30GB Zunes dying en masse across the globe
We haven’t the slightest clue as to why this is happening so please bear with us, but owners of Microsoft Zunes with 30GB hard-drives have been reporting that their devices have inexplicably malfunctioned and refuse to boot up. Seriously. Reports are flooding in from all over the world and the same sad story is being repeated over, and over, and over again. People are waking up and have been attempting to power on their Zunes for a morning commute or just for some morning tunes, only to find that they are holding nothing more than an expensive brick that freezes on the Zune boot-up screen. The problem is so widespread that all of the Zune forums (yes, apparently there are more than one) are buzzing with people swapping stories about their “Z2K” experiences. We’ll be sure to update you as soon as we hear something from Microsoft, but so far it looks like no one has successfully brought a 30 back from the dead.
Not fair picking on the Zune buyers they are totally out numbered. Even Sandisk beat the Zune. In fact I think M$ only sold about ten of these so have a good wait for any fix coming soon. They could not get the Xbox fixed for a year! All it is is Toshiba hardware and M$ software, which it sure looks like the part that has the problem in the $oftware, how $urprising M$ screwed up! Now all of the are BROWN!
Just let me throw this out there so there’s no misunderstanding:
THE ZUNE SUCKS. HARD!
It’s Y2K all over again, but this time with a different MS product.
With the iPod touch having about 13,938 apps with over 4,000 being games (many free), WiFi that has an excellent browser and email, maps, VoIP, better UI, IM, radio (not just FM – Internet and AM, seems like a great time to drop the Zune in the nearest circular filing cabinet and buy an iPod touch. It will make you smile.
I doubt that this is a issue related to the date, why? cause it’s only affecting the 30GB if this had anything to do with the date all Zunes would have been dead don’t you think. What’s really F*ckup though is that almost everyone that owns the 30GB model is out of warranty, am not surprise though, how ya think people that brought Vista ready machines felt when they try to upgrade not knowing what microsoft knew all along that the machine couldn’t run the OS properly, now ya know what it feels like
I have 2 unactivated Zunes, still in the box that I’ve been meaning to sell. I wonder if the profit will go up or down…
Wow, these iPod dipshits are almost as bad as the http://www.bluray.com guys. Yeah, we get it… you have an iPod, just like the other 55,000,000 people out there. Oh wait, I’m sorry you have the hot pink iPod… just like the other 8,521,468 people out there.
I’m not a Zune owner myself, I have an iPod video I received as a gift a few years ago. From day one the thing has looked like crap, the screen can permanently scratched with a fingernail and the chrome back was total garbage after a few months of being in leather case. That all being said, I cant bring myself to throw it away because it still works and it sounds halfway decent. It was also like $400.00 at the time I received it…
That being said, these holier than thou iPod geeks really need to keep their mouths shut. The iPod is not gods own MP3 player, its just the most popular.
http://forums.zune.net/0/1/408989/ShowPost.aspx#408989
[quote][Update - 2:20pm PST]
Hi guys,
I just got an update from the team that I want to share with you. Great news! It looks like this issue will resolve itself over the next 24 hours. Please read the response below. Thank you all for your extreme patience with this!
-Matt
=-=-=-=
Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year. The issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on. If you’re a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.
Customers can continue to stay informed via the support page on zune.net (zune.net/support).
We know this has been a big inconvenience to our customers and we are sorry for that, and want to thank them for their patience.
Q: Why is this issue isolated to the Zune 30 device?
It is a bug in a driver for a part that is only used in the Zune 30 device.
Q: What fixes or patches are you putting in place to resolve this situation?
This situation should remedy itself over the next 24 hours as the time flips to January 1st.
Q: What’s the timeline on a fix?
The issue Zune 30GB customers are experiencing today will self resolve as time changes to January 1.
Q: Why did this occur at precisely 12:01 a.m. on December 31, 2008?
There is a bug in the internal clock driver causing the 30GB device to improperly handle the last day of a leap year.
Q: What is Zune doing to fix this issue?
The issue should resolve itself.
Q: Are you sure that this won’t happen to all 80, 120 or other flash devices?
This issue is related to a part that is only used in Zune 30 devices.
Q: How many 30GB Zune devices are affected? How many Zune 30GB devices were sold?
All 30GB devices are potentially affected.
Q: Will you update the firmware before the next leap year (2012)?
Yes.
Matt Akers
Zune Product Team[/quote]
“Sid” is a tool. As for the Zune, seriously, it can’t handle day 366? What? Is this why MS didn’t release it until 2005? I can hear the MS guys now: “Our ‘iPod killer’ is done, but it can’t be released until ‘05 because IT CAN’T HANDLE A LEAP YEAR.”
Perspective: Keep your mutterings to yourself. Its quite obvious that you are content to piss on every other MP3 player in existence in order to justify your purchase. Either that or you cant convince your mommy to buy you both an iPod and a Zune. Keep on trucking lil’ dude.
Dork
@ Sid:
If you don’t want the “mutterings” keep quiet! Sorry your Zune broke and you are afraid to even admit you own one. There are many Zune owners like you. Makes me wonder why they bought it and actually kept it!
@ Paul
Ummmm… How can the iPod Touch support VoIP when it doesn’t even have a microphone? That would be a really 1-sided conversation. And the radio stuff you’re talking about is only available if you download the app. It’s just an mp3 player. The people who designed and made these products (iPods and Zunes) are not perfect so why do we expect the products to be? At least they (MS) commited to fixing the problem.
Truphone for iPod touch app that is free works perfectly with second generation iPod touch (current model) See here http://www.truphone.com/ipod/
The only one sided conversation I get is from some commenters on this website who believe what that want that has nothing to do with fact!
The iPod touch is NOT just a MP3 player, it is more of handheld computer, basically an iPhone without the phone.
Pandora, AOL Radio, Last.fm, I Heart Radio, and several other apps are ALL FREE! One finger touch and they are installed. All easy all free!
WiFi, a REAL browser and email along with over 13,000 apps with over 4,000 being games make the iPod touch way ahead of the Zune. PLUS the iPod can handle leap year!
Ummmm… You may want to get out and look around a bit more, OK Lumbergh!
I’m happy that my Zune ressurected…it must be Easter lol!
Do we really think Microsoft will spend the time to fix this if it only happens once every 4 years on a 3 year old product? You must be joking. Maybe if they renamed the Zune to Cherokee everyone would love it more. Just sayin…
I have the 30 Zune and absoutely love it more than any ipod i’ve ever owned. But on zune.net there’s a solution to the problem…microsoft states this:
“Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30-GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used),” Microsoft said in an e-mail. “The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year. That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30-GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow (1-1-09) you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on. If you’re a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.”
Zune can’t HANDLE the Loop Year. UNH ! and that’s the way it is. lollllll.
ZUNEY REALLY! Now I know why they are BROWN! HAHAHA
I read there is gong to be a Zune throwing contest. The person that throws their Zune the furtherest wins an iPod touch! I bought an iPod touch last night, bye Zune. My Zune is going to eBay where I may get a dollar for it.