So, the source of the 360 failures you've heard of...

[hezeuschrist]

http://www.gamestore24.de/Anleitunge...erheat_eng.php

Wow. Just wow. It is and it isn't hardware failure, a manufacturing fuckup. Some dumbass lineworker probably sent thousands of these bastards out without removing the foil on the thermal pad between the GPU and the heatsink...

How do you account for something like that, and more importantly, if my box hasn't failed, how do I protect myself against it from doing so? Can MS account for which units have the foil still on the heatsink?

I'm absolutely astonished. I don't really know how to feel, but I'm definitely looking to MS for some kind of offical word on the issue.

EDIT: This is not a source for concern. Read below for the official response from Microsoft.

The video and photos posted by German blog GameStore24.de show thermal interface pads that are installed per specification. This foil eliminates the need of a protective liner, which simplifies the final assembly process and minimizes shipping concerns and contamination issues.

Customers should know that opening the Xbox 360 case voids the warranty. If your console is malfunctioning, call Xbox customer support. They can diagnose whether the system is malfunctioning, and will arrange for repair/replacement if necessary.

There is no systemic issue with Xbox 360. Any customer inquires are being handled on a case-by-case basis. The return rate is below the CE industry average of 3-5%. Of the total number of Xbox 360 systems already in the field, the calls we’ve received represent a very small fraction. Even so, we’re doing everything we can to take care of these customers quickly so they can get back to enjoying their new consoles.

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/microso...deo-159734.php

And additionally...

MS uses a thermal tape on the gpu heatsink because it's the only way how you can ensure that both chips (DRAM-chip and gpu) make contact with the gpu-heatsink. That is normal. Dell, HP, IBM, Intel, they all use such a solution where the chip is kept clean.

Using...

THERMFLOW T558 is recommended for applications where rework and ease of disassembly are important. This new material provides the high performance properties typical of free-film phase change materials with the added benefit of easy removal. T558 is the same phase material as T557 which has been coated on one side of a conformal metal foil carrier. It is easily attached onto a heat sink or heat spreader, leaving the metal foil surface exposed. This foil eliminates the need of a protective liner, which simplifies the final assembly process and minimizes shipping concerns and contamination issues.

Debunked.

[njiska]

Definetly a big fuck up, and one that could shorten the life of the processors. I'd be lying if i didn't say i was pissed and it'll be really interesting to see if we hear from MS on this one.

Thankfully my 360 doesn't overheat, but for those guys who do this may be your answer.

It's not an MS design flaw but that of the outsourced manufacturing company so it should be resrticted to units from that plant or possibly even that production line.

Hopefully someone can break down the serial so we can see which plant these came from.

[THATinkjar]

This is terrible news! It is things like this, the gigantic/dodgy power supply, the crashing games, etc, that is putting me off. I really hope Microsoft start to make some revisions soon, because I don't know how much longer I can hold off buying one!

[hezeuschrist]

This is terrible news! It is things like this, the gigantic/dodgy power supply, the crashing games, etc, that is putting me off. I really hope Microsoft start to make some revisions soon, because I don't know how much longer I can hold off buying one!

MS definitely knows about the problem and they definitely have addressed it by now. If you pick up a 360 now it most likely won't have the foil on the GPU. It likely only took a couple weeks for them to start recieving faulty systems and figuring out that the majority of them had foil on the thermal pad. An easy fix to be sure, but a horrendously costly one.

But for people like me with launch consoles... I'm really unsure about whats gonna happen. I've heard of people with launch consoles dying as late as last week. I've played mine a bunch but I haven't touched it since probably January, so I don't know how that fares for the probability of this disaster.

[Lozza]

Those who have this problem can easily fix it, but you shouldn't have to. I'm sure that Microsoft will supply you with new 360's and you will be priority #1.

Me? I ain't buying that piece of shit. Fuckin M$.

[Haoie]

Launch consoles have a real habit of having rather unreliable hardware. See PS, PS2, both originals had real problems, including overheating which was already mentioned.

[nik]

I think this is actually good news...

Finally a source, and will get the fanboys to shut up.
It's not the hardware. Just a small error at the factory that microsoft will fix for free!

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm glad to see that many of these failures are due to something simple, and not a design flaw. Goddamn, what a retard. That guy is definitely fired...from life

[njiska]

OK so here's the company line:

The video and photos posted by German blog GameStore24.de show thermal interface pads that are installed per specification. This foil eliminates the need of a protective liner, which simplifies the final assembly process and minimizes shipping concerns and contamination issues.

Customers should know that opening the Xbox 360 case voids the warranty. If your console is malfunctioning, call Xbox customer support. They can diagnose whether the system is malfunctioning, and will arrange for repair/replacement if necessary.

There is no systemic issue with Xbox 360. Any customer inquires are being handled on a case-by-case basis. The return rate is below the CE industry average of 3-5%. Of the total number of Xbox 360 systems already in the field, the calls we’ve received represent a very small fraction. Even so, we’re doing everything we can to take care of these customers quickly so they can get back to enjoying their new consoles.

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/microso...deo-159734.php

[hezeuschrist]

Yeah, that was the conclusion that was come to after some logical thought was put into it.

A relief, and not. Good to know that I don't have to worry about something stupid like that fucking up my system, but I still worry about it dying.

[kainemaxwell]

Least they finally pinpointed the problem. A little late, but now the revisions can begin...

[unwinddesign]

My Xbox 360 "freezes" on me from time to time, sometimes warping the video on screen, a la snow on a TV aerial. It has me a tad worried; no other game console has ever done that to me, save when a cart based system hasn't had its connectors cleaned for years.

[jdc]

Ditto. I run a disc cleaner through the system regularly and it's well ventilated. My now 6 week old 360 froze up within the first 10 minutes of using it......but it was the Full Auto demo on the usually poor quality OXM disc. Subsequent plays of the same demo have been fine.

I'm nearing the end of Need For Speed Most Wanted and even though the disc is new and clean, this game freezes semi-regularly...usually on the car select screen. I own PGR and Ridge 6 as well and can only recall PGR freezing up once.

I've never had any other console, launch batch or otherwise, freeze up on me.

I have a feeling that my controller was faulty from day one....but how do you prove it? I went through 3 sets of top quality batteries in as many weeks and finally bought the charge n play cable. It took 3 hours to charge it....and the charge n play instruction sheet says that it should take 20 minutes to fully charge. My controller likes to change "channels" during gameplay as well. The action is on the screen but my controller isn't responding. I have to recalibrate it to the console. I hate the fuckin' controller. Overengineered piece of shit. Giving us the option of buying a "normal" controller without the stupid "command center" on it would have been nice.

[njiska]

Ditto. I run a disc cleaner through the system regularly and it's well ventilated. My now 6 week old 360 froze up within the first 10 minutes of using it......but it was the Full Auto demo on the usually poor quality OXM disc. Subsequent plays of the same demo have been fine.

I'm nearing the end of Need For Speed Most Wanted and even though the disc is new and clean, this game freezes semi-regularly...usually on the car select screen. I own PGR and Ridge 6 as well and can only recall PGR freezing up once.

I've never had any other console, launch batch or otherwise, freeze up on me.

It's rare that you'll experience a console freeze but they do happen. I've single handedly frozen an Xbox, PS2 and N64 (Ah GoldenEye).

[Nesmaster]

Sick stuff. Mine has yet to freeze and it's probably seen about 20 hours of use already

[Ed Oscuro]

It's rare that you'll experience a console freeze but they do happen. I've single handedly frozen an Xbox, PS2 and N64 (Ah GoldenEye).

Yes, I recall seeing a step-by-step guide how to freeze Goldeneye (switch to some gun, then back to another - I think one of them was the grenade launcher).

Otogi 2 froze a few times on me. Then there's Morrowind, with its infamous fake dirty disc error messages (actually memory corruption or out of memory errors).

[Raedon]

ouch.. There always seems to be a good reason not to buy a console right off.

[SlayerX]

Those who have this problem can easily fix it, but you shouldn't have to. I'm sure that Microsoft will supply you with new 360's and you will be priority #1.

Me? I ain't buying that piece of shit. Fuckin M$.

...Well said I learnt my lesson with the original Xbox. x_x