Live members report 360 freezing issues [update]

by Dustin Burg { Oct 8th 2008 at 2:00PM }

Update: We just word from Major Nelson telling us that "the problem has been fixed, but any incomplete d/l's need to be deleted and completely re-downloaded." Hopefully this freezing issue can be put to rest.

Ever since the August Xbox Live dashboard update and the maintenance that happened late last month, there have been a few Xbox 360 owners who are reporting console freezes when attempting to connect to Xbox Live. This problem - which we've heard reports of and has been talked about at length on the Xbox.com forums - seems to stem from the dashboard's management of background downloads. How we understand it, the console freezing occurs after a piece of content (music, trailer, DLC, etc.) is downloaded off the XBLM and then the 360 is turned off prior to the download's completion. This creates an incomplete file on the HDD and the next time the console is turned on and attempts to connect to live, everything locks up.

We've contacted Microsoft in hopes of getting some sort of acknowledgment or update of the problem, but have yet to receive a response. But fear not those of you who are experiencing console freezes, because we have a step by step plan that'll attempt to fix your problem. Just follow the steps after the break and hopefully your console will quit freezing. If it doesn't solve your problem, well, at least you can say you tried.

Steps to Try and Fix 360 Freezing at Start-up

1) Turn off your Xbox 360 and physically disconnect it from the internet by either unplugging the ethernet cable or disconnecting the wireless adapter.
2) Turn on your Xbox 360 and sign into your account. You should NOT be connected to Xbox Live.
3) Navigate to the "System" blade and choose the "Memory" option, then select your storage device.
4) Now search. Look through all the system folders then find and delete ALL incomplete content files. You can spot an incomplete file by the yellow exclamation point icon. Remember to delete ALL incomplete files
5) Once all the incomplete content files have been deleted, turn off your Xbox 360.
6) Reconnect your Xbox 360 to the internet by plugging back in the ethernet cable or wireless adapter.
7) Turn on your Xbox 360, connect to Xbox Live and hopefully your problem is solved.

[Thanks, Nick A.]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

NBA Kirkland @ Oct 8th 2008 2:10PM

Nick A. - that's me! I hope this saves some people some frustration. Nice pic and write up Dustin.

wargamer17 @ Oct 8th 2008 2:13PM

I haven't experienced this while connecting to live, but I did experience it while starting Fracture last night after connecting to live. I'm not sure if it was related or just a fracture problem. But just something I realized after reading this.

Mazrael @ Oct 8th 2008 2:14PM

Downloaded loads & turned off the console.. never froze on me.. Is this only when the console isn't set to continue with the downloads when you switch it off?? I've queued up loads to download before powering down...

Al3XxXandr @ Oct 8th 2008 5:22PM

i had this problem but now i just keep getting knocked offline now for some reason

Mullwell @ Oct 8th 2008 2:16PM

I also found online that if you hold the sync button on the console during boot it will clear the cache. This worked for me and let me log into live and clear off the bad data.

For me it happened when I was downloading a demo and then loaded up an arcade game which asked me to update and then locked up. On reboots it would just log into live and lock up again.

Matt (DXL540) @ Oct 8th 2008 2:26PM

My father had this problem (360 froze when he tried to connect to Live). I had him delete his profile and then Recover his profile. That was all that it took to fix the issue. YMMV.

Deezul @ Oct 8th 2008 3:00PM

Recovering a profile is "easy" if you haven't played that many games. But if you've played 100+, you're gonna be waiting a while. Last time I did it, I think it took an hour.

Ban Midou @ Oct 8th 2008 2:30PM

Bro thanx a mil you're lifesaver

Josh @ Oct 8th 2008 3:53PM

I had this problem and it happened when i download the megaman 9 and duke nuken trial version. Also I had the auto download on.. So it only happends to sertain games and downloads you do. it does freezes only when you sing into live. so just do what its saids in this post. I had to delete what did not download correctly. simple. Don't get frustrated is just an incorrect download. you can check if is was a good or bad by going to your memory and check everything from videos, games, pic, themes...

DBoyFlex @ Oct 8th 2008 2:30PM

I have not had many problems. The marketplace is a bit slow sometimes and the initial log in to live is slower than normal for me, but still does and I do not have freezing issues as some have.

Mr.U2 @ Oct 8th 2008 2:31PM

interesting... I've been having problems with this too. I'll give it a try.

ZEBRA NINER @ Oct 8th 2008 2:39PM

I've been experiencing freezing issues since the update... but then again, my console red ringed on me last night. So that's probably not connected. Sad times.

stukorn @ Oct 8th 2008 2:43PM

i had this problem, took me three times to get on. Everything has been fine since that night.

L @ Oct 8th 2008 2:50PM

Funny you should post this cause i know this has been happing to me and 4 mates!!! & yes it has only happen after the update/downtime! (GAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR)

L @ Oct 8th 2008 2:52PM

sorry and the freezes happen even after start up! & i dont think your fix has much to do with the problem cause i have no incomplete files :S

& no its not a hardware problem atm

NBA Kirkland @ Oct 8th 2008 3:01PM

This post relates only to freezing the moment you get connected to Xbox Live. It sounds like you are experiencing a different problem.

L @ Oct 8th 2008 4:27PM

ture ture :)

Stuart @ Oct 8th 2008 5:01PM

yea this keeps happennig to me a week ago i couldn't get online withoiut my xbox locking up, now as soon as i play gta online its the only 1 i play online atm i get logged out bout 5 mins in2 game says other users leavbe then game freezes up and next says returning to single player then says disconnected from xbox live.

1 word

BOLLOCKS

Blunted @ Oct 8th 2008 3:55PM

I just started having freezing issues, last weekend. I so hope this is what is causing it. OMG I hope this works!

Muckrak3r @ Oct 8th 2008 4:27PM

The days following the update, my console would freeze up the second the host in Gears would hit the start button. It would completely freeze up my 360 and I would have to reboot. Never happened while connecting to Live and player matches worked fine, it was ranked matches causing the freezing.

robbie7 @ Oct 8th 2008 5:24PM

OMG. i knew it! I had this exact problem the day after the update. i was downloading PES 09 demo, decided to go on GTA. there was an update for it which sent me offline. then my xbox frooze after the update. switched it on/off, started freezing when my 360 was loading up xbox live. I tried switching it on and off like five times, at first i thought it was my internet. but by chance (with abit of knowledge) i decided to delete the download that was incomplete on my hard drive (PES 09 demo). I was back online straight away.

CABALLOTE @ Oct 8th 2008 5:31PM

Haven't experienced anything like that. Only on my pc. ;) Btw, xbox live is free for pc. ;) and you still get achievements. ;) And it rocks... ok, I'll stop ;)

useedems @ Oct 8th 2008 6:42PM

Well, you get what you pay for right guys?

/ducks

RedSonRising @ Oct 9th 2008 4:55AM

even after deleting the incomplete files and clearing the cache my downloads are still failing.. everything i try to download from XBLM freezes..

strangely i had to transfer licenses to my replacement console and everything downloaded just fine.

RedSonRising @ Oct 9th 2008 5:17AM

this is extremely frustrating.. ive wasted so much time trying to figure this out only to realize i cant fix it myself..

any word when m$ plans on fixing this or are we gonna have to wait till the NXE comes out?

Hidesquadron1 @ Oct 9th 2008 7:25AM

If it is of any help to anyone, I had the symptoms that lead me to this solution, and it seems to have worked. I suggest everyone, regardless of whether or not you had the problems that lead to this article, take the time to clear out those temporary files. You clear out some space on your Hard Drive, and you may keep yourself from experiencing the problem sometime in the future.

El Capitaine @ Oct 9th 2008 10:42PM

i had this problem as well...every time i rebooted my 360 i was anxiously hoping that it wouldnt RROD... then a quick google search and it figured it out. glad its finally fixed, as the auto arcade trials would often cause this.

John @ Oct 10th 2008 2:28AM

This post saved my Xbox 360 a trip out the window. By following the steps I was back up and functioning even after Live connected. Thanks much.

ayon1990 @ Oct 13th 2008 5:33PM

thanks that saved me a lot of hassle I was getting to return it but that was the only problem. Thanks again.

DbomberAC @ Oct 14th 2008 5:43PM

the steps above helped me out, thanks a lot!
it was just an incomplete download that got fubared. :)

John @ Oct 17th 2008 2:55PM

brilliant, it worked, it was a gears 2 dev diary tht was yello

Sholk @ Oct 18th 2008 1:51PM

YOU are the BEST!

Deffdriver @ Oct 19th 2008 4:25PM

Thank you so much for posting this. My boyfriend was having this problem and your solution took care of it 100%. What a relief!

Bill @ Oct 30th 2008 11:56PM

I am having the freezing problem. It will not boot all the way before it freezes and the screen pixalates. I have tried to check for incom plete files, but I cannot get there. I am waiting on the shipping box to arrive so I can send it in th M$ for the 3rd time. The first was for RROD. Then "cannot read disk". I have only had it about a week since the last repair. M$ has been good about paying for the shipping, both ways. If this third time does not do it then I will crack the case to see inside and go from there.