Xbox360 Defects

[powersoul]

Hi people, just wanna ask about the defects.

Just two weeks back, I purchased an Asian Xbox360 Elite 250GB which, regrettably, was Made in China.

However, after 8 days, whenever I play games, the console will beep and shutdown with no warning or error messages, usually 5-10mins after console startup. I had already disabled auto-shutdown (which is supposed to trigger only after 6 hours anyway), ensure all power sockets and plugs fit nicely and running my game using original CDs.

I checked online on possibilities and they included overheating, but how can it overheat when my console is placed on a metal perforated stool in a VERY COLD ROOM (16 degrees Celsius to be exact)?

In fact, the problem gets worse with each passing day. It began with two shutdowns on the first day of the defect, then progressed to 3 on the next, 4 and so on. At time of this email, my console had shutdown-ed 10 times before it worked normally again.

I know I should bring it in for repair or exchange, but I just want to know what could have caused all of these to happen?

Notes:
1) I tried placing my console vertically and horizontally, but nothing different happened
2) The only 3 games I played so far are Deathsmiles 1/2 and Star Ocean 4
3) I'm running on wireless controller. Initially I thought my controller short-circuited and triggered the shutdown, but after trying another 2 controllers, my console still auto shutdown-ed
4) I always turn off my console after removing the game disc from the drive and returning back to the Xbox360 Dashboard
5) Playtime daily usually only last an hour
6) I'm not using any HDMI cables
7) Shutdowns occur even when I'm not connected to XBLA

Any inputs?!?!

[Skykid]

Just two weeks back, I purchased an Asian Xbox360 Elite 250GB which, regrettably, was Made in China.

Lol, get used to it man, what console isn't made in China?

(sorry I can't help btw.)

[nZero]

Sounds like you just got a lemon and there's nothing really to be done about it other than returning it and getting a new one. Unfortunately, sometimes shit happens, through no fault of your own.

[BPzeBanshee]

Updated the Dashboard recently?

I updated mine to the January 19 version and now I'm having problems with some games that are on discs. My XBLA games work fine though.
At the same time, chances are if you havent updated it ever that may actually be the problem.

[powersoul]

Yes, I had an update recently. Come to think of it, it really started on the Jan 19, exactly 8 days after purchase. Well, if it's the update causing so much ruckus, wouldn't a lot of others be complaining about it also?

But I still believe it had to do with it being Made in China... hell I remembered the Asian console was Made in Vietnam!

However... is there any other people with such problems? To be specific with my problem, the screen fades out as if I manually turned off my console, not just flick off like switching off a computer monitor. I hope to be able to pinpoint what exactly went wrong, as all my other friends using Elite had no problem... so far.

EDIT: after reading all about the Jan 19 update, it seems that the patch was meant to kick out modded consoles or something. These people only had problems with their trays not reading the disc. Mine does everything normally, but just shutdown with a beep EVEN AT THE XBOX360 DASHBOARD! I mean, WOW! MICROSOFT DID IT AGAIN!

[Daigohji]

Can you hear the system fans running? Regardless, I'd get a replacement. 360s tend to develop problems or die at some point, but if you're having such serious issues in the first week, something was obviously fucked up at the manufacturing stage (cold solder joints or somesuch).

[evil_ash_xero]

I would just get a replacement. It's WAY to early for you to be having any problems. I have had systems repaired, to just break down a couple of months later. Get a new, more stable system, with no problems.

[powersoul]

Yeah, I'm gonna bring it down to exchange. Then I ran into another problem.

I bought a Imation flash drive, hoping to store all my game data on it. Then they tell me it failed data loss test, and I blew at least 20 bucks on that. In short, I can't use that drive.

[ZacharyB]

I bought a Imation flash drive, hoping to store all my game data on it. Then they tell me it failed data loss test, and I blew at least 20 bucks on that. In short, I can't use that drive.

Do you mean, the xbox360 ran a test on your flash drive and found that it was not high-quality?

On this note, can anyone recommend a good flash drive brand for storing x360 games?

[Cuilan]

Any inputs?!?!

Is the power supply well ventilated also? Do you hear the power supply's fan spinning? Does it smell like burning plastic? Are there any devices nearby that could be emitting IR signals?

[BPzeBanshee]

Yes, I had an update recently. Come to think of it, it really started on the Jan 19, exactly 8 days after purchase. Well, if it's the update causing so much ruckus, wouldn't a lot of others be complaining about it also?

But I still believe it had to do with it being Made in China... hell I remembered the Asian console was Made in Vietnam!

However... is there any other people with such problems? To be specific with my problem, the screen fades out as if I manually turned off my console, not just flick off like switching off a computer monitor. I hope to be able to pinpoint what exactly went wrong, as all my other friends using Elite had no problem... so far.

EDIT: after reading all about the Jan 19 update, it seems that the patch was meant to kick out modded consoles or something. These people only had problems with their trays not reading the disc. Mine does everything normally, but just shutdown with a beep EVEN AT THE XBOX360 DASHBOARD! I mean, WOW! MICROSOFT DID IT AGAIN!

The update's main issues are with anti-piracy on games and disc-related stuff, that's the trouble I've been having. Some people are complaining of RRoDs as well but at least that's covered by MS.

Your warranty should still be good - Microsoft will apparently send forms in some way that will let you send your Xbox to them free of charge. My friend did it, sent the hard drive with it, and got everything back A-OK.
As for USBs, I've never encountered a pathetic one, though my current one's a Verbatim 4 GB that does everything (even works with Wii Homebrew programs whereas my older ones stopped working for such for some reason). To fix your current one, run chkdsk using MS-DOS when plugging it into a Windows machine with the necessary tags (running it with /? will show you the tags available) and that should fix it. Otherwise, it's fucked.

[powersoul]

Any inputs?!?!

Is the power supply well ventilated also? Do you hear the power supply's fan spinning? Does it smell like burning plastic? Are there any devices nearby that could be emitting IR signals?

-Power supply was normal. The only other plug using the same wall socket was the TV.
-No burning smell
-IR... don't think so

Actually after reading all these, I came to conclude, not officially, that the power button is fked. They made it soooooooooooooo sensitive, even a cat-paw was boasted to have been able to operate the touch buttons. Somehow, these touch-sensitive stuff work by heat, and heat generated during the game "pressed" the button for me. Weird that after 5-10 shutdowns it worked for the rest of the day till I turn it off.

Hence, the 8th Wonders of the World: MIC (Made In You-Know-Where) Assembly

[powersoul]

Alright, it's been confirmed that the power adaptor was the culprit, but weird that defects only showed after 7 days...

[Specineff]

You probably just got a lemon. This laptop I am using at the moment had a nasty problem that would turn it off exactly after booting Windows. I could go into the BIOS or anywhere else, but upon trying to get to the desktop, bam. Power off. And this was fresh off the box, right out of the store.

Had it fixed in about one week, and it's been working fine ever since. (Knock on wood.)