Help Me Kill My XBOX 360 - White Vertical Lines & Screen Freezes Issue - DON'T REPAIR

[shopkins]

Am I the only one that got a CSR that tried to be a dick about this, then? He had me run through all the tests, which RR'd my Xbox twice, but because on the final test it just hung at the Xbox logo instead of RR'ing he told me they wouldn't fix it for free. I had to keep insisting that even if it wasn't red-ringing right now, it had done it several times that day and during that same phone call. After talking with his supervisor or something for about ten minutes he finally came back on the line and completed my repair order.

The freezing and maybe even the lines was something mine did in the day or two leading up to its death. I was thinking "damn, is Fallout 3 glitchy." Does it beep when it freezes? Mine did that. Anyway, maybe you can leave it on a day or so running some software that will tax it and heat it up and see what happens. It might just be ready to go.

[Half Japanese]

Am I the only one that got a CSR that tried to be a dick about this, then? He had me run through all the tests, which RR'd my Xbox twice, but because on the final test it just hung at the Xbox logo instead of RR'ing he told me they wouldn't fix it for free. I had to keep insisting that even if it wasn't red-ringing right now, it had done it several times. After talking with his supervisor or something for about ten minutes he finally came back on the line and completed my repair order.

The freezing and maybe even the lines was something mine did in the day or two leading up to its death. I was thinking "damn, is Fallout 3 glitchy." Does it beep when it freezes? Mine did that. Anyway, maybe you can leave it on a day or so running some software that will tax it and heat it up and see what happens. It might just be ready to go.

Microsoft has some of the worst customer service reps from my experience (of course, Sony and Nintendo's reps might be ass too, but their products are built reliably enough that I've never once had to talk to anyone from either company). I had an original Xbox with a glitch that caused certain games to freeze and requested the code necessary to wipe the hard drive. I must have spent at least 20 minutes convincing the guy that I knew such a code existed, with him doing his best to dodge the issue. I ended up with it after asking multiple times for a supervisor, who eventually told him to just tell me the damn code.

[ProgrammingAce]

Does it beep when it freezes? Mine did that. Anyway, maybe you can leave it on a day or so running some software that will tax it and heat it up and see what happens. It might just be ready to go.

I've heard people talk about the system "beeping" before, but there's no internal speaker. I'm not sure what else could cause it.

[Gameguy]

I've heard people talk about the system "beeping" before, but there's no internal speaker. I'm not sure what else could cause it.

I think I might have found the answer.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...=169216&page=2

Update:

Over the past few days, I had been getting more beeps while playing Mass Effect. Today, I tested a new setting for streaming videos, and it was beeping like crazy (once every minute or so). So, I got out the stethoscope and pinned down the source: the hard drive. There's also a thread on Xbox UK about it meaning the HDD is dying.

I don't know if it's dying or not, but I have my doubts that a HDD failure would cause the RROD problem. If it gets to be supremely annoying, I may call Microsoft and request a new HDD.

Is the RROD caused by temperature differences? Like when the system heats up, the board flexes causing the solder joints to come loose? If that's so, would putting it in a freezer for a couple of hours first and then playing it cause it to RROD? Just trying to help kill the Xbox 360.

[Daria]

My brother-in-law's disc drive permanently ceased functioning during a game of CoD (don't feel bad for him though, he's a convicted CHEATER). Anyways he had the same problem that MS wouldn't fix it for him, so he lost his temper and chucked it out the front door. It was actually really funny.

It's RRoDed shortly after though. I don't think he tried any special tricks, but I'd never seen anyone so happy to get a fatal system error before.

[carlcarlson]

Just fill out the repair order online and you won't have to deal with any CSRs. My first replacement took two days to put in motion (over the phone), this second one took five minutes (online).

[shopkins]

I think I might have found the answer.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...=169216&page=2




Is the RROD caused by temperature differences? Like when the system heats up, the board flexes causing the solder joints to come loose? If that's so, would putting it in a freezer for a couple of hours first and then playing it cause it to RROD? Just trying to help kill the Xbox 360.

I think when mine beeped it was just coming through the TV's speakers. The screen would freeze accompanied by a high pitched beep. I kept my hard drive after the RROD incident, of course, and it still works fine.

[Mr.Faxanadu]

THAT'S IT. The system just froze 2 more times this morning during my game (lost hours of game play) I'm trying the towel trick to get the system to RROD. I'll then finish submitting the claim online (I already began by submitting it over the phone).

I'll post what happens so this can be documented.

[Mr.Faxanadu]

This isn't going that well. I did the towel trick but it only produces 2 red lights. The repair agent told me that only 3 red lights is covered.

I need to find a way to produce the full RROD (3 red lights).

Man, it's pathetic the lengths M$ goes to try and avoid having to take it in. Apparently, even if I do get the RROD, I have to further troubleshoot the system. I have to borrow "my friends" cables to cross verify that my cables are functioning properly! First off, most of my friends have PS3's and Wii's so that doesn't help. And really, I can't think of anyone that would want to unhook their system set up and pull out the wires for me to do this.

Also, just to put this in for future reference. It's a good idea to start the repair process online by going to support.xbox.com and clicking on the repair a console link. I started on the phone and now when I try to request support online, I get an error that my console is already registered and I'm not sure how to access my registered console online. I didn't set up and email or password when I called them?!?!?

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Ok... so here's what I found off the net:


When a Microsoft Xbox 360 console experiences a "general hardware" failure or "core digital" failure, three flashing red lights appear (known as the "Red Ring of Death") around the power button, in lieu of the four green lights indicating normal operation. Warning signs may include freeze-ups, in which the screen has strange, spontaneous graphical problems in the middle of gameplay, such as checkerboard or pinstripe patterns on the screen, the sound is frozen and changed to a strange, static-like sound, and the console only responds to pressing the power button to turn it off. These events may happen once or several times until the general hardware failure occurs, when the user attempts to turn the console on, and the three red lights are seen and the console will not function.


So, as some of you already pointed out, this freezing screen with white lines is a precursor to the RROD.

That being said, if your system is not under warranty anymore, it's probably not a good idea to send this "freezing" problem or 2 red light problem into xbox as it will cost a full $99 ($110 CDN) to get it repaired.

So I think I'll just let it run while I'm here at home and see if the RROD occurs. I'll update this thread with my findings.


NOTE - I also changed the title of this thread for future users.

[Gameguy]

I think when mine beeped it was just coming through the TV's speakers. The screen would freeze accompanied by a high pitched beep. I kept my hard drive after the RROD incident, of course, and it still works fine.

From what I found when I searched for the beeping, different people experienced them at different times. Some people heard beeps through the TV, others heard the console beeping even when both the TV and console were turned off(the console was just plugged in). A lot of consoles were still working even when the beeping occured every few minutes.

So many different errors to diagnose with this system.

[shopkins]

Put Fallout 3 in it. That's the game that I was running that killed mine. I'd say it might tax the system a little more than, say, Hexic, at least.

[squirrelnut]

i say shake it like its a newborn. that should break something. TAke out your HDD first though.

[XianXi]

Do the Paperclip trick.

Remove the HDD, you will see the holes on the top of th console. If you shine a light in there you will see some transistors. With a long paperclip short them out, of course do this while the console is on. It may take you several tries. There are 2 places to do it, one on the left side and one on the right.

If you do it correctly, next time you power on your console the fan won't come on and you will be greeted with the 3 red rings. If your fan comes on then you didn't do it enough.

Also the RROD can be tricky. Even though your console displays the RROD, if you send it off to MS and it boots right up they will send it right back. If your RROD still has the fan come on there is a good chance it will still boot when it's sent to MS.

Here's a vid of what mine did:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phOPum0aAN0

[SegaAges]

WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hold on. Don't listen to any of them. Don't destroy your console.

RRoD = turn your console on without the av hooked up. RRoD right then and there.

Then just send it in.

What will that do, they will repair it, and if they check for RRoD, they will see that it happened.

Simple.

[carlcarlson]

WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hold on. Don't listen to any of them. Don't destroy your console.

RRoD = turn your console on without the av hooked up. RRoD right then and there.

Then just send it in.

What will that do, they will repair it, and if they check for RRoD, they will see that it happened.

Simple.

I don't know this for a fact, but I'm going to call that 100% not true. You WILL get a red light, but it's not the three red lights. I doubt it's even stored as an error.

[heybtbm]

I still say just send it in claiming RRoD. Worst case scenario they charge you $99. Best case, they send you a working unit. You're over-thinking the whole thing.

[fishsandwich]

If your system is not under warranty anymore, it's probably not a good idea to send this "freezing" problem or 2 red light problem into xbox as it will cost a full $99 ($110 CDN) to get it repaired.

So I think I'll just let it run while I'm here at home and see if the RROD occurs. I'll update this thread with my findings.

NOTE - I also changed the title of this thread for future users.

And there you have it.

[XianXi]

WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hold on. Don't listen to any of them. Don't destroy your console.

RRoD = turn your console on without the av hooked up. RRoD right then and there.

Then just send it in.

What will that do, they will repair it, and if they check for RRoD, they will see that it happened.

Simple.

4 RROD means no AV hookup, they will send it right back to you.

[Solertia]

Just call 'em again and tell them it RROD'd. That's it. It works, trust me. I've had at least 3 friends do this when they had non-RROD issues.