Static Problems Causes the Zune to Shutdown

A growing number of Zune owners are reporting static problems with their Zune. For no visible reason, the Zune will shutdown and do a hard reboot (the Zune logo appears on your screen). Depending on the conditions you are using the Zune, this problem can happen on different scales.

The winter season may also create more static problems because the air is dry due to the heating of our houses and offices. The problem is more likely to happen in Utah than in Florida at this time of the year!

One of our readers, Southpaw suggested: “The static is actually an autokillswitch thing. I've had it happen and replicated the issue to test it(much to the pain of my ear). It's made so that if an electrical signal returns back through the headphones to the audio in it'll shut down to prevent itself from getting damaged.”

Microsoft’s customer support does not recognize the problem right now and only says to charge the Zune for 4 hours. The Zune forums are also loaded with people having this problem with their Zune.

Combined with the skipping issue recognized by Microsoft but not yet solved, the shutdown problem is making users in a bad mood.

The software limitations of v1.0 of the Zune are well known by the buyers and they seem ready to accept it because upgrades are coming in the next few months. But when the hardware causes problems that a cheap MP3 player doesn’t have, it becomes unacceptable for most Zune owners.

Another scary thing about a problem like this one is it can probably not be solved by firmware upgrade. Or maybe yes? Hopefully the reboot threshold is firmware programmable…

Any bad static experience you would like to share?

Comments

[Seamus]

I have been experiencing the hard reboot problem. It just started happening though. It only happens when I wear my heavy winter coat. I get the static problem if I have the Zune in m coat jacket and it's moving around in there as I walk. Every so often i'll get that static shcock in my ear and it reboots. Not pleasent. I had the same problem with an iPod I had but not the reboot part. Just the static shock in my ear. Time to get a new jacket i guess.

[Ready to unsubscribe]

Every time you update your RSS feed, it's sending out every post since November of last year. You may be losing subscribers, and if it keeps happening, you'll definitely be losing me.

Thanks.

[BUDDHA MONKe]

I live in Utah and it has been happening to me once a week since it has been below twenty degrees (F). It is really annoying.

[Postal Worker]

I've had the zune for about a month. The same reboot has happened to me too, alot. I was at work and I saw a static spark when I touched a metal cage and the Zune shutdown. Very annoying.

[Lux]

I work in a laboratory where we wear a cotton mesh gown as protective gear. This builds up a lot of static and I have more than once grounded that static through my headphones. This delivers a fairly powerful shock to my ears and does trigger the Zune to shut down. I just don't use it when I wear my protective gear. Other than that, I love my Zune.

[Southpaw]

Something you may be able to try if you're getting it alot is take a wire with rubber wrap around it, wrap it around the little bit of metal and have the other end exposed so the metal is able to touch something else. Something I recently thought about as a possible reason for it happening more with the Zune than with others is due to the body of it is rubberized plastic which is a horrible conductor, so the circuitry inside it is it's only grounding point. a standard thin plastic shell or a metal/metallic case would ground better so leave the unit to be less prone to taking the static hit.

[Dj]

Yeah, searching google I found this site and I'm having the same trouble. It happens a lot when getting out of my car. I haven't had the static to my ear though. What has happened for me is I'll touch the outside of the car and get a shock on my finger. The Zune in my pocket then shuts down. And to follow up on what Lux said, I have a rubber case for mine so I would have thought that would have protected it... Perhaps it might be from the exposed firewire port?

[Jo]

Yes, yes and yes. I live in Southern Ontario and it's a cold winter. I just bought the thing about a month ago and it's my first ever MP3 player, so I thought I was doing something wrong. It shuts itself off all the freakin' time. Sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors. Sometimes when I move it, sometimes still. It's really frustrating. My sister wants an MP3 player (she's never had one either) and she LOVES the aesthetics of my Zune, but I'm going to recommend against her getting one because I know that will drive her through the roof. It's way too unstable. For the same price you can get the video iPod which has so much more history behind it.

[Chris]

I agree with Dj, I wish the Zune would address this issue but after d/ling the 1.3 patch I have concluded that static continues to shut off my Zune.

[mr. smart]

this zune shut down happens to me just about everyday when i hold the zune in me jeans pocket. a good solution that i have come up with it outting the zune in the little gray case it came with. i have used his case for a week and it hasn't shut down once!

[Jo]

I fixed my shut down problem by 1) getting new earbuds, sony makes some for as low as 20-25 dollars and they sound much better and reduces static. 2) Leave your display light on always. It kills the battery faster but you can get a good 5-6 hrs straight without recharging. This worked for me and I have not shut down in about 5 mths.

[Darren Johnson]

I have been having this issue as well, all the time. I was just sitting at my desk working and it will shut off randomly.

This is ridiculous Microsoft. We're trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you need to fix the problem or risk losing us all to the iPhone :)

[Von]

I live in Houston, TX and have been having the shutdown problem for a while now. I got new headphones, but it only helped a little at first, then it went back to shutting down. Today, I got a stand for it to dock to and it won't turn off, won't play. IT only shows the logo.

Arrghhh!!!!

[DMH]

I'm in Colorado. I got my Zune about 2 months ago and had all kinds of shut down trouble. I returned it thinking it was the individual unit. The store told me they hadn't heard of the issue. The new machine didn't work either, so I returned it, and my third one still does it. I just found out about the static problem, so I'll try to do some things to ground myself more often.

[Frustrated]

I get this problem when I am at the gym. I live in Dallas and it isn't dry or cold here right now. I started noticing it when I use the elliptical trainers. I wonder if this only happens on certain songs.

[Dan]

I noticed the problem when I updated my Zune software to version 2.1.Before that it never died on me and I used it the same then as I do now. I do agree about the static problem too,as I have noticed that as well.

[big rob]

it has to be the static i work in a high static area and it only shuts down at work

[katie]

I thought the ipod was cool but it doesnt have anything on this. There is so many different things you can do with the zune that an ipod seems like nothing. I was extactic when i got this new stylish zune!!!!! ZUNES ROCK

[smilingface]

I am from Mumbai, India. Got a Zune and really irritated with it. It keeps on shutting with no reason. I am using a third-party headphones of Panasonic. I have concluded that it only shuts down when i am walking or standing on the road. It doesn't happen inside the house or in buses. It is also confined to some areas. It doesn't happen when i am very near to sea shore. I am not sure of the reason. I have also noted that if i try to reduce static from my hair, it works very good. Try searching for static hair in google.

[Xtrude]

I am having the problem MANY times a day. It is driving me nuts and now that I know it is widespread, at least I know it will be likely fixed.

I am in CA where we constantly have dry air therefore static. So I may have to consider getting a GULP..... iPod.

[Boo Hiss]

I'm so ticked off with this Zune!! I'm on my 2nd in two weeks because of the shut down problems. I've noticed most of my problem has been when it's connected to external speakers at work. (Are generic exernal speakers a no-no with MP3 players?) Not sure how static would be involved there without anything touching it or moving it in any way. Not hearing any pops or static before it goes off either. Make any sense?

[tim]

Well, I excitedly bought my zune 30 gig just over one year ago. I've used it off and on a total of about 20 times. Now, when I connect it, it just blinks on and off about every 2 seconds. My one year warranty has just expired and I am unable to get tech support for it. the Zune website says sorry you can't get support. I will NEVER buy a microsoft mp3 player again. So I'm out $250 after just a year with this Microsoft product. Just to let some know, in case you are on the fence. Buy an Iriver, Clix Gen 2, buy a Creative Zen, even buy an IPOD, don't buy a Microsoft hunk o' junk.

[tim]

Well, I excitedly bought my zune 30 gig just over one year ago. I've used it off and on a total of about 20 times. Now, when I connect it, it just blinks on and off about every 2 seconds. My one year warranty has just expired and I am unable to get tech support for it. the Zune website says sorry you can't get support. I will NEVER buy a microsoft mp3 player again. So I'm out $250 after just a year with this Microsoft product. Just to let some know, in case you are on the fence. Buy an Iriver, Clix Gen 2, buy a Creative Zen, even buy an IPOD, don't buy a Microsoft hunk o' junk.

[Jesse]

My Zune has been acting up that same way, but mines actually broke while playing my xbox 360. I had my zune connected to my 360 while i was playing a game, but i was listening to my zune on the t.v. while i was playing and suddenly my xbox broke the green ring turned red on my 360, then my zune shut off. My 360 had to be shipped to microsoft to get fixed. But when my xbox broke I quickly disconnected my zune tried to turn it on but it didnt for hours. When it did it gave my headphones a static sound and if you listen to music with the static it cuts off then rebutes. I've tried everything i even got the new upgrade but it still gives that static sound even to this day! Help please!!

[Need a Fix]

I bought my 30GB last thanksgiving and have been using it at work. I work indoors with a lot of transportable metal equipment, doing a lot of walking. My Zune shuts down or reboots at least five times a day, its very irritable when I'm listening to an album. I hope Microsoft can find a solution cause I'm definitely thinking about buying an IPOD or IPHONE, whatever, living with this shut down ain't right. I won't be recommending this product unless Microsoft resolves this, cause I'm not going to be walking barefoot at work or with wires hanging out my trousers to discharge static.

I also subscribe to Zune which I'll be cancelling real soon.