30GB Zunes Failing Everywhere All At The Same Time…. iPod Owners Laugh [UPDATED x2]
Here’s something from the Twilight Zone. Reports are coming in from all over (click here and here and here for examples from the tech blogasphere and here and here and here from the keyboards of users) that 30GB Zunes have started to fail simultaneously. Apparently the symptoms are that the Zunes started to freeze at about midnight last night and become totally unresponsive. Some Zune owners have apparently dubbed this “Z2K9” as it is their version of “Y2K.”
I suspect that some Zune owners may head to The Temple Of Steve Jobs Apple Store for an iPod if Ballmer and company can’t fix this quickly. Others may simply file a lawsuit.
Sucks to be Microsoft right about now.
UPDATE: Microsoft has updated the Zune website saying that they’re working on correcting the problem. That inspires some confidence.
UPDATE #2: According to this post, the problem is the Zune 3.1 firmware which has a bug in the date and time. The post walks you through resetting the device which blows away the firmware and gets it working again. I’m guessing that Microsoft is hard at work readying a new firmware update as we speak.
UPDATE #3: A new statement from Microsoft has been posted. Here’s the key message:
- Disconnect your Zune from USB and AC power sources.
- Because the player is frozen, its battery will drain—this is good. Wait until the battery is empty and the screen goes black. If the battery was fully charged, this might take a couple of hours.
- Wait until after noon GMT on January 1, 2009 (that’s 7 a.m. Eastern or 4 a.m. Pacific time).
- Connect your Zune to either a USB port on the back or your computer or to AC power using the Zune AC Adapter and let it charge.
Once the battery has sufficient power, the player should start normally. No other action is required—you can go back to using your Zune!
January 1, 2009 at 5:09 am
On behalf of the iPod community, I would like to express my condolences to the entire Zune community (all 37 of them, yes, even Ricky!) for this unfortunate malady.
Oh, can I just add this:
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!