.

Anyways, anyone else having the Bioshock probs?

[ExtremePabs]

Froze on me once last night mate playing bioshock. just after killing a Big Daddy

[ascender]

What's the consensus on the best way to treat a 360? Does it matter if you have the console vertical or horizontal for example?

[Spatial]

Horizontal but all accounts (but I don't think it matters much).

Common tips are:

1) Make sure it's well ventilated and prop it up about an inch off the surface of what ever it's sitting on if it's horizontal (use Lego blocks or stacks of glued washers / rubber feet etc).

2) After long sessions leave it on the dashboard doing nothing for a while before you switch it off to allow the fans to run and get rid of some of the heat.

3) Use a plug and play charge kit and a pad to keep the fans running after you switch the system off (get's rid of heat).

4) Seal a fresh virgin pigs heart in a small wooden coffin, using a lock of your own hair to keep it tied shut, and then bury it the garden alongside a bottle of rum and the chest scrapings from a damp tramp.

No.'s 1-3 don't really work and are suspected to be superstitious nonsense. No. 4?s been proved to work 100% though.

[EvilBoris]

Just had a panic, I couldn't get a picture on my 360 through VGA or composite.
I just sat there gawking, panicking, then all of a sudden out of the blue, a ray of light shone down to grant me a hideously blurry standard definition composite image
YAY!
It works again

[Neil]

It works again

But for how long....

[Robster]

My letter to steve ballmer the ceo at micorsoft. I am stunned this is allowed to happen in this day and age.


I write to you with what very little hope I have left that my complaint can be resolved.

The Complaint:

My 360 Console breaks down and has to be returned for the 2nd time on approx 5/6/07, my console was picked up from my home address on 6th/7th June2007 UPS tracking number xxxxxxx

I was informed that it would be approx 25 working days until my console would be returned, not happy at this I accepted it. When I called to get a progress update I was informed it would be returned by the 13th Aug 2007 at the very latest, the 13th passed and I called 0800 587 1102 to complain. I was given a reference number xxxxxxxxx for the escalation dept who would return my call within 72 hours with an answer.

I did not receive a call back and I again had to call for an update. I spoke to a supervisor in the Escalation Team called MIss X who advised me that my console had never arrived at the European Repair Centre and it was lost.

Why was my parcel not tracked to ensure it did arrive when Microsoft knew it was on its way to be repaired ?. MIss x replied that you do not track packages coming into the repair centre.

Miss X then informed me that a replacement console had been despatched on Thurs 16Aug and I would have it within 10 working days
at the very most.

I was also given a tracking number for the replacement console which is : xxxxx and the courier name was and I quote "xxxx, but you wont be able to track the parcel online". I found this a bit strange but at same time I was relieved that I knew that a console was on its way to me. Miss X then agreed to provide me with 3 months Xbox live subscription as compensation after much negotiating. I was orginally offered a selction of 5 games which were all release date games and Gears of War which to date is the highest selling Xbox360 game in history, so yup you guessed it I already own it!!.

So today 29/8/07 I call up to enquire where my replacement console is, I was informed by the call centre agent that my console has been repaired and will sent today??. When I explained the agent that my console was sent approx 2 weeks ago she did not know what I was talking about. I then gave her the tracking number I was given by miss x. I was informed that this is not a tracking number and she has never heard of a courier called "xxx".

I then asked to passed onto a supervisor. The supervisor 's name of who I spoke to is xxxx ext no.xxxx she informed that she did not know where my console was, she could confirm that the tracking number does not exist and that I should expect a call back within 72 hours.

Again I asked to speak to a superior to which I was informed by that she is the night shift supervisor and there is no manager, she cannot give me a name or get one of her superiors to call me back and she also refused to give me an address for me to send my complaint in writing to. The reason I was given as to why she cannot give me her manager's name, let me speak to a manager or give me an address to send my complaint in writing too is down to Microsoft policy.

This brings me to why I am emailing you and hoping you can resolve my complaint and also to highlight the absolutely shocking level(if you can call it that) of customer service and breakdown in basic process's.

So in summary:

I waited 6 wks to be informed that my console was lost and did not arrive.

Everytime I called I was informed it would be returned before 13/8/07 - Why was I not told it was lost and why was the parcel not tracked.

When the call was escalated to xxx in the escalation team she informed me that a console was despatched on 16/8/07 and would be with me in 10 working days.

Why was I lied too by xxx and given a bogus tracking number for a bogus courier which does not exist - This is absolutely appalling behaviour for any employee even worse xxxx who is a Supervisor in Escalation Dept.

I have to call again to find out what is happening with this ongoing saga,only to be told no one know's and I should expect a call back within 72hours after waiting 8 weeks.

Why is there no complaint procedure above a call centre supervisor,

Why can I not get an answer on the phone, why is it always call backs.

And the bottom line: I have waited 8 weeks now and still not received a console or been given a definitive or truthfull answer and I am still waiting for this to be resolved.

All I ask is I receive a replacement console as soon as possible with suitable compensation. Why is this such a problem??

I look forward to your reply

Yours Sincerely

[CMcK]

What's the consensus on the best way to treat a 360? Does it matter if you have the console vertical or horizontal for example?

The console was designed to be standing vertically. Doesn't seem to help though.
Keeping the power supply off the floor is a good idea as well.

[Pavey]

Feet on the left aswell though, so either.

I was told by the guy who repaired mine to keep it horizontal, so once it heats up nothing shifts off the motherboard.