How Gears of War Kills My 360 (pics)

[Blackwolf]

So, even though on my last show, I stated I wouldn't get Gears "just cuz" - my girlfriend got Gears after work Tuesday night. So, I played some UNO with Hendrix and someone else in our Chromehounds squad while reading the manual on the Vision cam. It was great fun, and a dream come true for yours truly.

Then we actually put Gears in. All was well - up until the first firefight in the tutorial level. Then, things started looking like shit.

http://static.flickr.com/119/292418477_3ce53b7605_o.jpg

Vertical dotted lines - much like the ones you see before your system freezes and then you see the three flashing red lights - start pouring down the screen. But there's no drop in framerate or any freezing, it just has these lines going down.

http://static.flickr.com/100/292418494_6cd2148ac2_o.jpg

Even during the cutscene that follows the tutorial, the lines stick around.

http://static.flickr.com/120/292418519_ca54adce1f_o.jpg

Let me tell you, Marcus does NOT look flattering when he's got all of these lines cutting him into many pieces.

http://static.flickr.com/113/292418538_81b82ad14f_o.jpg

It even sticks around after I quit the game. I have to reboot the system and then all is fine - until about 5 minutes into Gears, where the lines show up again, usually during the next big firefight.

I have called 1-800-4MY-XBOX and they reccomended that I trade in the game disc and get a new one (good luck, I'm sure everyone's sold out by now) since it happens in the same place every time and only in this game - my GF has spent hours in Oblivion since we got this new 360 last week (my last one died from three flashing red lights during Cloning Clyde) and there have been no glitches at all.

These pictures were actually taken during our third run-through of the tutorial, and the glitch occured at the same point all three times, so I'm thinking it's more of a game thing and not a system thing. My system is properly ventilated and the power brick is far away from the console itself.

My launch-day-ish PS2 still works fine, as does my launch day GameCube, Xbox, Dreamcast...

[arefx]

karma

[Digital*Firefly]

Should have gotten a premium console ;)

[agn]

Should have gotten a premium console ;)
lol
unrelated I think they're not confirming the larger hard drive because people wont buy the premium pack because they will feel like they're screwed with the 20 gig bundled

[Blackwolf]

karma

For?

Anyways, I swapped out and got a new game disc, same thing. Looks like my 360 needs to go back to M$.

[Digital*Firefly]

For?



Two words: Cold Sadwiches

[chrisphil1724]

Two words: Cold Sadwiches

PWNED

[dcNate]

I dun get it.

HAY MAYBE YOU NEED AN XBOX INTERCOOLER?!

:/

[Hendrix]

karma

You're a douche.

[BloodShot iPod]

Didn't Bronco say his 360 did something similar before it finally crapped out?

[C0lin]

It's like anyone who bought one at or near launch is just waiting for the Grim Reaper to show up for them.

[Digital*Firefly]

It's like anyone who bought one at or near launch is just waiting for the Grim Reaper to show up for them.

lol

Mine was stillborn.

[C0lin]

lol

Mine was stillborn.

Or was it just a very, very late abortion?

[Emptythought]

looks like what happens when the GPU overheats on a PC.

maybe the game just overstresses the system? a few more recent PS2 games would always kick the fan up to high speed and eventually overheat my PS2 if i had the network adaptor in.

the amount of time it took to start screwing up also suggests something like that. then again, i would still try returning the disc before i considered any of that.

[EvilWall]

The only solution is to keep your xbox 360 in a mini fridge.

[Flavius]

MS has stated that no game works the console as hard as Gears.

Definitely looks...and sounds...heat related...with the artifacting.

[Blackwolf]

Oh, I'm certain it's overworking the GPU. The lines actually pop in during a firefight, coinciding with either me shooting a bad guy or a bad guy shooting me. Always when there are multiple enemies on the screen, and most of the time (save for one time) in the daylight. I'm actually gonna take video of it tonight to explain what it is.

This isn't a launch day Xbox 360. My launch day 360 died a few weeks ago - this is the "repaired" 360 they sent me that got here last week. It has a January, 2006 manufacture date.

[Flavius]

I see where you're going with this...I think. :p

Should be interesting to see how many others out there have similar problems with the title.

[BloodShot iPod]

I hear Gears is unbootable on a modded 360.

[Blackwolf]

Didn't Bronco say his 360 did something similar before it finally crapped out?

This looks likely.

My GF rented out Ninety-nine Nights from her EB and was playing it. After about 30-45 minutes of playing, the same pink lines formed in that game.

We also had used the 360 for an hour and a half or so with the HD-DVD addon with no issues.

Looks like we get to send the unit back...Again...I'm gonna wait until next week when we get the PS3 and Wii, and we won't miss it so much (except for the lack of HD-DVD player.)

[BloodShot iPod]

You have HD-DVD player too? When I grow up I wanna be rich just like Blackwolf.

[Hendrix]

This looks likely.

My GF rented out Ninety-nine Nights from her EB and was playing it. After about 30-45 minutes of playing, the same pink lines formed in that game.

We also had used the 360 for an hour and a half or so with the HD-DVD addon with no issues.

Looks like we get to send the unit back...Again...I'm gonna wait until next week when we get the PS3 and Wii, and we won't miss it so much (except for the lack of HD-DVD player.)

Uncle Bobby? Can I have a pony?

[BloodShot iPod]

Do I get a car for graduation?

[chrisphil1724]

Uncle Bobby? Can I have a pony?

Uncle Bobby's pulling down all that Scot Rubin money now. :P

[Burr]

Wouldn't be surprised if it was because of a similar issue to Apple laptops like putting too much thermal paste in some 360s, because heat tolerances really should be the same from system to system if manufacturing were consistent.

[-Beck-]

I think by now it's painfully obvious that the manufacturing of 360's is far from consistent.

[H.A.W.G.]

So how long are they gonna replace launch consoles

[Blackwolf]

Damn, I didn't realize Microsoft was gonna send me a coffin for this 360...Well at least I get a few more days with Sneak King!

[Chinese_Fury]

Bobby,

I would like to pass some info to you all that has helped me out. From MaxConsole~

"I had three red lights for a week tried it everyday and no joy last night i tried something i wrapped it up in a towel and left it on for 10 mins blocking all air holes and guess what i turne it off and on and it worked no problems i have played it for ages and nothing its fine why is this any ideas??"

So my 360 is also experiencing the red light problem, I have called MS cs and they have a box enroute for my 360. So I'm thinking what was the last thing that I did before mine froze up. I was playing GoW. I figuire I have nothing to lose by trying this and it won't void the warranty because I am not openning up the 360 so what the heck.
I kid you not it worked for me. You have nothing to lose at this point. Give it a try.

[Emptythought]

Bobby,

I would like to pass some info to you all that has helped me out. From MaxConsole~

"I had three red lights for a week tried it everyday and no joy last night i tried something i wrapped it up in a towel and left it on for 10 mins blocking all air holes and guess what i turne it off and on and it worked no problems i have played it for ages and nothing its fine why is this any ideas??"
i hope that thread included instructions about grabbing a fucking fire extinguisher also.

not that i couldn't see how that would work(heating it up to the point that possibly a cold solder joint is reseated or something), it just still seems fucking stupid.

[Blackwolf]

I'd try it, but yeah there's fire concerns, and my coffin arrived yesterday and my 360 is en route to Texas as we speak. Thanks for the advice, though!

[Chinese_Fury]

No fire created in the process, just a working Xbox 360 .... so far

The theory goes like this, the heat that is built up fixes weak points on the motherboard, perhaps the thermal paste? perhaps the solding? I'm by no means an expert, but all I know is that it worked on my 360.

I really did not want to have to send my 360 off to MS, especially after reading on various forums that it really doesn't fix peoples problem and creates another problems with people being on their 3rd of 4th repacement 360. Thanks but no thanks.

The first game I tried was GoW again to really push the 360 hard again. So far - so good. And next I am about to leave it on all night and double check it in the morning. It should get really nice and toasty. Will then check to see if there are any problems.

[BloodShot iPod]

You could just stick it in the oven to save time. (don't actually do that)