30GB Zunes Failing En Masse

http://gizmodo.com/5121311/30gb-zunes-failing-everywhere-all-at-once

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/31/30gb-zunes-mysteriously-begin-to-fail-at-12am-december-31st/

EDIT: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10129977-75.html?tag=newsLatestHeadlinesArea.0
Another article.

EDIT: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/31/zune.player.failures/index.html (Consultant)
Additional Article, Press is having a field day with this... Every source has to have their own take...

This is pretty intense, trying to figure out if it's a new years hoax already titled "Z2K", or for real.



EDIT
This is the solution:
http://forums.zune.net/412486/ShowPost.aspx

Official response for Zune 30 Freezing Issue (Zune 30gb stuck at reboot screen)
Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year. The issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT). By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on. If you’re a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.



Customers can continue to stay informed via the support page on zune.net (zune.net/support).



We know this has been a big inconvenience to our customers and we are sorry for that, and want to thank them for their patience.



Q: Why is this issue isolated to the Zune 30 device?

It is a bug in a driver for a part that is only used in the Zune 30 device.



Q: What fixes or patches are you putting in place to resolve this situation?

This situation should remedy itself over the next 24 hours as the time flips to January 1st.



Q: What’s the timeline on a fix?

The issue Zune 30GB customers are experiencing today will self resolve as time changes to January 1.



Q: Why did this occur at precisely 12:01 a.m. on December 31, 2008?

There is a bug in the internal clock driver causing the 30GB device to improperly handle the last day of a leap year.



Q: What is Zune doing to fix this issue?

The issue should resolve itself.



Q: Are you sure that this won’t happen to all 80, 120 or other flash devices?

This issue is related to a part that is only used in Zune 30 devices.



Q: How many 30GB Zune devices are affected?

All 30GB devices are potentially affected.



Q: Will you update the firmware before the next leap year (2012)?

Yes.

Matt Akers
Zune Product Team

Who would have guessed? It's to just wait!


http://gizmodo.com/5121618/how-to-revive-dead-zunes-30s
Quick Solution, Caution may void warranty...

Doesn't look like a hoax. This is gonna look bad for Microsoft.

Nice. Maybe the users weren't Social enough, and so their Zunes shut down to erm... encourage them?

Nice. Maybe the users weren't Social enough, and so their Zunes shut down to erm... encourage them?

Like I said, this looks pretty bad, and looks to be for real. Why would so many Zune owners make this up?

Should only need a software update. If not... well, they knew what they were getting themselves into with a zune. :)

Like I said, this looks pretty bad, and looks to be for real. Why would so many Zune owners make this up?

No, I don't particularly disbelieve it. Although I will make the alternate case that, as there are hardly any Zune users to begin with, the impact on MS might not be so bad. I can hardly imagine Zunes are being sold by word of mouth. Hardly anyone even knows one person with a Zune, let alone people who have Zunes who know people who also have Zunes.

No, I don't particularly disbelieve it. Although I will make the alternate case that, as there are hardly any Zune users to begin with, the impact on MS might not be so bad. I can hardly imagine Zunes are being sold by word of mouth. Hardly anyone even knows one person with a Zune, let alone people who have Zunes who know people who also have Zunes.

Ha! True enough! Most of them are most likely total tech geeks anyway.

Yeah, it looks pretty bad. I'm surfing around the Zune support forum's and some of the Moderators and top Zune lovers are embarrassed about their beloved players failing. Zune Support Page Apparently the hard reset fix that entails the user having to remove portions of the Zune's case, and voiding the warranty works for only a moment until the Zune realizes what the date is after being plugged in. Haha Wow. Link to Restart Fail

Doesn't look like a hoax. This is gonna look bad for Microsoft.

Agree that it doesn't look like a hoax.

But why are they failing like this. Weird. Software issue?

Definitely does not bode well for Microsoft if true.

Agree that it doesn't look like a hoax.

But why are they failing like this. Weird. Software issue?

Definitely does not bode well for Microsoft if true.

According to the Zune support forum's, some users with multiple Zune 30's have different firmware versions on them. The current version is causing this issue, as one user explained his wife's Zune that sits around and still has the old firmware is perfectly fine...