Red ring of death just "mass hysteria"?

There's an interesting theory on the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death phenomenon: We all know that Microsoft is dealing with so many console returns, but there's a possibility that some 360 owners just caved in to the Xbox 360 red ring of death "mass hysteria". They immediately turned in their consoles upon seeing the four red lights, contributing to the reported high failure rate of the console.

[BlLL GATES]

when it comes to the 360.
its a system designed to work for a short while, and fail accordingly.

[FreedomReign]

My explanation - a really nice ora.

[bumnut]

anyone else getting bored with bill gates comments?

i will stick my neck out and guess yes.

[devi8i]

I have already put BG on Ignore and I suggest everyone else follow suit...

as for mass hysteria, I think not. One cannot simply send in their unit for repair. You have to call the support line, and after being walked through many steps including unplugging all your cables, removing the hard drive, plugging the console into a different power outlet, reattaching all the cables in the order they tell you to on the phone, rinse and repeat, THEN and only then will they issue you a return number and packaging.

PS - If you disagree with me, please speak up as to why. If you believe I am wrong then please show me the error in my ways so that I can change my opinion.

[MikeGdaGod]

yea..........i bet thats what MS hopes it is

[reaperxciv]

is the E68 - video cable error.

In order to fix this, power down the xbox360 and reattach the supplied AV/HD cable in it's specified receptacle.

[ben hates you]

three red lights internal error(i know because i droped my first xbox 360 and other) and four means cable error i know because when i got my new one it had four the second i hooked it up and freaked out and reattached all my cables and then i got the green light

[sfinXters]

Could be true, but not likely. Mass hysteria could only affect those on-line and reading gaming sites, but most of xbox (and other console) users don't and probably don't even know about the scale of the issue.

[Gizmo_Logix]

And back in 2006 when RROD was just starting to gain critical mass. Gamers weren't just automatically turning in their consoles. It's like any electronic device that acts funny. You walk up to it, check the cables, look behind it, reset it a few times, take the disc out, clean it, etc..You check it out.

Even today. You'll sill get people try to "fix" their 360 BEFORE sending it in. It's not like there's some robotic box that pops out of the wall, ready to ship it in, and whoosh it away to Microsoft's HQ like The Jetsons conveyor belt. No, first people try to fix it, shake it, wrap it in a towel or any of the other tricks they use, BEFORE going to the trouble of actually boxing it and actually shipping it.

Just look at the YouTube vids. The moment someone gets the RROD they try many things before sending it off.

What this means is that in addition to the 33% there's a small few (knuckle heads) that send it off without first trying to check it themselves.

[FreedomReign]

When I got the 4 red lights, for the first time.
I thought my console had fried. This is before I knew 4 was different from 3.

True I did the troubleshooting and it worked, but only after disconnecting all cables, USB devices, controllers, and the HDD. I can see, how some would just bring it back to the store.

I can also see how phone support would miss it.

I work in IT, and you just can't underestimate the user. Of those who call at least half just don't care to try ANYTHING before calling, and the other half, are determined they know the problem before you even try to help.

That's IT in a nutshell.

[Rageanitus]

The problem is if you get the 4 rings often and you have to remove all cables , there is a problem

I had very very similar problems on a PC power supply and guess what power cycling and physicaly pulling the cords is the first signs of a faulty power supply.

I spoke to a few individuals who work on desktop support and they say this eventually leads to a fried component on the mobo.

In essense dont underestimate the stupedness of clients but also dont over estimate the capablitly of hardware. This type of troubleshooting just seems like a temporary fix and its not solving the rootcause of the problem

[FreedomReign]

This happened last december after a power outage. Thanks for the heads up though. Sorry if it sounded like I had to do this more than once.

That was the first, and only time I got the 4 lights. Since then np.
Console was purchased Nov 22, 2005.

So you can see why I feel somewhat blessed. Only reason I've called Xbox is to try changing my American XBL account, to a Canadian one. Wouldn't let me. Damn you MS!

[caffman]

since none of the people on my friends list (98) have had 3 rings, and it's supposed to happen on 33% of consoles, this could be an explaination. However, I'm now waiting for the SDF to say that I'm lying and the story was put on by one of the biggest xbox fans on here.

[FreedomReign]

I mean launch console or not, they owe you $139. So did they pay you?

[WaggleLOL]

Yes, Microsoft is wasting 1.1 billion dollars on Dreamcast 360 owners who can't tell the difference between 3 and 4 lights...

So let's just sum up what this article and submission accomplished:

1) Made the submitter looking like a pathetic fanboy
2) Reminded everyone of what a POS the Dreamcast 360 is

High five!

[caffman]

Look to yourself young man

[rev20]

in a fanboy manner.

His point is correct theres no way they extended the warrenty on that particular fault for 3 years and spent 1.1 billion dollers on mass hysteria, just looks like a pr spin to make it look positive.

I have no doubt some people may of made this mistake, but would of been a minority

[barom]

Wasn't the 33% percent rate reported BEFORE Microsoft announced the three year warranty? Also I believe someone approximated that the repairs of a third of the X360s sold would be around 1 billion.

[Gizmo_Logix]

Just like Peter Moore said. The failure rate is a moving target. We'll probably never know the real failure rate.

[mcgrawgamer]

I still think the failure rate is higher than normal, but I do believe that the 4 red lights only made matters worse

[FreedomReign]

RROD - Where does it say 3? In the body of the text but not the headlines.

[FeralPhoenix]

I would just disagree slighty with your statement because I think its safe to say the failure rate was MUCH higher than normal, but again I do believe that the 4 red lights did in fact cause some to falsely believe their console was broken.....OK now somebody is going to come ranting at me for saying that I don't believe 360's have a hardware problem.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

i doubt it's true

[Captain Tuttle]

I know that I was massively hysterical when my first 360 died 2 days before Gears of War came out. No, the 360 has (had?) a legitimate problem. It can't be denied.

Hopefully the new ones are fixed.

[Bathyj]

They cant cant still be making out like its not a problem. How likely is it a significant number of people sent back working xboxes without checking the cables? Isn't that the first thing everyone does when you get a red light? And surely people dont chuck their Xboxes straight into the cardboard coffins as soon as they break. You would try it agin the next day wouldn't you?

For the record, I've had 6 red lights in total. I guess both of mine were actually broken.

The problem way out in the open now, so theres no point trying to make out like its not that bad. M$ still wont even give us real numbers.

[Rageanitus]

What the fanboys say, or how they twist the situation.

The xbox 360 is an electronic that is part of your living room

Most electronics should withstand the heat in a semi enclosed area. Although the ps3 and xbox are small computers the ps3 manages to survive in an enclosed area.

Please MS next time either test your product or make it the size of the xbox 1.

I know ppl who are xbox 1 fans that refuse to purchase the 360 due to the failure rates. And even halo will not push them (maybe they got really dissapointed with halo 2 vs halo 1)

Not to bash the fan boys but it's quite funny to hear an xbox fanboy on this board state "they wont mind the break downs" yet they bash the ps3 for it's "high" price

[monkey602]

I'm really a Sony person at heart i have a Wii but I love my PS3 most, I'm considering getting a 360. The problem is the RROD has me worried about wasting my money, I'm really eager to play Gears Of War, Bioshock and Dead Rising but I am not really convinced I should get one. I'm really hyped over some of the PS3 exclusives on their way so I guess I'll have to wait (what's new?) and just save my money up for something like car insurance. What I'm trying to point out here is how something like the failure rate really effects people's decisions

[Si-Pie]

---

[Si-Pie]

Yeah i can understand as i have a friend in the same position. Ive had a 360 from launch day and have not had 1 single problem wrong with it. Unfortunately the console has been dogged by this high failure rate which is a shame as its got some fantastic games to it. I have a wii to but unfortunately like the PS3 it has no games out YET that really interest me apart from zelda that is. However im looking forward to Metroid prime etc and when the PS3 gets metal gear solid and Little big planet out then i may consider getting one.

[Jen5en]

You and I are in the same boat. I have considered buying a 360 for a long time, I just purchased the PS3 early instead. Lucky me, since the rumors of faulty hardware began surfacing in the time after.

I think a lot of potential consumer business has been wasted or put on hold for Microsoft at this point, and can you really blame people? Microsoft constantly states that the next versions of the Xbox 360 will have 65nm chips and HDMI, plus the 'Falcon' consoles and whatnot. So what's the logic in buying one now? Halo 3 may come in September, but the fixing of the hardware is due next year, and I believe a lot of people, including myself, can wait.

[monkey602]

Actually thats a good point i dont ever hear said. There is so much hatred towards the PS3 and it's slow release of games but the Wii is 10x worse I haven't bought a Wii game since February and there are games I wanted at launch last Christmas that I still haven't heard even an estimated realese date for yet (trauma center). Seems like Nintendo are getting away with a lot.

EDIT: sorry Jen5en the above comment ^ was a reply to the other guy, you got in before me. but I figure that by next year the PS3 will pay off for anyone who bought it. The games start coming in the next few months with some interesting titles. I bought the Wii because I was tired of waiting around for the PS3 so maybe I'm just repeating my actions instead of waiting for the big name games. My wii is on a shelf collecting dust at the moment so the same will probably to the 360 if I buy one. To be honest i dont really know what I'm complaining about I love the games i have at the moment resistance and vegas are great fun online but i guess i just need more. I'm tired of seeing all these amazing games "COMING SOON" but not actually having anything to occupy the waiting space

[Rageanitus]

on pc in the coming months.

[monkey602]

I dont think my PC could handle it :( i hear rumours of Bioshock coming to PS3 though. but I guess with all the recent hype it isnt going to happen. shame, I hope it does

[Rageanitus]

Difference now I have a good pc rig.

But HOnestly if your concerned about defects in the console, then I suggest you not to get it just yet until they release a reliable version of the console.

Bioshock seems much more single player focused, so it does not really rely on multiplayer community, hence you can pick up this game any time in the future and still enjoy it.

Now if you are a halo fan then I guess your going to have to pick up the system to play online.

[monkey602]

I'm sure I'll be hung for this but I have zero interest in Halo. and if I hang around waiting for a fixed version of the 360 all the games I'm waiting for on the PS3 will either be released or close to it so it seems I'm just going to have to wait for Sony to pull the finger out

I'm going to leave it for now and not get one but who knows what the future holds! i bought a gamecube during the last year of its life and picked up a nice back catalouge of games for it too dont regret the decision one bit so i could do the same with the 360 too

[ben hates you]

for halo, Mass Effect

[aiphanes]

And it should not have taken microsoft 2 years to fix the problem. Its still not fixed.

[anh_duong]

if it is mass hysteria why would microsoft say the extra 2yr warranty (on red ring failures only) would cost them over a billion dollar?

assume that once the falcon, 65nm and extra fan makes xbox360 extremely unlikely to suffer rrod then by the end of this year there will be 15 million old xbox 360 which are most likely to suffer rrod. thus 1 billion set aside for rrod does suggest a very high failure rate and not mass hysteria.

hint: if your xbox 360 is getting to almost 3yrs old in the future heat the thing up (block the vents and turn the heating up) and get yourself a better 360.

[Ashira]

...No. I doubt it.
It may explain why there's so many returns (and why Microsoft is rumored to remove the "4 red rings of death"), but it doesn't explain the polls that say 30-40% of owners have had their console die at least once on them.

[Covenant]

Huh.

Guess I've suffered from mass hysteria three times now.

[segasage]

this thread, I thought whether 3 red rings or 4 red rings, was that, the console was fryed. Who reads manuals?

Initially I thought it was all one ring together until I looked closely.

Well you learn something new everyday. So maybe some consoles are fine after the 4-red rings once, but because of the hysteria gamers probably freaked out.

[tk]

Their reputation is so in shreds that the moment the thing boots up and any red light comes on the machine gets send back. Wonder if I can send a car that has three or four red lights on and see if they will send me a new car?

There can be a little bit of truth in it. Still, bad sign that people will send it in when they even think they saw a red light prob.

XB360 owners can maybe answer this - no flaming please...
Is it possible that the system could sometimes have a "temporary" RROD? Little overheating, RROD, leave it of for a few hours and then it is fine again? That could explain the masses send in. System RROD, send it in, the tech switches it on and it seems fine...

[bednet]

Most of my buddies that had the RROD basically just went to Wal-mart, bought a new 360, put their old one in the box of the new one and returned it...that's the fatest way to get your console replaced...and you know it won't be refurbished.

I bet these aren't accounted for in those statistics!

[Ashira]

tk: Even if it's just a temporary overheating or fault, it's still a hardware issue which should not happen. It may indicate that some of the fault is hysteria, but nevertheless...

[Wozzer]

360 is $hit