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This item was rewritten and updated on 18-Oct-09 to include new documentation on what additional testing I have done to date.
Short story: I am still playing through the campaign using a second silver account. I am able to play the game from the original reformatted 20G HDD up to Mission 03 so far. I cannot play the game off the reformatted per MS Tech Support 60G HDD I bought last year, although in this configuration I can play up to Mission 03 off the DVD drive. The game plays fine off the HDD on my friends 2008 Pro (60G) and another friends 2009 Elite.
I have a 1st generation 360, MFG: 09-10-2005. Upgraded the original 20G drive to a Pro 60G end of 2008.
The following text is a response to Test Ninja Alpha's request for information questions are in the block quote boxes.
1. A brief description of your specific problem and what you've tried to fix it. Please do not recap the thread.
The game always freezes right before or after a cutscene, always at the end of a non-rookie mission - BEFORE - the game has a chance to save the progress. Right now I'm stuck at the Dutch mission right at the point where the cutscene where the big door opens at the Naval center, getting tired of playing it... Specifically, so far it died/dies at the end of Mission 01 and Mission 03. Don't remember how I got past mission 01, most likely started the game over from the last checkpoint the next day.
What I've done:
Deleted the game from the hdd, deleted the save file from the hdd (after copying to MU) , rebooted the system, tested other games - they work fine (see list below).
Reinstalled the game save(from MU) then ODST to the hdd.
Restarted the game, still dies at the end of mission 01 and mission 03.
To eliminate the save file possibly being corrupted on the hdd, I restarted the game and saved it to my external memory module. Using MU gamesave when playing the game, has same issue.
2. Remove your hard drive and play through the same sections of ODST that are failing. Does that make a difference?
no difference in failure rate...
--EDIT Oct 18 -- I have been able to play the game through Mission 03 so far without the HDD. Not sure what changed from the original post. I have not completed more of the game, will update as more info collected.
-- end edit --
3. Put in Halo 3 and play through the first few campaign missions (on easy, it'll go quick). Do you see the same behavior as in ODST, or does it function perfectly?
I don't have any problems playing Halo 3 from the original Halo 3 disk, either off the hdd or dvd drive. I have not tried the second H3 multiplayer disk that came with the ODST package...
-- EDIT Sept 24 -- After installing the latest xbl update for Halo 3, now the game fails with the same error message while playing off the DVD drive. Just wanted to be accurate in my post. Fails right after the training (look up/down) cutscene.
Also, after installing Halo 3 to the hard drive, now the game fails at the opening menu, when you select Start Solo Game (or continue if the save file exists) - get an error "Game failed to load"
-- end EDIT Sept 24 --
FYI - Other games work fine, downloaded to the hdd or playing off the dvd player. I have many, have tried the following; Batman:Arkham Asylum, Ghostbusters, Riddick:Assault on Dark Athena, Halo Wars, Madden 06, Wolfenstein, Shadow Complex, Brothers in Arms:HH.
Note: This info has been sent via PM as requested on page 9.
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-- EDIT Sept 26 --
I performed a process to "reset the firmware" or something like that and was able to get past Mission 03 Kizingo Blvd. Finally. And now playing part 1 of Mission 04 Mobassa Streets. I will continue to post my progress here with errors and other testing I am doing. Here is the process I used to do this:
Hold the sync button on the front of 360 itself and then hit the power button on the console and continue holding the sync button until the dashboard came up. The controller was NOT on during this process.
I should also note that during testing without the hdd, with an MU installed (game save and profile on it), the system wanted to download an update. I did not install this update. After reinstalling the hard drive and performing the process with the sync button, I was not asked to download the firmware upon game bootup. Interesting just wanted to note it (this is answered in the latest Oct 18 edit below).
Can now play Halo 3 - however it died near the end of the first mission with the disk unreadable error. At least the game started...
-- END EDIT Sept 26 --
-- EDIT Sept 27
Halo 3 is working fine off the hdd - at least thru the first three missions when using my xbl account and a second silver account setup for testing purposes.
-- END EDIT Sept 27 --
-- EDIT Sept 28 --
Took the disk to a friends, who has a newer Pro (2008) and we were able to play through most of the campaign without error. I say most because I wanted to finish it at home, on MY console so I could get the achievements! It obviously isn't the disk.
Brought the game home and decided to give disk 2 a try and guess what, it works fine. Forgot how much fun H3 MP was.
Cleared the cache, restarted the game from the beginning because I had trashed the save I had on my MU and still dies at the end of Mission 01, altho I was able to get past it the next day and now died near what I think is the end of 04. Getting a lot of kills on bungie.net but can't get past this level...
-- end edit Sept 28 --
-- EDIT Oct 2 --
Called MS to report per Urk on page 72. See how painful that was on page 74... I'm done playing until I hear something from MS or this thread as I didn't get the rocket launcher before entering the last area of this level and taking out the wraiths without one on Heroic is a pain and I'm tired of it. Could play the entire level over but right now, I just want to get past this level and experience the rest of the game!
-- END EDIT Oct 2 --
-- EDIT Oct 11 --
Attempted to play Firefight (solo) - works fine, only tested Crater. Playing all maps and types of multiplayer for EXP weekend off the Mythic disk works fine.
-- end edit Oct 11 --
-- EDIT Oct 18 --
During all testing in this edit I was playing to the end of Mission 03 on Heroic. More to come but this took most of the day including typing this out...
I decided that not hearing any updates from MS on this, I'm tired of waiting and thought I'd try some new stuff. I have a transfer cable and a willing friend who has a large MU to save his profile and gamesaves on. We then transferred my drive to his and in the process, my 60G drive was formatted (like MS Tech wanted me to do during my call).
Reinstalled the disk to my 360, copied my secondary profile from my MU to the HDD, installed ODST to the HDD and fired it up. ODST started, as the first cutscene was showing, at the overhead shot of the ODST's at the map before they meet Dare, the sound cuts out. This isn't good. The scene finishes as the door to the dropship closes, Disk Unreadable error (clean? the disk, reboot the system). Crap.
Reboot the system, restart ODST, exact same issue.
Uninstall ODST from the HDD. Start game, game runs. Play until Mission 03. Let's test it again. Install to HDD, start ODST. Game error as paragraph above. Isn't going to play from the HDD. Copied the game save to MU. Restarted system and ODST. Same problem. Uninstall ODST. Restart system and ODST. Plays fine from game save on MU and HDD.
Try something else... Install original 20G HDD. Format it just to keep things the same. Install xbl update. Install ODST and such as described in paragraph above. Game PLAYS! Save profile and game save to HDD. Game Plays!
Uninstall 20G drive. System won't allow login to XBL due to no HDD or MU as an update needs to be applied. Start ODST from DVD w/o MU. Game plays.
Install MU, Start ODST from DVD with MU (Still can't login to XBL due to not enuf space on MU for update). Game plays.
SO, for now, I am playing the game using the 20G drive. I'll update this thread as I progress while keeping my fingers crossed. I'll be re-transfering my 60G drive data back onto it tonight and seeing if I can play ODST from it installed on the HDD at a later date.
ALSO, IF MS ASKS YOU TO FORMAT YOUR DRIVE, DON'T DO IT. The game was playable (if you can call it that but at least it started!) on my 60G drive BEFORE I formatted it, which I now wish I had NOT done. Waste of time.
-- END EDIT Oct 18 --
BTW, Thanks Urk and folks at Bungie who worked on this to get us this far!
Cheers!
[Edited on 10.19.2009 9:57 AM PDT]