Repaired Xbox360, Update Failed, Unable To Get To Dashboard, Recently repaired xbox360 now stuck in a update failed loop - never ge Options

[tonghongadong]

Gory details below, but there is a bad video of someone else having the same problem on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wnxzNxGBY

If you have a suggestion as to how to fix this I'm all eyes. Thanks.

***Moderator- if you feel that XBL forum is not correct (ie. flash/hdd forum might be more appropriate) please move this post. Thx.

After getting a 3RLOD problem I sent my console back to Microsoft for repair - appears that I got the same unit back based on the SN# being the same on the back of the console. I plugged it in, connected to Live, accepted some updates, restored my GamerTag back to the same HDD - the XBL profile was reporting corrupted. And, basically got it back to what I thought to be 'normal' condition. Things looked good and made plans for a gaming night against friends for later in the week.

On the night of the games I turned on the console and was told that there was another update that was necessary. The update downloaded (I watched the status bar fill completely) and the console rebooted. However, when it came back up it did the xbox360 green and white x-ball title sequence and then goes to a purple "update failed" message.

Here is the exact message:

Update Failed
Can't update your console. Please contact Xbox Customer Support or go to www.xbox.com/support.

Turned the unit off and tried several more times with the same result.

I popped the hard drive out and booted and got a different message - still with a purple screen:

Hard Drive Not Detected
Can't find your xboc 360 hard drive. Please reattach it. After you attach the hard drive, your console will automatically restart.

After attaching the drive the console restarts again, only to get:

Update Failed
Couldn't find your xbox 360 hard drive. If the hard drive is attached, contact xbox customer support or go to www.xbox.com/support. (Back <B> only active button)

Hitting the 'B' button lands me back at the first "update failed" message again..

At no point do I have the option to get into the dashboard to check for error codes.

I placed a call into Microsoft last night and was bounced around four different queues and was eventually told that they were escalating my problem and that I would receive a phone call in two days time. One day down - one to go.

I have tried the sync-power button combo listed on www.llamma.com, but it doesn't make a difference.

I have also tried using a burned system disk too using the 12-2007 copy of the system update off of xbox.xom/support. The console seems to ignore it completely.

This console has never been opened for mod purposes - only the MS repair for the 3RLOD.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

[evans05]

i had the same problem mate, i ended up throwing it in the bin because there doesnt appear to be a fix

[slimdagreat]

Sorry to say it might be officially bricked.

I'd ring up MS and see what they say.

[GomerPyle]

Here is how you are going to fix it. open up the hard drive and plug the sata cable to your computer (or get an action replay hd thing) and transfer the files from the disk(Update Files) to the partition 3 on the Hard Drive using the software from 360gamesaves.com called Xplorer 360.

This post has been edited by GomerPyle: Apr 21 2008, 09:55 PM

[kenjisan1967]

Gory details below, but there is a bad video of someone else having the same problem on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wnxzNxGBY

If you have a suggestion as to how to fix this I'm all eyes. Thanks.

***Moderator- if you feel that XBL forum is not correct (ie. flash/hdd forum might be more appropriate) please move this post. Thx.

After getting a 3RLOD problem I sent my console back to Microsoft for repair - appears that I got the same unit back based on the SN# being the same on the back of the console. I plugged it in, connected to Live, accepted some updates, restored my GamerTag back to the same HDD - the XBL profile was reporting corrupted. And, basically got it back to what I thought to be 'normal' condition. Things looked good and made plans for a gaming night against friends for later in the week.

On the night of the games I turned on the console and was told that there was another update that was necessary. The update downloaded (I watched the status bar fill completely) and the console rebooted. However, when it came back up it did the xbox360 green and white x-ball title sequence and then goes to a purple "update failed" message.

Here is the exact message:

Update Failed
Can't update your console. Please contact Xbox Customer Support or go to www.xbox.com/support.

Turned the unit off and tried several more times with the same result.

I popped the hard drive out and booted and got a different message - still with a purple screen:

Hard Drive Not Detected
Can't find your xboc 360 hard drive. Please reattach it. After you attach the hard drive, your console will automatically restart.

After attaching the drive the console restarts again, only to get:

Update Failed
Couldn't find your xbox 360 hard drive. If the hard drive is attached, contact xbox customer support or go to www.xbox.com/support. (Back <B> only active button)

Hitting the 'B' button lands me back at the first "update failed" message again..

At no point do I have the option to get into the dashboard to check for error codes.

I placed a call into Microsoft last night and was bounced around four different queues and was eventually told that they were escalating my problem and that I would receive a phone call in two days time. One day down - one to go.

I have tried the sync-power button combo listed on www.llamma.com, but it doesn't make a difference.

I have also tried using a burned system disk too using the 12-2007 copy of the system update off of xbox.xom/support. The console seems to ignore it completely.

This console has never been opened for mod purposes - only the MS repair for the 3RLOD.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

The fix where you turn the xbox 360 on, put in a disk like NCAA08, hold the sync button in, turn the system off and then on again while still holding the sync button. When I tried this with NCAA08 it didn't work for me, so I went to the video store and rented Major League Baseball 2K8 because it's probably the newest sports game out. I did the exact same process just 5 minutes ago and "YEA" it works now. Give it a try it might work for you. And to answer some possible other questions, no the systems has not been modded to play backups, yes it has had the x-clamp fix done on it because of the 3RLOD, and no I didn't have the Hard drive connected when I did this. GOOD LUCK!!!

[tonghongadong]

This is just an update on this item and a request for some more info.

Last exchange with Microsoft was them saying "corporate will get back to you in 7 - 10 business days".

5 days down - 5 to go.

So... I very much appreciate the previous responses on my post.

I'll try the new game-sync button effort early this week.

I'm also going to be trying the Xplorer360 effort too. Specific to this one, I'm guessing that the April 18th, 2008 $SystemUpdate is what caused my console problem. I can download the $SystemUpdate file for December, 2007 from Xbox, but I'm going to make a safe guess that the April 18th, 2008 download is different than this one.

Xbox doesn't have the CD download version of the April 18th, 2008 though. So.. my request to the forum would be for two items.

1) The current name of the update file as it is on the console for the April 18th, 2008 update
(something like: $SystemUpdate\su20076000_00000000 I assume)

2) A copy of the update file from someone's working console. I'm guessing that Microsoft will not be posting it for months yet.

My expectation is that if I don't find a $SystemUpdate file on my console's HDD I'll copy the December, 2007 update to it and see what happens. But, if the console's flash checks for a particular file name - I'll be stuck without being told what the current file name is. If I do hear what the April 18th, 2008 file's file name is I'll rename the Dec. 2007 file name to that of the supposed to be April 18th, 2008 file name. And, again, hope that there isn't some MD5 hash check that is executed to be sure the file is complete and intact.

Of course, having the real update from April 18th, 2008 would be the best option if someone can PM me if they are willing to pass one to an e-mail account or know where to find one.

Thanks again for your time on this matter.

[joerehall]

The same thing happened to a friends arcade console, and I just stuck a newer game disc in the console and it got the update from the disc and everything worked great afterwards, I believe it was guitar hero 3 i tried, you may want to try a newer game though.. good luck, with GTA4 3 days away i hope you get it fixed asap!

[Hickory]

Hi, I had the exact same problem on one that I just got from eBay and I don't even have a hard drive for it. But thanks to you guys in this thread, it now works perfectly.


One note: I first tried a new game (GTA4) with no luck. It went to and update screen for a second, but then back to the purple update failed/can't find hard drive screen. So I figured maybe it needed the same update that origionally failed. So I started trying the older games that I have and when I got to the Simpsons Game IT WORKED! So aparantly you need to use a game that contains the sme update that failed in the first place.

Hope this helps and Thanks again.

[tonghongadong]

Just another update - and a request

Last conversation w/ Microsoft was that my problem was being escalated up to 'corporate'. And that I would receive a call in 5-10 business days. After 10 business days I called for an update and 'corporate' still had not picked up the issue for review. Now, another 5 days have passed and still no call from Microsoft 'corporate'. I'll call back into the support desk tomorrow to be told that Microsoft 'corporate' still had not picked up the issue I expect.

Enough venting.

After all the help from these forums and a few other sites I'm pretty sure I know whats happened.

I did try the xplorer360 recommendation that was mentioned earlier in this thread. I got as far as having the drive pulled, connected into another SATA box I had sitting around, and then learned that the drive was locked and only the Xbox360 could unlock it.. Of course due to the problem I'm having with the console I can't extract the unlock info from it directly. And, I believe that I could boot/unlock the SATA drive via the Xbox360 and move the SATA cable over to the server - however, I'm short the proper cabling/connectors to do it and am reluctant to go to the trouble of getting it for something MS should be able to fix with a software file.

The other recommendations around putting a new game disk in the console and holding the sync button I fully believe could fix the problem. But, I am almost 100% certain it was the April 18th, 2008 system update that broke my console. Since that time only GTAIV and a couple of odd titles have been released I'm guessing none of them actually have the April 18th, 2008 update pre-packaged on the disk. I also checked the xbox360.com/support site to see if the April 18th, 2008 update will make it there and it still shows the old 12_2007 image.

So... I'm still stuck waiting on Microsoft (either to return my call or post the new update file). Or, a new game getting released that has the April 18th, 2008 update already... Or, lastly, someone with xplorer360 access to their console hdd could extract the system update from their hdd and unicast it/post it somewhere.

The request mentioned above was for someone to PM me who has a copy of the April 18th, 2008 update on their console that they can pull off and send to me. With that file I would then burn it to a DVD and try the sync button solution to see if that is all that is needed to be done.

Thanks again for everyone's interest and time - if anyone is interested in copying off the update I would greatly appreciate it.

[Wilhelm_I]

I got the same problem...
Tested about 40 game discs, so far none of them worked so I guess I will have to wait until the new update is available on the gamediscs...

[danipukok]

cant you just use the Clear Failed updates trick

Clear Any Failed system updates that cause the console to error.

1. With the console off, press and hold the sync up button (the small white one)
2. While holding the sync button press the power button to turn on the console
3. Continue to hold the sync button until the Console has booted up completely.
4. During the boot process the console should clear any failed updates, allowing you to use it normally.

[Wilhelm_I]

cant you just use the Clear Failed updates trick

Clear Any Failed system updates that cause the console to error.

1. With the console off, press and hold the sync up button (the small white one)
2. While holding the sync button press the power button to turn on the console
3. Continue to hold the sync button until the Console has booted up completely.
4. During the boot process the console should clear any failed updates, allowing you to use it normally.

To be honest I dont think this works
If it works then only if you have the correct disc in the drive as the other guy stated already.
I got Ninja Gaiden today but it still has the old update grrr...

[foolish501]

Had the same problem, went thru a number of my disks until i found one it liked

[ssj4android]

They can't just send you the system update file?
What was this update you speak of anyway? Seems they'll probably never release for download or on a game, wonder if a newer version will fix things?

[tonghongadong]

Hello everyone.. Thanks for the comments and suggestions on this one..

I'm just adding another update...

Finally got to talk to a Xbox Live Support Supervisor who authorized another console to be shipped to me - took about a month to do this.. Presently, MS will send you the labels for you to supply your own shipping materials to ship your console back - the instructions clearly state not to send anything else other than the console - remember this point for later.. So..

I boxed the console, shipped the console back - total of about ten days later UPS drops off another console from the Microsoft pool of repaired units (replacement unit dated 2006 - I was told that I would have an additional 90 days of warranty - woohoo! (sarcasm)..

Plug cables back into the replacement console attach the hard drive back to the unit and power it up..

And, what do you know - I can actually see the dashboard again instead of the "Update failed" message..

Flip through a couple of the initial console configurations screens and I see that my non-Live profiles are still on the HDD.. Decide to recover my Live GamerTag at this point.. I'm told that I need an update first - oh, no, here we go... I watch as the update is downloaded completely, I watch as the console is rebooted, I watch as the "Update Failed" message comes up on the screen..

I'm right back to where I started.. <sigh>

Based on this there is obviously something wrong with the Hard Drive that is apparently permitting reads of general data (profiles), but not writes of the update files..

I called Xbox support again - immediately I'm told that my matter has already been escalated and that I should expect a phone call back from the escalation team.. I've heard this before - and, I ask for an escalation to a Supervisor again.. This time I get a supervisor who isn't willing to budge - I point out to him that if MS would just have replaced my console and HDD the first time I would be working now, he agrees that I should have sent the drive in too - he tells me to wait for a supervisor call back in the next day or two..

Ummm, do you hear that? Didn't hear anything? - well, that is the sound of my phone not ringing..

I'm calling again tomorrow to see if I can hit the Supervisor-lottery and get someone that says they will authorize another replacement console with the hard drive this time..

Oh, but to insure that I am a satisfied customer - I now have two one-month Live trial cards (one from each replacement console) and a verbal from one of the Supervisors that they will enable a three month trial period for my GamerTag too... Gee, thanks for that; now if I only had a console to use!