- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Here is my experience. I first played ODST on Thursday, 10/1. When I inserted the ODST disc my XBox started downloading an update. It then locked up and never finished downloading the update. I restarted the system and the update seemed to download fine. I immediately started to play the game through the first mission. After the cut scene before the 2nd mission, the game locked up. Since then I have had various issues with the XBox locking up. Some times it freezes when I start up. Sometimes it is fine until I play a game. I was able to play other discs, other times they lock up as well. Today I called Xbox support and followed the automated voice response system for "freeze issue" and they advised that I disconnect the hard drive and accessories. After doing this and re-inserting the HDD I was able to start up ODST again and restart at the beginning of the game. At that point I called XBox support to explain my issue. They told me to clear my HD cache (I did), and told me to remove any HD files that were corrupted (I found none). They gave me a referrence # and told me to call back if I had any more issues. Since things seem to be working, I started level 1 over. I was able to get past the 2nd cut scene but when I accessed the map it locked up again. I called back to MS tech support and was told that I needed to send in my console for repair and that my 1 1/2 year old XBox was out of warranty. I have a serious issue with a software issue causing hardware failure that I have to pay for. For the $119 I was quoted for repair and the $65 I paid for the game I am more that happy to donate that amount to a PS3 that has no such reputation for HW failure. At this point, I further researched this thead and from the page 8 comment from the Bungie employee, I tried to play Halo 3 again. I found that all of my saved games were gone (not a huge deal since I have completed legendary). So I started Halo 3 from the beginning. My game locked up after the first cut scene. All this time I have been on hold for a MS supervisor to discuss the issue, but I think I have been put on perma-hold. I am a software engineer and understand that sometimes software errors happen. But its is never the customers fault when you control the hardware that it runs on. This situation is unacceptable and thogh I have been a huge fan of the Halo Universe and storyline (not a fan-boy), I will not continue to pour money into a gaming system that is critically flawed and continues to hold customers responsible for poor hardware quality. - Furious XBox user.