Microsoft announces “fix” to Zune 30GB problems
Are you still wrestling to bring your Zune 30GB back to life after it crapped out the other night? If so fear not, for Microsoft has published the official “solution” which will supposedly fix all of your troubles. It’s not a quick fix (though it is very easy), but at least if all goes well you’ll be able to have some tunes to listen to to occupy your mind from your blistering hang-over.
My Zune 30 is frozen. What should I do?
Follow these steps:
- Disconnect your Zune from USB and AC power sources.
- Because the player is frozen, its battery will drain—this is good. Wait until the battery is empty and the screen goes black. If the battery was fully charged, this might take a couple of hours.
- Wait until after noon GMT on January 1, 2009 (that’s 7 a.m. Eastern or 4 a.m. Pacific time).
- Connect your Zune to either a USB port on the back or your computer or to AC power using the Zune AC Adapter and let it charge.
Once the battery has sufficient power, the player should start normally. No other action is required—you can go back to using your Zune!
Well, there you have it. Microsoft’s solution to the Z2K9 issue is to let your Zune’s battery die and not plug it in until the big, bad leap year is finished with. Microsoft, do we even need to say how disappointed we are? You try to fight the MP3 juggernaut that is the iPod but your mighty warrior is brought down by a leap year? For shame.
Thanks, jemmark!
1 day without music = PITA
LIFETIME without iTunes = priceless
iTunes and iPod are the biggest noob devices of all time – the lone reason they became the del facto standard was moron people who didn’t understand how to transfer music (and acquire music)
iTunes – so easy a noob can do it.
@ Zac:
No need, your comments said it all you when mention so called problems with ipods and Apple won a Zuney post. Now how “social” is that! HAHAHA
Wow…it sounds like Jobsy made Paul his little bitch and molests him frequently. The only problem is that Paul hasn’t figured out that it is sexual abuse and thinks that is is quite pleasurable.
Paul, you obviously like your iPod and that’s fine. What not fine is that your lack of understanding for anything outside of your world. You seem to forget that people have free wll, which allows people to make choices. You made your choice, and most people are calling you a pussy or a sheep for following the iPod flock. Why do you think you are better because you chose to mindlessly follow the crowd? I own both a Zune and an iPod and like them both. They both do exactly what they are supposed to do. And yes, both devices have had their issues, so it is not limited to MS or Apple.
Fucking dillhole
@ AGBand:
Funny how this post and what I said has nothing to to with Apple or iPods like I said over and over again. HAHA
FANBOYS get over it. YOUR toy is broken and Microsoft built it – NOT Apple, it is NOT an iPod, it is NOT an iPods fault! It is a Zune, that could never be confused with an iPod. There is no issue or issues with the iPod that broke it in MASS for days, not a one! Especially not as stupid as not knowing the date that kills it! Nice trying to say see, it happens to all devices. IT DIDN’T! IT happen to the Zune!
Funny the Xbox 360 broke all over the place, scratched discs, and M$ took months of lousy service to fix any of them. The Sony Playstation 3 that is more advanced as it has Blu-ray, works flawessly out of the box without millions of them having to be sent back! Was that someone else’s fault? Sure it must be Sony and Apple, who made better product to just make poor Microsoft look bad! HAHAHA
Your poor plastic toy Zune broke and ten people own are on here blaming everyone, except who built it so it could not know when leap year was! HAHAHA Maybe Steve Jobs changed the calendar on them!
So kiss Microsoft’s ass for not designing the thing correctly the first time and coming up with a real fix. They just told you to wait and try again in a few days! Even a moron who owned a Zune could have figured this out on their own without Microsoft! HAHAHAHA
iTunes or ZuneTunes whats the difference? OH I know there are 100 million iTunes users and ten ZuneTunes users … HAHAHA
Microsoft said the Zune was social, the users are not even SOCIAL! HAHAHA
Brings a tear to my eye having an Apple fanboy feel so threaten by the whole “ten of us”.
Sounds like Paul is also a Sony fanboy who’s system is getting it’s ass handed to it by the Wii AND 360 (RROD or not). How’s those 3 good games doing? At least you have Blueray still.
You should just move to San Fransico already .. your ass is ready.
@ Paul
You are a fucking idiot. You can’t even read the damn posts, you blind, fucking sheep. Nowhere in these comments did a single person claim that the failure of the Zune was a result of Apple or Sony devious plots (how the hell did Sony enter this conversation anyway?). Most of us here readily admit that the issue affecting the Zune 30GB was an issue that should have never happened, but we aren’t crying about it. The issue has been resolved, even if only temporarily. As I noted before, I own both a Zune and an iPod and frequently use both. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. For those that prefer to use a Zune, that is a choice that should not be an issue for you. If you choose to follow the masses and use an iPod, that’s great, but there is no need to be so insecure about your decision that you feel a need to ridicule those that choose to use a Zune. You use an iPod…whoopty-fucking-doo. Get over yourself and enjoy your iPod, you fucking butt pirate.
Time for some facts here.
1) The bug is in driver code that is loaded on boot up. If the Zune thinks it is the last day of a leap year when you turn it on, it gets stuck in an infinite loop. Those people who still had problems yesterday should try again today. If your clock was behind several hours, it wouldn’t work even on January 1. If it still doesn’t work, contact Microsoft. The worst thing to do is open up your Zune to reset the battery. Yes, it will work, but it would ruin any chance of Microsoft being able to help you, no matter how small that chance is.
2) It’s a simple bug and the mistake in the code was easy to make. Is that an excuse? No, but it makes it understandable. It should have been caught with a code review, a unit test, or QA, but it didn’t. It also could have happened to anybody. If you’ve seen the code (which is publicly available), you’d see how it could have happened.
3) Microsoft didn’t write the bad code. It was written by Freescale for one of their chips. Microsoft QA should have caught it, but they didn’t write it.
4) There’s not much Microsoft could have done to quickly fix this other than tell people to wait. You can’t apply a firmware patch until the firwmare is loaded. The firmware never finished loading. If you let the battery drain completely (until you see the battery symbol when you try to start it), then wait until *your Zune* thinks it’s no longer 12/31/2008, it will work. If it still doesn’t work, you’re having a different problem unrelated to this particular bug.
5) Microsoft isn’t done addressing this issue. That isn’t a fix on their website. That’s a workaround so people can use their Zunes until it’s truly fixed. You can’t say they’re not offering compensation yet, because they haven’t had time to offer anything. Give them a few weeks. They may offer some sort of compensation for people who couldn’t use their Zune during a 24 hour window. I’m not expecting much, since it was just a minor inconvenience, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they offer something as an apology.
6) Anybody who relies on a single PMP for all their music needs to have their head examined. PMPs are fragile. They break, even without bugs. I really doubt anybody had their New Year’s Eve ruined because their Zune wouldn’t boot. If they had no other source of music, they’re just stupid. If they didn’t have anybody else with another media player at the party, it’s not much of a party to ruin, is it?
7) Somehow, I think having a Zune not work for 24 hours (not days like it’s been claimed, but just a 24 hour window) due to a software bug is nowhere near as bad as having an iPod catch a man’s pants on fire (http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14271878/detail.html) or just having the iPod start smoking, sparking, and melting (http://users.on.net/~eeno/photos/ipod/main.php).
LMAO @ these posts responding to Paul. Haven’t you figured out that he lives for this? This will go on as long as you continue to respond to him. lol.
I do live for this! Exposing FANBOYS makes my day. They always do the same things – attack all those that had nothing to do with their failed toy. Blame anyone, but the company that made the crappy device. Respond challenging with some unknown made-up story to somehow make some point no one cares about. Then of course come up with the most vile names to call you that their little minds can think of! HAHA
All they do is cry about their problem with their favorite toy and say “we are not crying about” and take out their frustrations any others in their path. Their favorite toy-maker is NEVER at fault. HAHA
I thought Zunes were about being social? First you have to search and search to even find a another Zune owner to get social with. THEN, you find out they aren’t even social. In fact they are frustrated douchebags with no manners that hate everything. Their toy is better than other toys, EVEN when its broken for a stupid reason! What will you do when M$ drops the Zune? CRY? Since sales are quite dismal, it could happen.
If only that frustration and lashing out was pointed in the direction of the people and company that designed the piece of shit in the first place and broke their toy! Maybe then, they would try harder to build things better. BUT as they call others sheep, they are the sheep and Microsoft is the SHEEP HERDER! HAHAHA
Where in any of my comments do I say I own an iPod? Nowhere. The FANBOYS just assume it as I pointed out that Microshit screwed up and have NOT actually FIXED anything. The Zune forums are full of people that STILL have non-working toys! Anytime, on here that you point out a defect, some toy lover will always claim that you MUST own the competing device. They all think everyone is a FANBOY like them. HAHA
Slapping FANBOYS around is quite entertaining. Like poking the caged monkeys at the local zoo! Thanks this furthers my study of fanboys. I will write a book someday on the phenomenon.
Microsoft’s customer service sucks! The fix for the Zune is a joke. Microsoft could not give a shit for their users. Try getting an Xbox fixed! Now a Zune! Say want you want but Apple and Sony, their competitors, quality control and customer service blow Microsoft away! This is my last Microsoft product.
Excellent retort Paul. Quite nice.
I also love how every paragraph ends in “HAHAHA” Very clever! And you are absolutely correct…my admission that the issue with the Zune is an issue that should have never been makes me a fanboy. I also agree with you that MS mishandled this situation, but the funny thing is, they seem to get away with it. Just like many other companies. Most companies have shitty customer service for all anyone cares about is the almighty dollar.
And Telly…again, I see no comment about how Apple sucks or Sony sucks. I think each of the companies is simply out to make a dollar and will do what they feel is necessary to bring in revenue. For some, it is cutting corners; for others, it is providing poor customer service. For others it is a combination of both.
@ AgBand:
Funny I was not addressing you directly. So why do you think I was talking to only you? God complex or something?
Apple is in YOUR comment, and try and claim their customer service is somehow bad so it is OK that Microsoft sucks. I don’t know, BUT Apple customer service is the best in the industry! I truly mean this. Maybe you never had to go into an Apple Store for service. Most times the unit is fixed in front of you by appointment, if not they replace it. If you have to leave it is fixed pretty fast, day or so, NOT months of mailing things back and forth is special boxes you most wait for, like Microsoft.
They get away with it because many fanboys spend their time complaining on a website like this instead of to Microsoft. The best way to get their attention is NOT buy another product from them! After the Xbox fiasco I went through. It took six months to get a working unit, then they would not renew my warranty, even though it NEVER worked and I never had it! I will think not twice, but ten times before I EVER bought another thing from Microsoft. Microsoft still denies Xbox scratches discs. It even showed up in intenal emails recently during the Vista sticker law suit. They have no idea of what customer service even is. My many experiences with Sony were also very positive.
So if you want to claim ALL companies suck to make you feel better – so be it! Look at the way you just attacked the other guy, Telly.
Telly makes some good points, you just attacked him for no real reason. Sony and Apple have never had problems like Microsoft did with Xbox. Their customer service is quite good. They certainly have not had issues like the Zune is having. This is what makes you a fanboy, you want to attack the messenger. Seems the guy has a broken Zune and actually blames the RIGHT company, MicroSHIT! What do you do, attack him! HAHA
@Maliek
too true, too true.
No its true!
@Telly, ..I love apple but the bigger they get the worse service they have.
ok so i have tried this so called “fix” like 4 times already and still nothing!! is anyone having the same problem?! plus the zune phone lines are all busy. GREATTTT.
@ drunknbass:
Actually I see it the other way, the more stores they have opened the better the service has become and the more choices you have to get to one with any issue that they fix in front of you or fast! There is no service in the tech industry I think is better. Hell they even offer free training. No one does this. Try to get help at BestBuy!
@ mandy:
Did you let the Zune drain completely? You have to let it drain to the point where it shuts off. Then, make sure that it’s really did by trying to turn it on. If you get the big giant battery picture, let it charge, but let it charge just enough so it can boot.
Once it boots, wait a few minutes. It might take longer than normal, and it might even reboot.
If that still doesn’t work, you’ll want to try contacting Microsoft. Other people have reported that a “hard reset” will fix it. Basically, you have to open it up and disconnect the battery for a few minutes to reset the clock. I wouldn’t recommend doing that until after you contact Microsoft, just in case they want you to send it to them. It’s a small chance they’ll do something, but if you open it, there’s no chance.
@ Telly: This isn’t a fix. It’s a workaround. If you look at the code, you’d see that the bug would only happen if you try to boot on the last day of a leap year (according to your Zune’s clock). If you boot on any other day, it works without a problem. There’s really nothing else they could have done to get the Zunes working again.
I’m sure that the driver code will be fixed with the next Zune update, which will happen before December 31, 2012. The fix is basically an else statement to break out of the loop on the 366th day of the year.
@ Paul:
I’m not a Microsoft fanboy by any stretch of the imagination. My Zune was a gift. It’s not bad and has a few neat features. I run Windows and Linux. There are three iPods being used in my family and one Zune. We have another iPod somewhere in a box. Before you go accusing everybody who defends Microsoft of being a fanboy, you should make sure you have your facts straight.
This was a minor bug that caused a minor inconvenience to a lot of people. It’s a single line that’s buried within a bunch of other code, so it’s easy to miss. Microsoft didn’t even write the code; Freescale wrote it. That’s no excuse, but it’s understandable. There have been worse bugs in other products, and there will continue to be worse bugs in future products. If developers were perfect, we wouldn’t need QA. If QA were perfect, we wouldn’t need open betas. If open betas were perfect, we wouldn’t need updates.
That being said, in the grand scheme of things, it really is no big deal. Nobody got hurt from it. Nobody’s pants caught on fire. All that happened is that the early adopters of the Zune couldn’t play their music for a 24 hour period. At first, I thought my Zune had actually died. When I found out it was a widespread problem, I actually got a little excited. I was hoping it couldn’t get fixed, since I knew Microsoft would eventually replace my Zune with a newer model. There were just too many users to say, “screw you.”
There are still a few people who can’t use their Zunes. This bug caused a reboot at Midnight on 12/31/2008. Maybe the people who are still having problems had another unrelated problem that wasn’t exposed until the Zune rebooted. Maybe their batteries weren’t dead enough to have it reboot. These people may have to contact Microsoft to see what to do next.
It’s still too early to say that Microsoft isn’t doing anything about the people who still can’t use their Zunes. It’s still too early to say that Microsoft isn’t going to offer compensation to those of us who had the minor inconvenience of not being able to play music for a short time. I wouldn’t expect much, but I’d be happy with a some free months of Zune Pass, or maybe some Microsoft points.
Aside from trusting Freescale’s code, Microsoft hasn’t done anything wrong. Their response was adequate for now, since there really wasn’t much they could do. A firmware update won’t help you if you can’t boot. They could have had people send them back, but since the majority of Zunes would work within 24 hours, it was quicker to wait it out than wait for shipping.
If they do nothing else, you would have a point about their service. Right now, they just haven’t had time to do anything about it. Give them a few weeks to come up with something before you start slamming them.
@ Troy:
It is too easy to say wait for Microsoft to find a solution as I own an Xbox that they they screwed around with for six solid months. It did not work for even 1 second from purchase. They totally screwed me with the Xbox and I no longer buy anymore products from them! Track records matter, theirs is horrible on consumer products.
@ Paul:
I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with the 360. My 360 worked out of the box. I’ve also had other good experiences with Microsoft hardware. I had a mouse with a cable that was run over by an office chair. I emailed support asking if I could buy a new cable, explaining what happened. They sent me a new mouse without cost and told me to just throw the old one away.
I had a similar experience with my original Xbox. I got one of the replacement power cables with the GFCI build into it. About a year later, the cable stopped working. I called up to ask about buying a new one, and they sent me a second one for free.
Now, I’m not saying we should wait for six months, but you can’t complain about their lack of action when it’s only been a few days. It will take at least a couple of weeks for a corporation like Microsoft to come up with a solution. After two or three weeks, sure, start complaining, but at least give them some time to decide what to do.
With big corporations the way you talk to their customer service makes a big difference in how you’re treated. If you’re polite, but firm, you’ll get results. If you start screaming and threatening lawsuits, that’s when you get the runaround. I speak not only from experience as a customer, but from experience in tech support.
I did everything it said to do for the fix, and it DID turn back on. But now it won’t change past about a quarter of the way full, and it’ll only let me play 2 songs, maximum, before it dies.
It won’t register when I have it plugged in to put new stuff on it either.
If you have any solutions or ideas on what I can do to fix this, please email me.
butterflykatie@gmail.com
WELL WELL ! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE REAL NUMBERS ON HOW MANY WERE ACTUALLY FIXED BY THAT…….. THE BATTERY CRACKS THE SCREEN FROM THE INSIDE….. SLOWLY BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE, THEN 1 DAY, YOUR SCREENS BROKEN & YOU DONT KNOW WHY ? MICROSOFT DOES….. BUT THEY WILL JUST SAY YOU DROPPED IT….. TOYOTA, YOUVE GOT CLASS, ALL THOSE 89-95 PICKUPS HAD FAULTY HEADGASKETS, THEY RECALLED EM, THEY REPLACED EM, VERY EXPENSIVE FOR TOYOTA….. THOSE TRUCKS ARE NOW THE MOST DESIRED TRUCKS THRU THOSE YEARS. 1991 SR5 V6 4X4, NOT FOR SALE ! MICROSOFT, YOU GUYS NEED A ZUNE ? I WILL SEND IT TO YOU, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE LAST BUCK YOU WILL EVER GET FROM ME. TOYOTA, THANK YOU, I BOUGHT THE WIFE A LEXUS.
ZUNES SUCK, THANKS MICROTHIEVES FOR THE CRAP !
P.S. DID YOU GET THE ZUNE BACK YET, THE BOXES AND MANUALS ARE SO CLEAN , MAYBE YOU CAN REUSE THEM…. DID YOU SEE ALL THE DENTS & DINGS & ABUSE I GAVE THAT ZUNE. LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BRAND NEW TOO DIDNT IT ? THATS BECAUSE IT IS ! ITS NICE TO BUY SOMETHING, GET A WARRANTY, THEN BE BLAMED FOR SOMETHING A WARRANTY DOESNT COVER. THATS SMOOOOOOTH ! LIKE I SAID ZERO DOLLARS FOR YOU, BUT AFTER THE RECALL ON THE TOYOTAS, I WONT SELL MINE & I BOUGHT THE WIFE A LEXUS. 1991 SR5 V6 4X4. BUILT IN 1990. ORIGINAL A/C COMP. PS. ETC. LMAO ! ORIGINAL SPARKPLUGWIRES MARKED 1990. ITS 6-27-2009. AND YOU MICROSOFT TAKE $350 BUCKS & SELL ME A 5OZ. PIECE OF PLASTIC & BLAME ME, BECAUSE ITS A PIECE OF TRASH. THANKS FOR SHOWING ME WHO YOU REALLY ARE……….TELL YOUR BUDDY GEORGE BUSH & DICK CHENEY HELLO.
I HAVE THE 30GB ZUNE DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER FOR SOME REASON IT WILL NOT CHARGE ANYMORE I NEED TO GET IT REPAIRED WHERE CAN I SEND IT
HELP