The Official GWJ Bricked Xbox 360 Thread

CEO
Certis's picture

It's time to catalog our Xbox 360 woes. Past and present, sound off here about your Xbox 360 dying.

Yeah, it's scary. I'm staring into the abyss right now, and it's staring into me, which I think is kind of a dick move on the abyss's part. - Nyles

Office Linebacker
Symbiotic's picture
Location: The Emerald City, WA

I'm currently on my 2nd unit - first one died from the red-ring-o-death - and now experiencing sporadic connectivity issues to Live and my internal media server, seemingly unrelated to my connection or my network hardware. If I can't resolve them in the next week or so, I'm sending this one in for repair.

It should be noted that, as much as I love this system, if this unit dies outside of its warranty period (I have another 8 months or so left - unless I can still extend it to 2 years...?), I will most likely NOT be buying a replacement.

Edit: Second unit is being sent in for repair.

Head Coach
*Legion*'s picture
Location: Monterey

It's a brick and I'm dying slowly
Sent to Redmond but it's going nowhere

Gaming / PC Tech Blog: Blast Processing - www.blastprocessing.net
Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB

New cell phone AIM: Legion SB Cell
Twitter: legion

Goin' Commando
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Edwin's picture
Location: Miami, FL

One dead here. 2nd one is going strong so far.

The King of Empty Promises
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Desram's picture
Location: Saskatoon, SK

I'm on my third.

1st died via 3 segment red ring
2nd started freezing and giving me bizarre squares all on the screen
3rd is flickering and going black, jiggling the av cable effects it and sometimes resolves it.
I'm expecting a 4th soon.

Well, I don't like to toot my own horn, but I'm a pretty good amateur rectal photographer. Would you like to see my portfolio?
Song of the Week: ...on Facebook...

the soul still burns...
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souldaddy's picture
Location: where falling trees make no sound

My 360 has failed once. Microsoft still hasn't fixed the serial number/Marketplace issue. My roommate has had 2 xbox 360s, both which failed within 3 weeks of being new. Koshnika (remember him?) had a 360 which bricked. Another buddy's 360 has not failed.

We shall grapple with the ineffable, and see if we may not eff it after all.

Subtle and Awesome
Sinatar's picture
Location: Edmonton

Still going good with my launch unit.

*Knock on wood*

My days of not taking you seriously have certainly come to a middle.
Nicholas Cage is my hero
My Gamercard

Executive
Donator V2.0
jakeleg's picture

I'm on my third. The first lasted 10 months, the second less than 1 month. #3 has held up for 2 months so far. Once my Best Buy warranty coverage runs out, I probably won't get a replacement.

Abandon All Hope
Chiggie Von Richthofen's picture
Location: Trying to choose a damn avatar.

One down here.

Of all the game systems I've known, this one was the most ... human.

You know, because it's the only one that died!

Ala Peanut Butter Sandwiches!
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mumford's picture
Location: Wisconsin

Still on my first one here. Yeah, not a tale of woe, but I figured it might not hurt to hear that there are some 360s out there that haven't croaked.

Worst signature ever.
Gamertag: Tex Red
www.mumfordland.com

... is people!
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Mr.Green's picture
Location: French Canada

Sinatar wrote:
Still going good with my launch unit.

*Knock on wood*


Same here, Hold my hand Sinatar!

Xbox Live: MrGreen
PSN: MrGreenPSN
Wii: 4859 2... oh f*ck it.

Greenwich Mean Gamer
Donator
1Dgaf's picture

'One red ring to rue them all' is much better title for a thread. Yes.

Apart from that, collecting woes is a good idea.

Rhymes with 'yidcaff'. I don't use smilies. Imagine a wink and a wry grin at the end of most of my sentences. I don't like using exclamation marks either. I'm more friendly than you imagine.

The Emperor's Pimp Hand
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LockAndLoad's picture
Location: Waiting for 5PM...

I thought about making up an online survey for this, but I'm just too damn lazy today...

For those of you whose 360s have gone on to Sto'vo'qor (aka Klingon Heaven), could you also please answer these questions. I am really curious to see the answers.

Was your 360 standing vertically or lying flat?
Was your 360 in an enclosed area, on a shelf or out in the open?
Did you use a third-party cooling device, like the Nyko Intercooler, on your 360?
Do you have any pets in the house?
Did you try the "towel trick"?
Did you ever spray compressed air into the air vents?

Thanks!

Gamertag: RiverRatMatt Xfire: lockandloadgwj
Halo3 Profile: RiverRatMatt

Rising to the Occasion
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Poppinfresh's picture
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

My first died about 3 weeks into its life. So young, so vital...

As for the questions:
It lay flat.
Out in the open.
No cooling device.
No pets.
No towel trick.
No compressed air.

The second one has been going for about six months now.

XBox Live: PoppinfreshGWJ

LobsterMobster wrote:

Wow, my mom is hot.

Abandon All Hope
Chiggie Von Richthofen's picture
Location: Trying to choose a damn avatar.

Answers to questions:

Laying flat.
On a shelf about 8 inches away from the wall, 4 inches on either side, 5 inches above it with the power supply housed on on a larger shelf underneath it.
No 3rd party cooling.
I have a dog (the 360 is immaculately clean if that's what you're getting at).
No towel trick as I've heard it is only temporary.
No compressed air, as there is no dust to be seen. If there is dust deep in the core of the system then that's Microsoft's problem as far as I'm concerned.

Indecisive
Donator V4.0
Funkenpants's picture

They seem to have stumbled onto the perfect simulator for owning an MG or Alpha Romeo sports car from my youth. You loved driving it, but it usually left you stranded at some point.

Good times . . . good times.

Bilge Cat
Donator
Farscry's picture
Location: Commanding at the Helm

My original one died about nine months in. I use it laying flat, on a wooden slat so it's not on the carpet, out in the open so it wouldn't overheat. My replacement has been treated the same as the original.

Office Jester
Donator V4.0
ColdForged's picture
Location: Cary, NC

Launch 360 died at about the 9 month mark. My replacement has been doing well until recently when it froze twice in one night loading Centipede (?) and in the menus of NHL07. No ring of death but frozen.

Rock Band Name Generator!... too funny to merely be coincidence.

"Truly, this mishap has set back the swamp sciences several years." - H.P. Lovesauce, lamenting a tragedy.

Junior Executive
armedbushido's picture
Location: Das Bunker

Launch unit still rocking strong!

Anime Junky
Donator V5.0
Nei's picture
Location: Citadel, Widow System, Serphent Nebula

Launch Xbox 360 died, most likely due to Chromhounds. I got my unit back from Microsoft, it's the same launch unit and I have not had any issues thus far. What ever was fixed... seems like it's working.

Xbox Live: Nei HD | Playstation ID: Nei_GWJ | Too Human

Beernerd
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bennard's picture
Location: FL090

RIP bennard's 360
December 2005 - March 2007

Xbox Live Gamercard - bennard
Bennard's Blog
Beer For Ben

Population: Tire
Aries's picture
Location: Sweating and burning in the Caribbean

4 months old, started to freeze, take extremely long time to load during Oblivion, got bizarre squares on screen, like Desram, then the burning ring of fire.

Answers to questions:

Lying flat.
On a shelf, open front and back, 6 inches of space on each side, and 5 inches above.
No third party cooler, but my basement is below standard room temp.
Pets? Yes, but, like Chiggie I kept it very clean.
Did you try the "towel trick"? No.
Did you ever spray compressed air into the air vents? No.

Xbox Live : Aries GWJ PSN : AriesGWJ
4dSwissCheese says - Parents: don't beat your kids or else they'll wind up fused to a toilet seat.

Wiener Bombardier
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Podunk's picture
Location: The People's Republic of Goodge

I bought my launch unit from Bean, and at some point before the purchase it was bricked and repaired. So it hasn't happened to me, exactly, but it has happened to my hardware.

Xbox Live: CrankyBaby

baggachipz: Who cares about Japan, let them have their silly pointless dog games and countless re-hashes of anime-based dragon princess super lucky crapitty crap.

All your sietch are belong to us
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Fedaykin98's picture
Location: Houston, TX

Still rocking the one I bought in Spring of 2006.

Quote:

Would be a good idea. I plan to have Logan sit in for me when I am on my honeymoon.

- Legion, taking "keeping it in the family" to a whole new level.

Xbox Live: Fedaykin98

All that and a
Donator V5.0
baggachipz's picture
Location: Your mom is a lie.

Launch unit, died about 1 year, 4 months later. 3 red rings.

Lying flat, on a shelf, with 2-3 inches clearance on each side and about 5 inches clearance behind. Power brick on berber carpet next to shelving unit. No other electronics nearby or below.
No third-party cooler (have one now)
1 small dog, but when I opened the unit up after death, there was no pet hair/dust to be found.
No towel trick
No compressed air

I generated a virtual world in the toilet bowl this morning.
-- Podunk on the PS3's mystical, magical abilities

Greenwich Mean Gamer
Donator
1Dgaf's picture

First Xbox. Dead. Bought Nov '06, made April 06.

Sitting in a TV stand. Enclosed. 3-4" on each side, about 8" inches above it to next shelf.

Power adaptor used to sit on a carpet. When the crashing started I put it ontop of a tin for takeaway food.

One cat.

Rhymes with 'yidcaff'. I don't use smilies. Imagine a wink and a wry grin at the end of most of my sentences. I don't like using exclamation marks either. I'm more friendly than you imagine.

Not a mistake, an evolution!
Donator V4.0
Chumpy_McChump's picture
Location: Heading back to Baldur's Gate...

So has anyone had a vertical unit that bricked?

Don't you understand, Cliff? We put a chainsaw on a machine gun! That's it! It doesn't get more awesome than that! We've peaked, man! We've peaked! - ctrl-alt-del on Gears of War 2

Citrus Casanova
Donator V2.0
zeroKFE's picture
Location: In your fruit bowl terrorizing the oranges

Mr.Green wrote:
Sinatar wrote:
Still going good with my launch unit.

*Knock on wood*


Same here, Hold my hand Sinatar!

Yay! I'm not the only one!

Edit: I run both my Xboxes in the vertical position with at least half a foot of clearance on all sides. How about the rest of you who haven't had your box die?

Coffee Grinder
Location: Boston

zeroKFE wrote:
Mr.Green wrote:
Sinatar wrote:
Still going good with my launch unit.
*Knock on wood*

Same here, Hold my hand Sinatar!

Yay! I'm not the only one!

I'm in the same boat as you guys. And by boat I mean inflatable life raft with bicycle tube patches strategically placed.

Location: on a tv stand next to tv stand that holds TV, has PS2 and PS3 stacked on top of it and 2 cats (who are probably at home now creating a contraption to insert fur into my 360).

Xbox Live: Furtivespy Wii: 4675 1222 8046 8152 Blog: Nerds on Sports

All your sietch are belong to us
Donator V3.0
Fedaykin98's picture
Location: Houston, TX

My still-ticking Spring '06 (no idea on build date) 360 is sitting in an entertainment center on top of my (refurbished - ha) Xbox 1. It has a couple inches of clearance on each side and overhead. Obviously, it's horizontal. Power brick is on the wood floor.

Quote:

Would be a good idea. I plan to have Logan sit in for me when I am on my honeymoon.

- Legion, taking "keeping it in the family" to a whole new level.

Xbox Live: Fedaykin98

... is people!
Donator V4.0
Mr.Green's picture
Location: French Canada

zeroKFE wrote:
Edit: I run both my Xboxes in the vertical position with at least half a foot of clearance on all sides. How about the rest of you who haven't had your box die?

Horizontal. Plenty of clearance. It's in the basement where it's always pretty cool. It's rarely used for extended periods though, I don't watch movies with it and when I have played something for 2-3 hours straight, I consider that a marathon.

Xbox Live: MrGreen
PSN: MrGreenPSN
Wii: 4859 2... oh f*ck it.