cryptique Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 link Users baffled as Zune MP3 players freeze up By Brandon GriggsCNN (CNN) -- Baffled consumers are griping about a mysterious glitch that appeared to cause thousands of Zune music players to simultaneously stop working late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Internet message boards have been flooded with complaints about Zune's 30GB models freezing, prompting Y2K-like speculation about end-of-year hardware or software problems. "It seems that every Zune on the planet has just frozen up and will not work," posted a Mountain Home, Idaho, user on CNN's iReport.com. "I have 3 and they all in the same night stopped working." Another iReporter said he was working the night shift at a Toys R Us store in Puerto Rico when his Zune player and the Zunes of four co-workers all failed about 1:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. "It froze and there was no way to turn it off so you just have to wait until the batteries went dead. You can't push any buttons or anything," Carlos Colon told CNN. Colon said he owns a first-generation 30GB model. Other users report their Zunes reboot but freeze when the startup status bar reaches 100 percent. A post on Zune.net titled "Help-frozen zune!!!!" had attracted more than 19,000 comments by Wednesday afternoon. Some Zune users have dubbed the crisis "Y2K9" or "Z2K9," a reference to New Year's Eve and concerns over potential widespread computer failures on January 1, 2000 -- fears that proved unfounded. Zune users were still trying to discover the cause of the problem Wednesday afternoon. Microsoft Corp., maker of the Zune, posted this statement Wednesday morning on the Zune Web site: "Customers with 30gb Zune devices may experience issues when booting their Zune hardware. We're aware of the problem and are working to correct it. Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for your patience!" Contacted Wednesday morning by e-mail, a Zune spokeswoman said, "We are actively working now to isolate the issue and develop a solution to address it. We will keep customers informed on next steps via the support page on www.zune.net (zune.net/support)." Microsoft released its first Zune 30GB music player, a competitor to Apple's popular iPod, in 2006. No widespread glitches have been reported this week in its second-generation 80GB or 120GB models. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scalzunfield Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I went to put mine on at work this morning. No life. Huh... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 One can debate the merits of Mac vs. PC, but iPods rule. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Not sure that Zune is a good alternative, but iPods certainly have their own reliability issues. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I must be getting the good ones, then, because my iPods have been as reliable as sunrise in the east. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I think the flash memory ones are good. However, it seems (to me) like the spinning platter ones crap out at the 2 or 3 year mark. And that Apple never really cared, because they expect you to want a next gen one at that point either way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I think the flash memory ones are good. However, it seems (to me) like the spinning platter ones crap out at the 2 or 3 year mark. And that Apple never really cared, because they expect you to want a next gen one at that point either way.I had some initial problems with my iPod at around the six or nine month mark. Apple replaced it with a refurb twice in the span of two months. Since then, it has been really going strong. It's ancient now, five years old. And still kicking and still with at least 4-5 hours of battery life. Pretty amazing little machine. It's longevity has restored all of my faith in the iPod brand. I should note - it's a 40GB of the spinning platter variety. If they crap out, you smack the right side against a table or other hard surface to get the arm back in place. Works, so far, every time. And I probably just jinxed it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 This is one crazy fucking story. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 This is one crazy fucking story.Yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sly like a Foxwell Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 i have known the zune was a bad idea since i first heard of it. welcome your new overlords " the zune botnet army" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kathyp Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I had some initial problems with my iPod at around the six or nine month mark. Apple replaced it with a refurb twice in the span of two months. Since then, it has been really going strong. It's ancient now, five years old. And still kicking and still with at least 4-5 hours of battery life. Pretty amazing little machine. It's longevity has restored all of my faith in the iPod brand. I should note - it's a 40GB of the spinning platter variety. If they crap out, you smack the right side against a table or other hard surface to get the arm back in place. Works, so far, every time. And I probably just jinxed it... The first iPod I bought wouldn't hold a charge for anything. Thankfully, I'd had it less than a month when I deemed this a problem, and Target was more than happy to exchange it. My current iPod occasionally freezes up, but nothing out of the ordinary -- I don't think. I have a shuffle, too, that can go months on a single charge (but then, I don't use it that often), but nothing's problem-free. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 My iTunes and iPod teamed up earlier today to make an absolutely killer workout mix. I am so proud of them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Microsoft thinks they've discovered the solution. See here. What they're not saying is what the fuck happened. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Microsoft thinks they've discovered the solution. See here. What they're not saying is what the fuck happened. Follow these steps: [*]Disconnect your Zune from USB and AC power sources.[*]Because the player is frozen, its battery will drain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I don't care what anyone says, I love my Zune (although the first generation was garbage). I used to have an iPod, but would never go back. Theres this weird stigma attached to Zunes, but whenever I let someone try they love it. Of course the iPhone/iTouch is amazing, but thats a completely different beast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Theres this weird stigma attached to Zunes Umm, did you happen to catch the story up at the top of this thread? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 This guy is probably the most pissed: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sureshot Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Umm, did you happen to catch the story up at the top of this thread? Yes. And I've also owned Apple products, which have been far worse than my experience with MS, at least in the MP3 player realm. And FWIW, mine didnt freeze. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I have a 40GB brown Zune.....working fine. I was blasting the 12/6/2008 Rochester show on it in the car earlier this evening. Weird shit indeed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 What they're not saying is what the fuck happened.Heard on the radio that their internal calendar can't handle leap years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Smith Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I must be getting the good ones, then, because my iPods have been as reliable as sunrise in the east. I've not had one problem with any of the Ipods me and my family have owned, other than my daughter dropping her's while running and steping on it simultaniously to crush it. other than that no issues. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I've not had one problem with any of the Ipods me and my family have owned, other than my daughter dropping her's while running and steping on it simultaniously to crush it. other than that no issues. Yeah...and I gotta say washing machines and dryers aren't friendly to iPods. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I've not had one problem with any of the Ipods me and my family have owned, other than my daughter dropping her's while running and steping on it simultaniously to crush it. other than that no issues.If that was a Zune, it would probably upon being crushed open a rift into a parallel universe and a horde medium-sized farting spiders would enter our universe. They'd be worse than cane toads or kudzu. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I've not had one problem with any of the Ipods me and my family have owned, other than my daughter dropping her's while running and steping on it simultaniously to crush it. other than that no issues. I won an IPOD at work and it crapped out within 2 months. I'm done with em. I love my Sansa however. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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