my 360 is dying

[fartpants]

has anyone here had the "open tray " error on the xbox 360 where the console cant read discs and keeps saying "open tray" even though a disc is inside, sometimes it will work after repeated tries but sometimes it wont and its driving me crazy.... any ideas would be great

[fartpants]

the only problem is the warranty has run out and i can imagine microsoft are gonna charge the earth to sort it out, theres a couple of vids on you tube that show u how to fix it so i might have to try that....fingers crossed

[Exatreides]

my old one had the same problem, try either standing your 360 up or laying it down, also just keep trying to eject and re insert the game. Worked for me untill my 360 died from overheating

[slickwilly13]

the only problem is the warranty has run out and i can imagine microsoft are gonna charge the earth to sort it out, theres a couple of vids on you tube that show u how to fix it so i might have to try that....fingers crossed

I did that with the 1st run PS2, except I spend $10 for a file that showed me blueprints; step by step instructions; common problems, causes, & solutions; and a hook up for parts.

Sony was going to charge me around $150 and 8 weeks of waiting to open up my system and clean the eye.

All I had to do buy an anti-static mat, a can of air, and a $10 file. Which was around $35 total. It took me 15 minutes to open the console clean it with a air can & pc hose. And the eye was easily cleaned with a slightly damp alcohol soaked cotton swab. The satisfaction of fixing it yourself is very rewarding and money saving.

[darth los]

has anyone here had the "open tray " error on the xbox 360 where the console cant read discs and keeps saying "open tray" even though a disc is inside, sometimes it will work after repeated tries but sometimes it wont and its driving me crazy.... any ideas would be great


I've gotten the "cannot read disc" message as well. I normally just turn the console off, give the disc an old school blow and wipe and that usually does the trick.

Your case sounds more severe though.

:cool:

[childofgilead]

I recently had the same problem with my console. After looking through several forums for the issue, I finally decided to fix it myself, as the warranty was out and I'm on my fourth console. *sigh*

Anyway, the Open Tray error can have alot of causes, from a weak laser, non lubed rails that the laser travels on, insufficient power supply, or your heat sinks could be losing their connection to the cpu and gpu and causing everything to get bolloxed up.

After I took mine apart, cleaned it, removed the heat sinks, repaired them, reapplied heat conducting adhesive, it still didn't work 100% of the time.

That's when I performed a POT tweak. This is where you manually adjust the laser. Many advise using a multimeter to make sure of the voltage and if you have one I certainly advise it as well. You just have to make sure to turn it counter clockwise and in VERY small increments.

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS352US352&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=360+pot+tweak

There are a few links if you decide to do it yourself, but again, you must be EXTREMELY careful. If you have any doubts, many computer repair companies may be able to perform this repair for you for a nominal fee.

[Mr.G]

Has an extended two years on top of your 12 months if it's the red ring of death. If your 360 falls into this free extended warranty period then my advice to you is to wrap your 360 in towels and switch the console on until it red rings (and it will). Then call Microsoft, they will know when your 360 was manufactured by the serial number and voila! 'Like new' reconditioned machine within a week.

:lol::lol::lol::lol: This site never fails to educate and entertain!

[MinionZombie]

Not had the same problem as you, but my Xbox died again last night.

I knew it was on the way out a couple of days ago when the graphics started going all funky - as it had done in February 2008 - and sure enough after a couple more short sessions playing it, the thing stopped showing anything on the screen at all.

I'll double check this afternoon, then ring them up and say "oi, Xbox, naaaaaaaow!" A little Harry Enfield reference there, fyi.

[bassman]

Every minute that baby is on, it's slowing frying to death. Bear that in mind.

This is the reason I cringe when I hear of people using their 360 for pictures/videos/dvds....

[slickwilly13]

Get yourself a crimson red 360 and it will live forever. :D

[Danny]

This is the reason I cringe when I hear of people using their 360 for pictures/videos/dvds....

mine burnt out watching a dvd, mega 64: version 2 i believe.

since then my ps3 has been my preffered movie player.

-plus the upscaling and the hdmi connection helps;)

[bassman]

-plus the upscaling and the hdmi connection helps;)

Ugh. Don't get me started on my 360's lack of a HDMI port. I'm still fuming over that one...

[Danny]

Ugh. Don't get me started on my 360's lack of a HDMI port. I'm still fuming over that one...

to be honest ive got one but dont use it, for every gears of war 2 or mirrors edge or resident evil 5 that looks great in HD you have stuff like fable 2 or star ocean 4 or oblivion which will actually make people blind with there hd bloom:lol:

[LouCipherr]

Well, I can't say much for the tray/disc problem, but I'll add that my son's 360 has been sent back to microsoft 3 times in the past 2-3 years due to the red ring of death.

I'm sure it won't be long before it happens again.

And since when did technology come with such a short life span? I was talking to MZ about this the other day. I have a TV in my basement (a CRT) that is over 20 years old, still working as well as they day we bought it - yet I have a 50" Sony Grand Wega LCD rear-projection TV that's 5 years old and has had one light engine replacement already ($1000 worth of repairs, but thankfully covered under warranty) due to 'pink thumbprints' showing up on the screen (dust in the light engine, but it's not something the owner can get into and fix) - and now it's slowly starting that shit again and I'm out of my warranty period. I'm not complaining too much, 'cause that means I just need to go get another TV (aww shucks, right? :lol:) but still, 5 years on a recent piece of technology but yet I get 20 years out of something made in 1990.

Which reminds me - my Atari 2600 is still working (puchased back in the 70's!!), as is my Sega Genesis, and my original Nintento - yet the 360 has been fixed 3 different times.

Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

[bassman]

I know jack about technology, but you've got to consider that they were making tv's LONG before your 1990 version. So all the kinks were probably worked out. These HDTV's are still a "new" thing. I imagine with time they will start lasting longer as they iron it all out.

[LouCipherr]

All I can say is, I certainly hope so. :D

[darth los]

Don't know what it is now but when i bought my 50 inch plasma a couple years back it was made clear to me that it would last 5 years max.

That number has probably improved but yeah these things are glitchy little buggers.

:cool:

[Danny]

Don't know what it is now but when i bought my 50 inch plasma a couple years back it was made clear to me that it would last 5 years max.

That number has probably improved but yeah these things are glitchy little buggers.

:cool:

actually when i got my bigass hd tv i was told by the clerk who i knew from uni "dude, if you go with the lcd and not the plasma it will be cheaper and sure the picture will be a little less spectacular but it'll last much longer" and it looks amazing when it plays something like the dark knight blu-ray so why would i need better when it wont last as long.


-though for the record i could be getting lcd and plasma the wrong way round it could be either knowing my memory for tv bolllox.

[darth los]

actually when i got my bigass hd tv i was told by the clerk who i knew from uni "dude, if you go with the lcd and not the plasma it will be cheaper and sure the picture will be a little less spectacular but it'll last much longer" and it looks amazing when it plays something like the dark knight blu-ray so why would i need better when it wont last as long.


-though for the record i could be getting lcd and plasma the wrong way round it could be either knowing my memory for tv bolllox.

No your probably right on that one. I took the stellar visuals over the long lasting aspect of lcd. I like shiny things what can i say? :lol:

I'm sure lcd does look amazing but as we have debated here many times it's all a matter of personal taste. For my money nothing beats a plasma. As a matter of fact at the end of this year i have plans to upgrade to a 58 or 60 inch and give the old one to my kids.

I'll probably re-evaluate the pros and cons and the leaps in technology each respective one offres that have surely occured in the 4 years since i last bought one.

:cool:

[bassman]

So LCD generally last longer? Awesome. I didn't know that, but that's what my tv is.:D

[MinionZombie]

Capn - lol. :D


This is the reason I cringe when I hear of people using their 360 for pictures/videos/dvds....

I've used my 360 a couple of times for playing X-Files DVDs, but I found the image wasn't anywhere near as comfy to watch as either on my computer or on my TV ... probably the 60hz setting.

Anyway, it's silly to use a console as a movie player - because they suck up so much power for that task. USE A FUCKING DVD/BR PLAYER - they use FAR less energy, so you're just pissing money down the drain by using a console to play movies, not to mention the additional wear and tear on your gaming rig - after all, you can't play GTA on your fucking DVD player!


Well, I can't say much for the tray/disc problem, but I'll add that my son's 360 has been sent back to microsoft 3 times in the past 2-3 years due to the red ring of death.

I'm sure it won't be long before it happens again.

Which reminds me - my Atari 2600 is still working (puchased back in the 70's!!), as is my Sega Genesis, and my original Nintento - yet the 360 has been fixed 3 different times.

Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

Innit just, what is it with modern technology being so throw away. I want technology that LASTS damnit ... it's all a fucking ploy by the manufacturers to make more money, simple as that, and to sell the latest bell or whistle as soon as possible to as many chumps as possible.

Not me though, my friend, I've got a 20inch CRT in my room and I'm sticking with it until it gives up the ghost, which might be some time - and that's fine by me.

Last time I used my Mega Drive that worked fine too - probably down to simple technology too as it's just some plastic and a circuit board in there, but even still, the connections on the circuit board didn't sever or any such shit because of cheap ass, politically correct solder.

The point in a games console is to use it too...so while Capn is certainly right in his comment as a fact, it's doesn't make it right in general.

If the next Xbox isn't built like a brick shithouse, I'd be surprised, mind you. After such bad press over it and an additional $1 billion to add 2 years warrant to red ring sufferers (the Xbox kind, not the post pub binge kind :sneaky:), it would the silliest business decision to just built some cheap-ass thing that doesn't work for long.

...

So yeah, I double-checked it and aye - it's dead alright - well, in terms of not showing any video or audio when I turn it on (same as in February 2008) ... since then I don't know how many hours I've had out of it, but I've had a good 200 hours (likely more) out of GTA IV and GTA: Episodes From Liberty City alone ... 50 hours on Saints Row 2, 50 hours on The Saboteur, and about a dozen games in-between, I'll have racked up a good 500 hours use since I got it back in Feb 2008 ... even still ... a games console should be built to withstand such use - and I'm not even a hardcore consoler either. Sometimes I use it a fair bit (one or two sessions a day, adding up to 4 or 5 hours on RARE occasions, usually 2 to 3 hours normally - in total in a day over two sessions), and other times I'll have nout to play so it just sits there waiting for a new game to come out.

Like, I hadn't played it since finishing The Saboteur about 4-6 weeks ago, and just figured I should get some more game time in as the end of my warranty was coming up in May this year ... and sure enough, first session back on, that feeling in my bones was confirmed - it was conking out again.

The courier will be here within 5 business days to pick it up. Well ... hopefully I'll at least get another 2 years problem free gaming out of it. Is that so much to ask?

[LouCipherr]

Last time I used my Mega Drive that worked fine too - probably down to simple technology too as it's just some plastic and a circuit board in there, but even still, the connections on the circuit board didn't sever or any such shit because of cheap ass, politically correct solder.

I have a hard time believing this really is the case for one reason and one reason only: my computer is WAY more advanced than my Xbox 360 (you know me, I build serious gaming rigs) - so why is it my computer hardware lasts 4, 5, 6 or so years and is more advanced than my 360, yet the 360 (which is just esentially a lower-end computer in a smaller box) doesn't last anywhere near as long?

I don't know, MZ.. it just seems... 'fishy' to say the least. Know what I mean? :shifty:

[MinionZombie]

I think the big thing with the 360 is they rushed it out a year ahead of it being truly ready, which is the common thought regarding the 360. Launched too soon and underdeveloped.

The Wii and PS3 don't have the same hardware problems ... but then again they don't have the same gaming catalogue, which is the reason the 360 has essentially become 'the big dawg' of the three, even though the Wii has solder more units (unsurprising considering it's family oriented style).

[LouCipherr]

I think the big thing with the 360 is they rushed it out a year ahead of it being truly ready, which is the common thought regarding the 360. Launched too soon and underdeveloped.

True, although you'd think by now they'd have a grip on these problems, but apparently not. :(

[MinionZombie]

It was generally felt to be ready but a number of the staff at Microsoft were aware of the 360's technical problems and kept schtum about it. Needless to say, Gatesy ended up firing them.

Interesting. At least Gates did the right thing in the end then, especially as their keeping quiet cost MS $1 billion! :stunned: Plus it pissed off a lot of gamers.

If the next Xbox isn't built like 'der fuhrer bunker', I'd be surprised.


True, although you'd think by now they'd have a grip on these problems, but apparently not. :(

Aye, although to be fair they've improved the reliability of the 360 quite a bit, with new chips or whatever that are thinner and don't produce as much heat, although the failure rate still seems to be higher than it's supposed to be by a fair margin.

If they make the same mistake twice, then it'll be fail egg all over MS' face.

[Danny]

Interesting. At least Gates did the right thing in the end then, especially as their keeping quiet cost MS $1 billion!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/khazrak/bill-gates-1983.jpg



"Bitches don't know, 'bout my windows 1.0"

[fartpants]

funny but my p.c, laptop and x-box all developed faults within 3 months of their warranties running out....coincidence, i think not:rockbrow:

as for the caps idea of only using the console for 6 hours a week, well iv got 3 sons and one console so its normally on for 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, so i suppose i cant be too shocked that its dying...

[MinionZombie]

funny but my p.c, laptop and x-box all developed faults within 3 months of their warranties running out....coincidence, i think not:rockbrow:

as for the caps idea of only using the console for 6 hours a week, well iv got 3 sons and one console so its normally on for 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, so i suppose i cant be too shocked that its dying...
Even still, a console is bought to be used, so they should be built to last.

I have a question regarding that billion dollar RROD warranty thing MS put out - an automatic 2 extra years coverage after your warranty ran out specifically to cover only the RROD - what about people, like me, who bought an extra 2 years coverage (for all issues) ... do we get the 2 years free RROD warranty added on after our extra, paid for, 2 years all coverage is up?