I think my xbox 360 is breaking :(

[frogbeastegg]

Hard to tell whether this topic belongs here or in the arena. It's a hardware issue so I'll try here first; it can be moved if the local authorities prefer.

It's a PAL elite model, I got it on 24/08/07, the day that the elite launched in Europe. It's been kept clean and well ventilated. It's been set up in the upright position so it's got improved airflow since day 1.

(Un)fortunately it's not doing the 3 red rings of death. It's locking up when it tries to load levels on Lego Indiana Jones. Any level. Every level. It's not a bad disc and I completed all of the story levels last night; I'm trying to replay them. The entire console stops responding about the time it should switch from loading screen to the level. The only thing I can do is turn it off with the main power switch; it won't respond to the controller and guide button at all. It's done this 3 times this morning; I haven't been able to play the game at all.

This isn't isolated. Two Worlds hung up on me once at a loading pause. Mass Effect hung up on me once during a big loading section. GTA4 hung up on me 3 times during loading screens. After swapping discs the disc tray is occasionally reluctant to go back in when I press the button; I have to give the tray a gentle push. In all those cases everything worked fine after the system was powered off and on.

Does anyone have an idea of what's wrong with it? I'd prefer to avoid Microsoft support until it's unavoidable. Hours spent on the phone to a call centre on the other side of the world is not my idea of fun.

[TB666]

I'm pretty sure that Microsoft has a call center in England.
If they have it in Sweden, they got it there too.

[Fragony]

Game over man, game over.

[Ferret]

Mine used to do that fairly frequently as well, the freeze accompanied by a weird constant noise. Still got the same box though and it hasn't done it for ages, so yours will either go back to normal or go kaput.

[TB666]

Have you tried dusting it ??
Also as far I know, having it upright actually hinders airflow since you are blocking one of the exhaust fans.

[frogbeastegg]

The vents are vaccumed over each time the rest of the room is done. Knowing the console's reputation it's been treated with even more care than my others.

I swapped it to lying flat, gave the vents another clean over, and tried again. I had to restart the console a few times but eventually it did load a level in Indy. It died when attempting to load the next level after that. I ejected the disc to try another and the drive wouldn't close, it sat there making grinding noises instead. It's now shut down with no discs in it waiting for me to make the call to tech.

This marks my first ever broken console in a decade and a half of gaming. The timing is remarkable; I brought it to celebrate a promotion, and 2 days after I've been offered another it's broken.

There shouldn't be any problems if I keep my HD here instead of sending that in with the rest, should there? I don't want to risk them wiping it or sending me a different one.