Microsoft today has announced an extension of the Xbox 360 for owners who receive the E74 error. The console receives the E74 error for a number of reasons including problems with the scaler chip (ANA or HANA) or a problem with the AV cable. However the most likely reason is the GPU which overheats and causes the motherboard to bend. Cold soldering joints have also been blamed for the error occurring."While the majority of Xbox 360 owners continue to have a great experience with their console, we are aware that a very small percentage of our customers have reported receiving an error that displays ‘E74′ on their screen.
After investigating the issue, we have determined that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. As a result, we have decided to cover repairs related to the E74 error message under our three-year warranty program for certain general hardware failures that was announced in July 2007."
As with the red ring of death (RRoD), Microsoft will also refund customers who have previously experienced the E74 error and paid for repairs, in the next 4 to 12 weeks.
Microsoft's latest revision of the Xbox 360, nicknamed Jasper, uses a lower powered 65nm GPU, which many believe have finally solved the E74 errors in new consoles. Before now every 360 included a 90nm GPU.
Reportedly there is only one revision left for the Xbox 360, nicknamed Valhalla, expected later this year. It is believed the CPU and GPU will both be 45nm to further reduce production costs, but that they will also share the same piece of board. This will further benefit the cooling inside, but also reduces the space needed by around 30%. This information leads many to believe we could see a Xbox 360 "Slim" and will be Microsoft's last revision of the 360 before the next generation.
I dont think they will be making the same mistakes again with the next Xbox.
But I hope you are right, I will buy one regardless..
But I hope you are right, I will buy one regardless..
Yer it is getting annoying, i got the one before Jasper better hope mine dont die
Would I be covered?? As my warranty is now void by opening it up and doing the "fixes"??
Cheers
I do enjoy the 360, dont get me wrong but it just boils my blood that companies ship poorly made units and then have to spend a fortune fixing them, so they look good because they offer to fix it. Bah
And yet it is still outpacing the competition. Just goes to show that this isn't really what people are bothered about when looking for a console. Good on Microsoft for actually caring about the customer.
Also lends to the fact that these issues really aren't widespread anymore. It's just people like you that like to keep blowing it out of proportion. It may have been warranted two years ago, but not today.
-Spenser
(And that's only on neowin - think about all the other forums + the people that don't post on forums to begin with)
The term "RROD" was created for a reason...and now there's a new problem ("E74"). Perhaps Microsoft should be thanked for making forum discussion so easy by creating errors/signals that can be named
And I don't doubt that it's outpacing the competition in units sold - but even you must realise that many millions of those units sold have had to be replaced (some of them 2, 3 or 4 times)
Who says it's a new problem? It looks more like an old one that they're now deciding to cover better.
(And that's only on neowin - think about all the other forums + the people that don't post on forums to begin with)
The term "RROD" was created for a reason...and now there's a new problem ("E74"). Perhaps Microsoft should be thanked for making forum discussion so easy by creating errors/signals that can be named
And I don't doubt that it's outpacing the competition in units sold - but even you must realise that many millions of those units sold have had to be replaced (some of them 2, 3 or 4 times)
I would love to see actual stats. But do remember that people without the problem are unlikely to post on forums.
Regarding error codes, that is completely normal within the software and hardware world (so long as the manufacturer is competent). The whole point is that errors can be identified.
The Sony forum has had plenty of topics created about blu ray drives dying, especially in the past 6 months or so. Sony on the other hand, have never extended their warranty to fix the DVD drives of the PS2 and the console is almost 10 years old now.
Every console this generation has used pathetic components one way or another, they are all as bad as each other. MS are the only one that have redeemed themselves by repairing for free and extending the warranty however.
I'm still using my 2nd generation 360 with no problems what so ever. So it goes to show that it's not the design but defects in the parts used that causes the problem. There is nothing Microsoft can do about hardware defects except fix them when they cause problems...which is exactly what they're doing.
Microsoft get praise for releasing shoddy hardware then actually giving a decent warranty on it. It's the very least you'd expect, considering both how common and high profile the RROD issue has been for them (no matter how much people try to downplay it).
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