Halo 3: ODST Forum
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  • Subject: Disc Unreadable
Subject: Disc Unreadable

The name's Ian, Game Designer at Whisper Game Studios, very off-and-on Bungie.net visitor and avid Bungie fan overall. Message me if you wish.

Posted by: Dr Zombie90210
My Halo ODST disc became unreadable for the third time just now. It seems to only do this during the loading screens.

There is nothing wrong with the disc, other than that the new version of DVDs are not very compatible with supposedly "older" 360s.

If this happens to you, try downloading it to your hard drive. This only seem to work for a very slim amount of owners though, because if it doesn't work, then your console will be unable to read the DVD the second you start it.

If that doesn't work, then I suggest you get a refund on the game as soon as possible.

When or if Bungie fixes this problem, you could rebuy the game and see if it works.


I got my box in January '06 and have not once had an issue with the disc. Yet, I always install the games before I even play them because otherwise my xbox starts reading the disc at a million hz.

  • 09.23.2009 1:53 PM PDT

c00kiez plz? :)

install to harddrive win?

  • 09.23.2009 1:54 PM PDT

Check out my file share for cool maps

I would return the disk immediatly. DONT TRY TO FIX IT! If you do try to fix it, you wont be able to get your money back/another copy. Yes, installing it on a hard drive would probably fix it

[Edited on 09.23.2009 1:59 PM PDT]

  • 09.23.2009 1:58 PM PDT

no
Posted by: Restistance VI
install to harddrive win?

  • 09.23.2009 1:58 PM PDT
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First time Bungie.net poster. Found this page via a google search

I'm having the same problem and have tried playing without HDD attached / installing to HDD

Disc seems to look fine (no air bubbles? just a plain standard DVD?)

It crashed a few times after the first cutscene (before you drop/enter the city. I've managed to get past this by luck?
But again it gives the "disc unreadable" error when I find the helmet in the TV screen cutscene ...

Annoying
Fast Edit - launch xbox 360, RROD repaired once. Works fine with all other games and DVD's so far.

[Edited on 09.23.2009 2:04 PM PDT]

  • 09.23.2009 2:03 PM PDT

Send me a PM of your email and I'll get you a lockerz invite. 100% legit Thx CarloMorris for pic.

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Posted by: killdave
First time Bungie.net poster. Found this page via a google search

I'm having the same problem and have tried playing without HDD attached / installing to HDD

Disc seems to look fine (no air bubbles? just a plain standard DVD?)

It crashed a few times after the first cutscene (before you drop/enter the city. I've managed to get past this by luck?
But again it gives the "disc unreadable" error when I find the helmet in the TV screen cutscene ...

Annoying
Fast Edit - launch xbox 360, RROD repaired once. Works fine with all other games and DVD's so far.


Exactly what's going on to me.

  • 09.23.2009 2:11 PM PDT

Yes I am having the exact same problems. I can run all my other games fine, but this is the only one receiving a disc read error. I just repaired my 360 a few months ago, so I seriously doubt it is the console. I cant load anything in this game and constantly get disc read errors no matter what (I have cleared the system cache, downloaded the game to my Hard drive, played the game without my hard drive in etc). This is clearly not an isolated incident. I would really like to know what is going on since I have returned the game twice

  • 09.23.2009 2:15 PM PDT

Yarrrr~

Yeah, i forgot to mention that my xbox also was repaired recently. Seems like we're all stuck in the same boat, huh? :(

  • 09.23.2009 2:17 PM PDT

Everyone in the hog:P

Well guys i just got an elite and it works fine so i rekon it's a problem with old consoles. Although i did get a new disk but i think it was the console.

  • 09.23.2009 2:19 PM PDT
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halo 3 odst generated the unreadable error then my older xbox360 displayed the 3x red error fyi

  • 09.23.2009 2:21 PM PDT

Location:- Liverpool, UK
Xbox Mnf date:- 2006 - 01 - 07
Time of Fault:- Everytime i got to Open Dare's pod the screen goes white and letterboxs waits a few seconds then comes up saying Disk Read Error
When installing to HDD it installs fine but has exact same issue as stated above.
Firefight is fine no problems there.
Campagin will work fine when the HDD is removed and i save to my MU.
Clearing Cache - No Result

  • 09.23.2009 2:25 PM PDT
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Posted by: MasterJOHN BOY
Well guys i just got an elite and it works fine so i rekon it's a problem with old consoles. Although i did get a new disk but i think it was the console.
Well that is good news. I was planning on getting a new elite in 2 weeks anyway, even before this issue. I'll wait till then to play the campaign again.

  • 09.23.2009 2:43 PM PDT
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Still gives me disk read error after the first cut scene. I have done the following to fix the problem:

Restart console
Install to HDD
Try without HDD
Clean Disk

So far, none of these "solutions" have helped me at all. I'm about to go to Gamestop and exchange it for another copy. Don't know if that will do me any good, but it's worth a shot.

It's pretty ridiculous that a $60 dollar game can be broken right out of the box, let alone of the biggest video game releases of the year. I'm really pissed.

EDIT: My 360 was bought back in July off 2006. It broke on me once in November 2007, but it was not the RRoD.

[Edited on 09.23.2009 2:54 PM PDT]

  • 09.23.2009 2:49 PM PDT

Alright guys i have did quite a bit of testing.

New refurbed opus board w/ liteon drive. Disc unreadable right after first campaign video (which plays fine)

replaced w/ new benq drive, same problem, same place

no HD connected same problem

Installing to HD makes disc unreadable come up quicker (more than likely because it doesnt have to read from the disc)

Clearing cache of course doesnt fix the issue.

Tried retail and backup of ODST with exact same issue.

There is something going on w/ older 360's as this does not seem to be an issue w/ HDMI consoles.

Something has to be done soon bungie, people are getting very angry and im getting the blunt end of the stick on this.

  • 09.23.2009 3:13 PM PDT

Guess im Refunding it....

  • 09.23.2009 3:14 PM PDT

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PM the Bungie Employee at page 9.

  • 09.23.2009 3:15 PM PDT

Halo CE>Halo 3>ODST>Halo 2>Everything Else

CLEANZOR UR DISCZOR. lol jk i had this prob. too. ur rite just install it or get a new xbawxxx

  • 09.23.2009 3:16 PM PDT

Yeah I dont think the employees know what is going on either. This is really annoying. If it turns out this DVD for some reason doesn't work on older 360's, which mine is, then looks like I wont be playing this game. I just got Batman (works) and DiRT 2 (works) so its not like I havent gotten any new games. 2 of my friends with older 360's are having the same problem. I hope Bungie starts releasing new discs soon that fix this problem

  • 09.23.2009 3:18 PM PDT
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LOOK FOR YELLOW TEXT ON PAGE 9!!! its a bungie employee that wants information, the more he gets the better so pm him what he asks you for and hope for the best.

  • 09.23.2009 3:21 PM PDT

im looking for a decent clan i can work my magic in
stats found here
pm me if your interested

im ODST-less as well :/ firefight works fine.i knew letting a woman wear recon helmet would screw everything up.. lol jk

  • 09.23.2009 3:30 PM PDT
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Im having the same problem.

Everytime when Im in the first cut scene in campaign when it ends or when I skip it,I go to the loading screen where it keeps loading for a while until the disc is unreadable message pops up.

This also happens for some firefight maps,they fail to wrk and it says disc is unreadable...but some firefight maps work though.

I tooked off the harddrive and nothing happen...I havnt tried installing it yet but according to this thread its a waste of time...I also cleaned my cache and that didn't work.

The crappy thing about this is that I bought it in 7/11 so I went to return it yesterday and the lady said I have to go in the morning when the manager is their...I was thinking about exchange it first because I thought it was the disc but now Im going to ask for a refund and wait until this problem is fixed perhaps but its 7/11 so I dont know their policys lol...I was happy when i got the game a few hours early by buying it in 7/11 but in the end I got screwed...lol.

[Edited on 09.23.2009 3:39 PM PDT]

  • 09.23.2009 3:39 PM PDT
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Hi, I'm a first time poster here. I came here looking for answers as to why my disc suddenly became unreadable. This all happened shortly after my third flashback, which was ONI Alpha.

Since then, the error pops up almost every time I try to resume my save, start another campaign, or when I try to load a firefight map. Sometimes, if I allow it to rest and cool down, it loads a map or two, but then when I save and quit and try to resume again, it'll say it is getting the error again. I'm at a point where I saved and quit right before the point where I could interact with a flashback item and load another level, but as soon as the cutscene is over, the error shows up again.

It always pops up regardless of whether I have the hard drive on or off, or whether I installed it to my hard drive or play it straight from the disc.

My system is about 3 years old, and hasn't gotten the infamous Red Ring of Death... yet. All my other games work with no problem: Dead Rising, Ace Combat 6, Call of Duty 4, Fable 2, etc. Even Halo 3 worked when I had it (I traded that a year ago). I have never seen this error before until yesterday when I got the game.

Hopefully Bungie can give us an update about whether they know about this problem, reproduced it on their systems (most likely the old console release versions from what I've read here), and maybe even create a software update when we turn the game on so it becomes compatible with the old systems.

But, the time to get a full refund is running out, so if a quick resolution doesn't come soon, I'll have no choice but to get my money back, because there is no fun in playing an unplayable game, even if it is Halo.

  • 09.23.2009 3:39 PM PDT
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It seems from what I've read that it's mainly the older 360's that are causing the problem. I did have an older generation 360 until a few weeks ago when it RRODed, and got a replacement, which I've had for about 4 or 5 weeks now (I think). I've not been having any problems myself, so whatever it is, I hope it gets sorted for everyone soon. :)

  • 09.23.2009 3:43 PM PDT
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Canada is America done right

way to freak me out. my xbox is broken. i have the disc but now i don't know if it'll work. lol

  • 09.23.2009 3:46 PM PDT
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i did not buy it yet but if that dose happen i am going to return it becuse it is not worth getting mad over it

  • 09.23.2009 3:47 PM PDT