Z2K9?: Microsoft Zunes everywhere freeze at midnight

[IDemo]

In a seemingly coordinated crash, 30GB Zunes across the world seem to be failing, frozen on startup, in what some have snarkily called Z2K or Z2K9. The device can't be reset, and the best efforts at troubleshooting seem to point to an issue with the latest firmware.

I have to emphasize, this appears to only be occurring on the first-gen, 30GB Zune. It seems the issue started to happen as devices passed midnight locally across the world, though times don't seem to be exactly synchronized. One can imagine a "wave" frozen Zunes moving across the planet.

Z2K makes sense as a moniker for this: the theory that immediately came to my mind because of the seeming synchronization with midnight was that this was the first leap year since the 30GB Zune was introduced. Others have come up with that idea as well. It has also been reported, though unconfirmed, that older firmware does not have the issue.

http://www.huliq.com/3257/75314/30gb-zunes-everywhere-are-frozen-z2k9

[Kutjara]

1. Wow! I'd be really mad if I were...

...one of the five people who own a Zune.

[onehandle]

3. LOL! nt

[DainBramaged]

2. Zune, just in time to join the Elcaset on the scrapheap of history.

[FSogol]

4. Oh man, its the dreaded Year 2009 bug! n/t

[marylanddem]

9. Go Terps!

[GreenInNC]

5. Still have my 50,000 cans of tuna fish

and I guess it is time to re-open my bunker from the y2k scare.

[TygrBright]

6. Microsoft does it again!

Somebody PLEASE tell me why these idiots are the world's most financially successful tech company?

amazedly,
Bright

[alfredo]

7. They allow comments at the Wired Magazine article.

awoke_in_2003 gave me a good idea for turning an iPod touch into a phone, so I posted that advice at Wired. I then asked about proper placement of the Zune.


http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/12/30gb-zunes-kill.html

[MilesColtrane]

8. HAAAHAAHAAHAHAHA!

That is all.

[NJCher]

10. another in a long line of fine Microsoft products

Now let me get back to reinstalling Vista.



Cher

[Junkdrawer]

11. Some people are reporting self-help fixes here:

http://forums.zune.net/0/104/404327/ShowPost.aspx#404327

[Neshanic]

12. MS tried to install a Vista "Gadget". "Mr. Zuny" the download helper.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

13. OMG! This is hugh!...

Something like that happened to my Startac cellphone!

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Made in china?

[baldguy]

15. The Zune is the suckiest of sucking suck.

The first time I saw it I knew it was a POS, and nothing I've seen since has given me any reason to alter that opinion.

[originalpckelly]

16. Personally, I miss the elegance of the brown version...

I used to fantasize about eating it, hoping that it was a large bar of milk chocolate, and not a large bar of Microshit.