Does anyone know from which serial numbers to what are the ones effected by the overheating problem? i have one and if it is the one of the ones that do have the problem i want to return it and get the ones that have this problem solved.

thanks guys.

 

Considering that MS is just ramping up XBox production now due to quality issues over the past 5 months, I'd say pretty much all the XBoxes out there might have this issue. Just keep it and its power brick in a place that gets good ventilation and you should be fine.

 

The main issue with the overheating is that a few units, seemingly random ones from early batches, have the CPU heatsink attached improperly. There is supposed to be the CPU, a layer of heat transfer paste, then the heatsink. But some units have a thin layer of foil or plastic stuck in that sandwich that disrrupts the heat transfer.

See:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=496524

Andrew

 

I have had mine lock up a few times more than I would like but I think that has been more software issues than anything else. Most people with overheating issues were having trouble with the power supply. Keep that out in the open if you can rather than on thick carpet back behind the tv. I think having the game unit itself on one of those vertical mount stands helps too. Mine is cooler to the touch after long sessions on that stand, more surface area exposed to air.

 

I don't get the death-screen but I do get plenty of "cannot read disc" errors even though my discs (4 or 5 games) are immaculate. Oblivion has a separate lock-up issue but Bethesda knows about it and it is their fault (patch TBD).