Xbox 360 Fall Update bricking systems?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Oct 31, 2006 12:44 pm PT

Source: Posts on message boards like the official Xbox forums and Team Xecuter, followed up on by articles at mod-savvy sites like Xbox Scene. The official story: A Microsoft rep said the company had no comment at this time. What we heard: Microsoft released its Fall System Update for the Xbox 360...

Source: Posts on message boards like the official Xbox forums and Team Xecuter, followed up on by articles at mod-savvy sites like Xbox Scene.

The official story: A Microsoft rep said the company had no comment at this time.

What we heard: Microsoft released its Fall System Update for the Xbox 360 today and Internet forums were quickly buzzing with reports that the update had "bricked" users' consoles, rendering them unable to play games or even boot up normally.

While Microsoft is staying mum on the subject, the bulk of speculation is that the Fall Update is intended to brick Xbox 360s that have been modded. However, some posters are reporting problems with unmodded consoles being bricked, and forum-goers at Xbox Scene are saying that the update is not consistently bricking modded consoles.

Furthermore, Team Xecuter is reporting that bricked consoles can still be repaired relatively painlessly, and that Microsoft isn't banning GamerTags or specific systems from Xbox Live, something that would seem a distinct possibility if the company wanted to come down hard on modders.

So what's the deal here? If Microsoft intended to brick modded consoles, it didn't do a very thorough job of it (perhaps a warning shot to make people think twice about modding systems?). If it's an unexpected bug with the Fall Update, it seems convenient that it's happening primarily to modded systems.

Still, the few reports of the Fall Update bricking unmodded systems are troubling. While fixing the system might be an easy thing for people who cracked their systems open in the first place to mod them, it's still not something the average gamer is bound to be capable of doing.

Whether intentional or not, it seems the Fall Update is turning some Xbox 360s into paperweights. But with varying reports about who it's happening to and why, and Microsoft not explaining what's going on, there's no sure way to say which 360s will be affected by the problem.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus.

520 Comments

  • fifachamp422

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 7:30 pm PT

    mine got bricked its fkn stupid i wanna play call of duty

  • CaptBattleShip

    Posted Dec 14, 2006 7:04 pm PT

    I just recieved My repaired xbox 360. Powered it up everything was fine until it said it had to update the xbox. Soon as it finished updating, WHAM! got the red ring of death. Now I have to pay shipping for the piece of junk they sent me to get repaired. Sending it back 1 hour after I recieved it. Advice to People. Don't buy an Xbox. They are JUNK.

  • gtifreak191

    Posted Nov 28, 2006 8:30 pm PT

    After applying the Fall 2006 update my console now won't boot up from a cold state (IE: overnight). Turning off using the console button and then trying again always does the trick. No freeze ups "yet" in any long term game play so far. My console isn't modded at all. I'm guessing the system's flash rom version or perhaps the revision # of the console isn't too happy with the update for some reason. The cold boot hang's are annoying but at least the thing still plays games. TIme will tell if Microsoft issues another patch to correct the patch...gee sounds like XP hotfixes eh?...

  • badhazard

    Posted Nov 23, 2006 7:55 pm PT

    OMG. My 360 has been acting up these past few days. while i was playing Marvel. it would freeze up. Id shut it up and it wont start up like it use to. I also have to cycle through the power on and off. Pulling all the cords out and plugging it back in

  • ickygod

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 10:18 pm PT

    Aaaah! This is infuriating - I just found this - since the update my Xbox has been tweaked, constantly crashes, and everygame says it requires update to play on Live, but system says I have no connection when I try to update - test the connection and everything comes up fine - I am NOT a modder! And I contacted Xbox support, they just told me to check my connection again or send in the Xbox for repair - very upsetting to hear this now!

  • aquinofgv

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 6:11 pm PT

    Mine is no longer working!!!

    Microsoft, please send me another one ASAP! Contact me trough my email please: guaquino1@gmail.com!

    Counting on you!

  • Earth1Superman

    Posted Nov 17, 2006 9:40 pm PT

    fall update made my 360 a dvd player and killed xbox live first my 360 is not modded. After the fall update my 360 stopped reconizing it self as a xbox. when i put in a game now, I get the screen you get when you put a game in a dvd player that says "this disk must be played in a xbox." I have to cycle the power on and off several times before the game will come on. Also I can no longer log in to xbox live. But when I run the connection test it tells me every thing is fine.

  • Justinio

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 3:25 am PT

    My 360 crashed and burned because of this update. It won't even boot now, and I never even touch the darn thing except to open it's tray for games! This is my second 360, and I'm going for my third. Either that second 360 of mine was a refurb of a modder, or Microsoft doesn't know WTF they're doing.

  • agamre

    Posted Nov 12, 2006 11:51 am PT

    Mine's been working fine since December last year. Was also working fine after the update. bought Call of Duty 3, froze at the first save point. Now freezes about 2-3 minutes in on every game and also the dashboard. Emailed Customer Support and waiting for a response.

  • jrskelly

    Posted Nov 11, 2006 5:51 pm PT

    I am not a modder. I play Xbox about 4-5 hours per week. Downloaded the update from Xbox Live, downloaded the RainBow Six 3 demo and my Xbox experienced a hardware failure within 5 minutes of starting the demo. I've called Xbox tech support 3 times now and they absolutely refuse to help me unless I spend $139 to fix it. This is outrageous.

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 12:32 pm PT

    So should I wait to get a 360?

  • fleaswallow

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:44 am PT

    My System did get bricked, and i DON't have it modded. All i did was update the Fall patch and download RainbowSix demo. Now my system is locked up and i cannot use it.

    I will NOT be sending my xbox to Microsoft for something they screwed up!! They are charging customers MONEY to look at their systems for them, even though the patch/demo was not fully tested.

    So Microsoft just reached in my pants and stroked me gently while Gears of wAr was coming out, then they leave me haning with a busted up 360!! I haven't even got a response from Customer Support. What a crock of shat

  • hnavp

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 9:31 pm PT

    I have one of the earlier systems (which was already very glitchy!) and the Fall Update finally killed it. I'm not a modder, just a regular gamers, and now my box is totally dead. In two messages to XBOX 360 support, I got 2 replies back asking for "more details." How much more detail they need besides "I hit the power button and not a thing happens" I guess will tell me how much of a run-around I'm going to get on this.

  • Rhubarb9

    Posted Nov 6, 2006 9:42 am PT

    good thing they dont update on the PS2

    AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA ehm yes.... heard there was a button combo that fixes this though

  • spartan1308

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 10:53 pm PT

    Someone asked if modding is illegal. It is against the Live Code of Conduct and you can be banned for modding. People do it all the time and ruin Halo 2. Although the bigger problem w/Halo 2 is bridging. Both are stupid and ruin the game for people who just want to play the game and have fun. Screw the modders!

    BTW if you think PS3 won't have this problem then you are completely naive. If that thing has a Linux base, those systems are going to be open for all kinds of issues including most likely the first console virus since it has a web browser. Enjoy.

  • Gundamforce

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    No problems here. The rumors must have been started by rabid playstation fanboys. Things are really heating up now that the console war is starting.

  • Dantai

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 7:42 pm PT

    wooo im bricked, thats just great...

  • DEM0NCHIEF

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 10:49 am PT

    mine is fine, no problems what so ever. The only thin i dont like about the update is how i now have to go to media- videos- gametrailers to see my game vids and trailers, its kinda annoying

  • jlemdon

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 6:32 am PT

    I'm glad mines still work with update I feel for the people who just bought there systems. but anyway MS should have a somewhere in the marketplace where you can get the old updates as well as the new ones.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 5, 2006 1:48 am PT

    Sneaky sneaky!

  • megamega777

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 5:25 pm PT

    the only thing that the "brick effect" did to my X360 is that it has a delayed start up, and that's about it...

  • walrus1

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 4:29 pm PT

    yet another excellent reason for not buying a 360

  • NobodysFool990

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 2:31 pm PT

    I also didn't have a problem with my update. Good stuff Microsoft.

  • TakaNui

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 1:52 pm PT

    im not a modder and i think it bricked mine, it just went back and now i cant play gears or COD3!!!!

  • DarkDante152

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 6:03 am PT

    My Xbox 360 works fine.

  • Ze_man_2

    Posted Nov 4, 2006 5:29 am PT

    My 360 was not modded, and I got this problem. I first thought it was Splinter Cell double agent the responsible because there was an update for this game the same day as the 360 update, but I was wrong. Now my 360 just got the red lights of doom!! You better repay everybodies 360 that you messed up Microsoft!!

  • VincentV21

    Posted Nov 3, 2006 10:19 pm PT

    I have actually had some slow down since the update, and on the rainbow six demo, it froze completely! Microsoft for the win!

  • Riotpirate90

    Posted Nov 3, 2006 6:15 pm PT

    theres a deuce load of messages deleted, try not to be A-holes, yeah I dont think mine got afected but Ive only booted it up once or twice since I got the update

  • sbaird007

    Posted Nov 3, 2006 6:10 am PT

    I have a brand new unit(purchased 10/31/06) that was fried. had to replace twice already!

  • neowelchsevilsm

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 3:00 pm PT

    I think it is any individuals right to do what they want with their console.
    Be it modding, playing, or busting the damn thing in the middle of the street!
    It's your money, and your console.

  • Dr_Feelgood

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    Microsoft is just asking to be sued on this one. Modding is not illegal, and if this is true then they ought to be sued for this move. If anything, Microsoft disabled some modded systems but not all in what seems to be a random pattern therefore making it difficult to prove that this update does in fact disable modded systems.

  • ntwining99

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 10:11 am PT

    second question: how come microsoft hasn't simply taken the update away. Seems its causing more problems than its fixing.

  • mcpro79

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:55 am PT

    mine just came back from the repair center i downloaded the update and i got system error ( if somebody knows what E71 means ) i call them and they whanted me to repay for shipping and i toll them i got my console 10 min before the problem and they offer to pay for the shipping.. so too more weeks untill i get mine back

  • ntwining99

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:42 am PT

    My mate's 360 bricked two weeks ago so he shipped it out. Got a refurbished one on monday via microsoft. Ran update on tuesday and bricked 'new' 360 which was either unmodded or modded by microsoft. Either way they were quick to pay for shipping this time round.

  • Jackar35

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:23 am PT

    Okay.

    Modding, in itself, is not bad. It doesn't make you evil. It doesn't neccessarily mean that the person is cheating when they have a modded Xbox 360.

    However, the problem is that modding can allow for cheating on levels that are unfair to other players. Additionally, it is tampering with the system hardware and software itself, which is illegal as it modify's the object from its original purpose. Thus, why Microsoft may attempt to stop these people from playing on XBL. Its nothing against the people who have the modded Xboxs, but they have to maintain a FAIR enviroment for play. This includes broad spectrum bans and anti-piracy patches. I dont hold it against Microsoft for doing this.

    However, this patch appears to be nothing more than a corrupted download. If it hits modded Xbox's more than non-modded Xboxs, it could be making a minor edit to the Bios, which are often changed during modding. I doubt that this is a specific target to brick Xboxs.

    And for god sake, it doesn't mean that Microsoft sucks. They made a big ass mistake though, no doubt about it.

    And guys? Check Spelling. Its right friggin there.

  • Darkstarinhell

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:14 am PT

    No problems here. I'm am mad that they got rid of Mono audio support. Yeah my tv is old.

  • ghostofpieface

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:14 am PT

    Well i had 2 get a nu xbox 360 from microsoft cos the old 1 broke. And when i downloaded the nu update it screwed up my nu 360. Come on microsoft get ur act together

  • capthunt

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 9:02 am PT

    HAHA! Another reason xbox sucks

  • henkievanfeen

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 7:20 am PT

    mine got bricked....

    there was one red light (in the bottom right corner)

  • FriendOfFoe

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 6:53 am PT

    You own the system, you do what you want with it...the end.

  • Irve

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 5:51 am PT

    You know if MS would improve the media centre aspects of the 360 themselves i can see no legitimate reason for peeps to mod their machine ... But these updates to disable / ban / frighten modders will only become more of an issue ....

  • snakenamedjoe

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 4:36 am PT

    You can not do whatever you want to any piece of property that you own. Most electronics come with a statement somewhere on the box saying that it is illegal to modify the item for any use other than that intended by the manufacturer. You are breaking patent laws when you alter electronics, and often you may accidentally incur coding violations. Think of the little warnings telling you that devices must accept all interferance, even if this interferance causes unwanted effects on that item.

    You could mod the original PS1 without altering the electronics of the system by plugging a cartridge into the back port. Newer systems can only be modded by altering the electronics themselves and that is illegal.

  • dreamkin

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 3:19 am PT

    Modding a console itself is not illegal. Furthermore, preventing it is against the constitution of almost every single civilized country I know. Once you own an object you have every right to do anything to it. And if MS or any other body attacks you for doing this, online or otherwise, they are interfering with your legal rights and damaging your property. Simple as that.

  • Jumbo120788

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 2:06 am PT

    McDog3
    "Why is modding so bad? If it was intentional, then i'd be mad, and I don't even own a 360. If some person wants to go and screw with his toy he bought for $3-400, then I say go for it."
    why is modding bad? apparently you have never played online try playing a game that you use to enjoy but is now ruined due to the amount of modding

  • Mattyc_92

    Posted Nov 2, 2006 1:16 am PT

    I ordered a Xbox 360 from play.com Monday, and it turned up yesterday.
    When I connected it to the net, it asked to download and install an update, which I accepted.
    After the download, the console rebooted and crashed.
    Since then, i've been getting a "System Error" with the code E 71 (which is an unknown error).

    I have contacted Microsoft for help, and they haven't yet replied. So I have also contacted the retailer to ask for a replacement.
    To top it all off. The games I ordered have turned up today as well :-(

  • gamer_sammy

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 9:04 pm PT

    the update is wonderful......although now i wish i have bought a 1080p TV instead of a 720p one

  • cocodri

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 7:46 pm PT

    it makes perfect sense why all of a sudden my xbox completely froze up on me for no reason at all today. i guess i am one of those few lucky ones that got my non moded xbox 360 bricked.

  • igoraraujo

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 6:15 pm PT

    mine did my 360 is not modded, though!!! which leaves me really ANGRY!
    i turned my xbox back on from the update and i received the mighty "Three Rings of Death". the M$ that i talked to said that i was the first customer with that problem today to talk to him about.

    sending it back to M$ to repair it tomorrow...

  • ssjdagas

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 5:44 pm PT

    My 360 is NOT modded in any way and it bricked. If they intended to attack modders, they sure missed by a mile!

  • DragonsFairy83

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    my xbox is not modded, and it is bricked. at first M$ wanted to tell me mine was modded and my warranty was void. I fought over that, they came back on the phone and said sorry we mistook the error codes, the update download is currupt, please wait until you see the fix available from the news on m$ site. I am mad considering I just got NFS carbon, and can't even play it.

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