Map Of Zunes

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? How many Zune 30GB devices were sold? 

All 30GB devices are potentially affected.

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

Yes.

 

Update: Hey folks. We are getting close to IDing the issue.  We are conducting additional testing and checks now to make sure it is accurrate.  thanks again for your patience.

 

We were made aware of a widespread issue facing owners of Zune 30 devices this morning.  We have a technical team working hard to isolate the issue right now and will update everyone as much as possible.  Thanks for your patience while we get to the bottom of this. 

If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to use the 10 track credits you have from your monthly subscription. If you don’t use the credits before midnight tonight, you lose them. I personally bought “Pink Floyd - Wish you...

"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."

There you have it, straight from the official support thread on this problem. So for those of you who were about to take screwdrivers to your Zune and open them up, just wait until tomorrow and it should start working again. This confirms that it was in fact caused by this year being a leap year, and thus having 366 days. I'm shocked and disappointed that Microsoft allowed this bug to go un-checked - they have some of the longest and most grueling test cycles in the industry for their software, so I'm stunned that the Zune team allowed this to happen. The Zune is struggling enough as it is, this is a black eye it really didn't need. We'll discuss that issue in a couple of days...I have some thoughts about it.

We all know about the crazy Zune 30 failures going on now, and I've been watching as the headlines come zipping into my inbox via Google News Alert. Yes, this is a "Zunetastrophy" (I had to get it on the fun), but I think it's important to remember it's just a media player - let's keep everything in context. My favourite image so far is the one below, courtesy of this VentureBeat article. I'll point out that while I admire MG Siegler's wit, reading an article like this one confirms that he's about as balanced and fair-minded as a car with two wheels. But let's get on with the fun...

Here are the most entertaining headlines I've seen so far today:

1. The Zune Screen Of Death
2. Zune 30s all freezing up at once. Ack! Aliens!
3. 30GB Zunes hibernating for 2009?
4. Zune gloom: hundreds of players failing simultaneously
5. Y2K returns 9 years later to disable Zunes?
6. 30GB Zunes Killing Themselves In Droves
7. 30GB Zune apocalypse arrives as devices enter digital coma
8. The Day Zune Music Died
9. Microsoft's Zune in Worldwide Meltdown
10. 'Zune 30 Midnight Meltdown' Angers Music Lovers
11. The day the ZUNE stood still
12. Zune 30GB players get an early hangover
13. Microsoft facing 'Red Ring of Zune'?
14. Zune Extinction Event: Microsoft Music Players All Freeze Up at Once
15. Microsoft Scrambling To Thaw Zune Freeze
16. The Zune’s New Year’s eve of destruction
17. Zune became self-aware at 2:00 AM December 31, 2008

Did I miss any great headlines?

Are you Zune 30GB owner? If yes, December 31st is not your lucky day. Tons of Zune owners are reporting that their Zune hanged at the Zune screen when they turned on their device this morning. The normal reboot trick...

"Right, so this is a weird one: we're getting tons of reports - tons - about failing Zune 30s. Apparently, the players began freezing at about midnight last night, becoming totally unresponsive and practically useless.The crisis has been dubbed by Zune users 'Y2K9', due to the apparently synchronized faceplantings across the country. According to tipster Michael, the Zune users experienced something like this:"

Gizmodo is reporting that a lot of Zune 30GB owners are reporting their devices are freezing up today. The official Zune.net hardware forum already has several threads by 30GB owners. Could it have anything to do with the new year? I doubt it as Jan 1, 2009 has only just arrived in Adelaide, Australia as I post this. If you have a 30GB device, has it gone belly up? This seems to be too widespread to be a hoax.

Update: I've confirmed with a lot of people that this is indeed happening. A few interesting threads: 1) Facebook as a group for people with 30GB bricked devices and 2) A hard reset might be the fix. There will be no Happy New Year for the Zune team at Microsoft as I am sure many will be called in today to resolve this.

"Right, so this is a weird one: we're getting tons of reports - tons - about failing Zune 30s. Apparently, the players began freezing at about midnight last night, becoming totally unresponsive and practically useless.The crisis has been dubbed by Zune users 'Y2K9', due to the apparently synchronized faceplantings across the country. According to tipster Michael, the Zune users experienced something like this:"

Gizmodo is reporting that a lot of Zune 30GB owners are reporting their devices are freezing up today. The official Zune.net hardware forum already has several threads by 30GB owners. Could it have anything to do with the new year? I doubt it as Jan 1, 2009 has only just arrived in Adelaide, Australia as I post this. If you have a 30GB device, has it gone belly up? This seems to be too widespread to be a hoax.

With the Christmas sales still being tallied, it will be a time before we know how well this year's Zune sold. While many of us are still rooting for the Zune, there are some factors working against it including less...

"You don't usually equate CES with big time Energizer introductions, but this year is going to be different. While our fingers are still crossed that a 50-foot drum-toting bunny is seen storming around in the Vegas heat, we do know that said outfit will be bringing along its minty fresh Zinc Air Prismatic batteries, not to mention the newly unveiled Rechargeable Solar Charger. The above pictured device will boast a USB port to power an assortment of devices, and it can also be charged from an AC outlet if you just can't seem to locate the sun. Better still, its weatherproof nature should make it suitable for argonauts, and it'll only run $49.99 with a pair of rechargeable cells when it lands next summer."

I've tried some solar chargers over the years and never been totally impressed. They've either been poorly designed or performed poorly. With built in USB charging as well as the ability to charge batteries (assuming AA's and hopefully AAA's) it should cover a pretty wide variety of devices. From a design perspective, this seems to be pretty well thought out, so I'll probably be grabbing one when they come out to see how it performs.