Microsoft Explains the E74 Code, Sorta Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft Explains the E74 Code, Sorta Posted by XanTium | April 17 20:47 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From kotaku.com: [QUOTE] * Kotaku: Is the e74 code a replacement for the red ring of death? * Microsoft: No. The E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. This issue remains relatively narrow in scope and a very small percentage of our customers have contacted us about this issue. Again, we have already made improvements to the console that will reduce the likelihood of an occurrence of this issue. * Kotaku: But wait. What's with the contradiction? How can an E74 error message apply to the same hardware failures that are associated with a red ring if they're not the same? * Microsoft: "In some cases there is no difference. As we said, the E74 error message and three flashing red lights can in some cases indicate the same general hardware failure. However, it is not the same failure mode in all cases and there is no single root cause for these malfunctions." [/QUOTE] Full Story: kotaku.com

[nachomans]

However, it is not the same failure mode in all cases and there is no single root cause for these malfunctions

ms engineer:

Hey! we dont know how this console works, but at least some units works! Bravo! heeeeyyyy mario, bring me another heatsink!

This post has been edited by nachomans: Apr 18 2009, 05:19 AM

[gtasaif]

ms engineer:

Hey! we dont know how this console works, but at least some units works! Bravo! heeeeyyyy mario, bring me another heatsink!

lmao why don't they just admit it

[scuba156]

lmao why don't they just admit it

admit what? they are correct in saying that there is no single cause for these failures, there are multiple reasons and ways for them to happen

[erexx]

admit what? they are correct in saying that there is no single cause for these failures, there are multiple reasons and ways for them to happen

This post has been edited by erexx: Apr 18 2009, 08:23 AM

[eyric101]

What Microsoft is trying to say is that its two symptoms of the same design flaw.

[smileboot]

Basically the 3 RRoD is a caused when the overheating due to poor heat dispersion design and then cooling causes the GFX chip, CPU chip or RAM chips to come away from main board.

The E74 on the other hand is caused when the overheating due to poor heat dispersion design and then cooling causes the GFX chip, CPU chip or RAM chips to come away from main board. OR The HANA or ANA chip (depending if you have hdmi or not) dies from said overheating.

So as you can see its COMPLETELY different and the fact their now including it in the 3 year warranty is just cause they love you.

Now their just waiting for all the people who have reasonably old 360's to pass that 3 year mark so they can bring out the "3 year warranty extension for crappy DVD drives" no DVD drive should die as often as 360's ones do. PS2's had a reason theirs died so often. It was new tech and they had no idea how well DVD's as a movie source would take off. DVD drive tech is damn near perfected now so M$ has no reason for such poor quality on this front.

Nothing better than looking like good guys for going above and beyond at the same time as makeing sure the majority of the people who actually need don't qualify. Its a win win. Early adopters have to buy new hardware and fence sitters will buy also since they think the sun shines out of M$'s ass. GENIUS if not evil.

Well played M$. Well played.
/me claps slowly

[lmaolmao]

sounds to me like e74 IS a rrod replacement.

rrod has had so much press it's not surprising. also, it WAS a way to for them to get out of paying all the rrod repairs. well, until people sussed them out.

they now cover e74 errors on warranty because law suits would be sprouting everywhere if they didnt.

[scuba156]

Basically the 3 RRoD is a caused when the overheating due to poor heat dispersion design and then cooling causes the GFX chip, CPU chip or RAM chips to come away from main board.

The E74 on the other hand is caused when the overheating due to poor heat dispersion design and then cooling causes the GFX chip, CPU chip or RAM chips to come away from main board. OR The HANA or ANA chip (depending if you have hdmi or not) dies from said overheating.

So as you can see its COMPLETELY different and the fact their now including it in the 3 year warranty is just cause they love you.

Now their just waiting for all the people who have reasonably old 360's to pass that 3 year mark so they can bring out the "3 year warranty extension for crappy DVD drives" no DVD drive should die as often as 360's ones do. PS2's had a reason theirs died so often. It was new tech and they had no idea how well DVD's as a movie source would take off. DVD drive tech is damn near perfected now so M$ has no reason for such poor quality on this front.

Nothing better than looking like good guys for going above and beyond at the same time as makeing sure the majority of the people who actually need don't qualify. Its a win win. Early adopters have to buy new hardware and fence sitters will buy also since they think the sun shines out of M$'s ass. GENIUS if not evil.

Well played M$. Well played.
/me claps slowly

3ROD is caused by flexing of the mainboard due to rapid heat up and slow cool down causing the BGA balls on either the CPU or GPU to disconnect from the mainboard. this is not really caused by the amount of heat, but caused due to poor mounts and a cheap/thin mainboard.

E74 is caused by a problem anywhere from the H/ANA to the GPU which can include certain BGA balls, but also includes many things such as the H/ANA chip its self, the traces between the 2 or any of the components between the two. this can happen from the same things about, power problems or just dead components.

So yes, they are 2 different problems in some cases, while also being the exact same problem in other cases which i have seen first hand.

sounds to me like e74 IS a rrod replacement.

rrod has had so much press it's not surprising. also, it WAS a way to for them to get out of paying all the rrod repairs. well, until people sussed them out.

they now cover e74 errors on warranty because law suits would be sprouting everywhere if they didnt.

E74 is an error that has been around since launch, just like the 3ROD. they didnt replace one error code with another which can be proved by the 3ROD error being seen in new consoles, as well as the length that these 2 errors have been around

This post has been edited by scuba156: Apr 18 2009, 02:54 PM

[Tyrannical]

I had a Falcon 360 E74 on me. The first sign was the grainy particle effects in Rockband were small purple squares instead. I turned the 360 off/on and E74. It's obvious the GPU was having a meltdown, just like the old RROD.

[Halcyon-X12]

I wish they would just come out with a complete redesign that is made for a long lasting life. I don't care how big or ugly it is, I just want to buy something that won't break. I've got consoles over 10 years old that still work, even though at the time they were complex, like the Saturn. No console has ever broken as much as the 360 has.

[tomgreen99200]

wow, this is some funny stuff. Love the first post. lol

[tbb033]

PS2's had a reason theirs died so often. It was new tech and they had no idea how well DVD's as a movie source would take off.

Oh PUH-lease... DVD players came out in 1997, three years before the PS2, plenty long enough for it not to just be a case of new tech causing problems. DVD drives in early PS2's failed for the exact same reason that CD drives in early PSX's failed, because Sony cheaped out on certain compontents and they wore out quickly.

[spinr34]

DVD drive tech is damn near perfected now so M$ has no reason for such poor quality on this front.

i wouldn't say dvd tech is damn near perfected. i've seen way more dead dvd-rom's and dvd burners than cd-rom's and cd burners. for whatever reason, they don't seem to last under heavy use.

[Bjodom]

I had a 360 with both 3lod and e74. Every time it booted it would show either 3 red lights or the e74. I did the x-clamp and that got rid of the 3 red lights, but is now stuck on e74. Sounds like different problems\errors to me....