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View Full Version : Thomson Drive In Xbox!!! TRUE!



JB20_2003
12-26-2003, 09:19 PM
I don't know how true the rumor of the Thomson drive is but for mine it came true I had my Xbox a year and a month and my Drive now reads nothing. Can't play a game, audio disk, nothing and ONE month after the damn warranty is over. It just happened out of nowhere to I had no problems with it ever till now. I just got 3 new games for Xmas to, what a waste. I called the Xbox 1-800-4MY-XBOX number and they just say I need to send it in and it will probably cost me for a new drive it better be a damn Samsung. And The Philips, Thomson and Samsung drives are not all there is, their is another drive but the guy on the phone couldn't remember the brand. ANYONE WITH A THOMSON DRIVE get the extended warranty or return it. The Thomson drive is the one with the DVD TRAY that has a U cut out of it. Its the only drive for Xbox like it. Anyway I'm off to not play xbox, what a drag after Xmas.

xbox genius
12-26-2003, 09:23 PM
i dont really know what drive i have... but mine is the one of the first gen. xboxes... so anybody know what kind of drive plz tell me... or tell me how to find out...

anyways i checked my dvd tray , i pressed open and i do see a u cut shaped .... but mine still works fine.............................

mitch2025
12-26-2003, 09:30 PM
my thompson drive is perfect :D :cheers:

SnoochyBoochy
12-26-2003, 09:32 PM
my brother just got an xbox for christmas and got a thompson drive!!! WTF?!?!??

JB20_2003
12-26-2003, 09:42 PM
Just a recap I said my xbox had no problems at all ever. It just out of nowhere stopped playing anything. So for everyone posting you have a Thomson drive and its perfect or its working fine, what is your point? So was mine.

Snake Eyez
12-26-2003, 09:53 PM
My Xbox has been giving me some problems lately. Well I've finally had it and I'm getting a new Xbox tomorrow. I bought the 2 year replacement plan from Best Buy. I have a Thomson in my box, but I'll make sure I get a Samsung drive with my new console. I'll search through the stacks till I find the right Xbox.

To see which drive you have go here.
http://www.home.no/emus/tutorial/philips_thomson_samsung.jpg

mitch2025
12-26-2003, 09:55 PM
i got mine at launch and i havent had any problems and my warenty went out a long time ago and it never stoped working or slowly is going out. so i am just saying not EVERY thompson drive is bad just a majority of them are.

xbox genius
12-26-2003, 09:56 PM
thanks snake eyez for the link...

dang i have a thompson drive.... hope mine doesnt go wrong!! :cuss: crap and i have no warranty on it...... well of course.. i bought it quite a long time ago... dang that means i have to buy another one...

Snake Eyez
12-26-2003, 10:02 PM
Originally posted by xbox genius
thanks snake eyez for the link...

dang i have a thompson drive.... hope mine doesnt go wrong!! :cuss: crap and i have no warranty on it...... well of course.. i bought it quite a long time ago... dang that means i have to buy another one...

No problem. Well now that you know which drive you have, just start treating it better than you normally would.

Brimstone D.
12-26-2003, 10:16 PM
Originally posted by Snake Eyez
I bought the 2 year replacement plan from Best Buy. I have a Thomson in my box, but I'll make sure I get a Samsung drive with my new console. I'll search through the stacks till I find the right Xbox.

To see which drive you have go here.

1st: How much was that 2 Year Replacement warranty?

2nd: How can you tell the DVD drives just by looking at the box?

I'm just asking, so when I get my XBOX, I'll make sure I get the correct one...thanks Snake.

X-Fan
12-26-2003, 10:23 PM
bought mine on feb 6 2002 and never bought a warranty since then it has given me three ddes and nothing else.

Snake Eyez
12-26-2003, 10:32 PM
Originally posted by Brimstone D.


1st: How much was that 2 Year Replacement warranty?

2nd: How can you tell the DVD drives just by looking at the box?

I'm just asking, so when I get my XBOX, I'll make sure I get the correct one...thanks Snake.

1. $25

2. You can try your mental powers if you like or you can look on this site and match the manufacture dates.
http://xbox-linux.sourceforge.net/docs/versionsdb.html

Casper
12-26-2003, 11:28 PM
Originally posted by JB20_2003
Just a recap I said my xbox had no problems at all ever. It just out of nowhere stopped playing anything. So for everyone posting you have a Thomson drive and its perfect or its working fine, what is your point? So was mine.

Because not every single Thompson drive has had issues. You're making it sound like MS has timers in some of them so that a month after the warranty is up, the drive goes bad.....hmmm, that does sound pretty convenient :eek:

Cryogenic Pyro
12-27-2003, 12:30 AM
I think I have a Thomson drive, but I can't quite tell the difference between the Phillips and Thomson drives, so I don't know for sure. I also can't check the manufacture date because I can't find when mine was manufactured.

Anways, I bought it about a year ago, and I've had only had three dirty disc errors(Other than ones caused by an actual scratched or screwed up disc) and only one occurrence of the Xbox reading the game as a DVD.

My Xbox has been used quite a bit too. Hell, Soul Calibur II by itself has over 40 hours of play time.

AlphaCigara
12-27-2003, 01:41 AM
ino you've already been thanked once by someone else, but thanks for the link snake eyez...when i got my new box for xmas, i was worried cause i didn't know what drive i had and was hoping it wasn't a thomson because that's what everyone always complains about...good to know i have a Samsung WOO :cheers:

skorp
12-27-2003, 02:07 AM
Oh Damn! I have one of those Thomson drives... I bought my system last year in November.

So far I havent had a problem since... I hope I dont soon!

[knocks on wood]:(


All this time I thought I had a Samsung... Geez!:p

Discretion
12-27-2003, 02:14 AM
Well, my neice bought an XBOX and ended up with a Samsung drive. She ended up getting an XBOX when they had the Sega GT/JSRF bundle.

My friend got one for XMAS (Star Wars/Tetris bundle), and it had a Samsung.

Naturally, mine is also a Samsung. My bro and one friend have Thomsons but none have problems. Whew.

Snake Eyez
12-27-2003, 09:44 AM
Originally posted by skorp
Oh Damn! I have one of those Thomson drives... I bought my system last year in November.

So far I havent had a problem since... I hope I dont soon!

[knocks on wood]:(


All this time I thought I had a Samsung... Geez!:p

That's when I bought my system, Nov 2002. Mine has been giving me little problems for about 4 months. Now, they just started to get worse. But my class and I bought a launch Xbox and that thing has had zero problems. Like Casper said, not all of them become a problem.

Duke
12-27-2003, 10:02 AM
Originally posted by Casper-XBA


Because not every single Thompson drive has had issues. You're making it sound like MS has timers in some of them so that a month after the warranty is up, the drive goes bad.....hmmm, that does sound pretty convenient :eek:

I've got my suspicions about that one. Mine finally crapped out on me w/ something like a week left on my 2 year. Some timer setting guy is gonna lose his job for that one.

ShaDovV RyDer
12-27-2003, 10:19 AM
thank u so much snake....geez im happy i got a samsung...hopefully my xbox will last till xbox2 xomes out and maybe even longer...pce

Snake Eyez
12-27-2003, 12:25 PM
I went to Best Buy this morning and returned my Xbox. I then went into the stack and started to look through them. I had to look through 6 boxes to find one that I was pretty sure had a Samsung. The manufacturing date was after the ones posted in the site I found, so I had to rely on other clues. The console was made in China and the quick and dirty method to find a Samsung console is to make sure that the serial number ends in a 6. I checked it when I got home and sure enough it was a Samsung drive.

BTW the 2 year warrenty went up to $30, but since I paid $199 for my previous Xbox, the extra $20 went towards the new 2 year plan.

Now it's time to transfer all my save back into my Xbox from my buddies.

kenji
12-27-2003, 02:06 PM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! My Xbox just went out. NO JOKE! I was playing GTA (gliches everwhere), and it froze. So I tried again, it didn't work. I tried Halo, it said dirty disk error. *&*$*!@%*!@#%. I have 8-man halo in 3 days! How long does it take to fix!

Snake Eyez
12-27-2003, 02:44 PM
Originally posted by kenji
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! My Xbox just went out. NO JOKE! I was playing GTA (gliches everwhere), and it froze. So I tried again, it didn't work. I tried Halo, it said dirty disk error. *&*$*!@%*!@#%. I have 8-man halo in 3 days! How long does it take to fix!

Sir, Calm down.

First try to run DVD lens cleaner through it.

Did you get a warrenty for your Xbox anywhere?

CC-CRC
12-27-2003, 05:06 PM
I got my Xbox at launch. Thompson crapped out with giving me all these dirty dice errors.. i bought the 2 year warrenty so when it did this i sent in .. this was last year during the winter thats all i rember because shiping was delayed from snow. Since then not one error. Still got a Thompson though.

kenji
12-28-2003, 11:12 AM
Originally posted by Snake Eyez


Sir, Calm down.

First try to run DVD lens cleaner through it.

Did you get a warrenty for your Xbox anywhere? Hehe, sir.

I put a lens cleaner through it twice, and it still didn't work. I have a warranty and I'm sending it in to be fixed. The box to send my Xbox is on its way as we speak. The reason I was so pissed is that now I have to do homework.:cry:

Thanks for the help though.:cheers:

BunnyRabbit
12-28-2003, 03:16 PM
Originally posted by JB20_2003
I don't know how true the rumor of the Thomson drive is but for mine it came true I had my Xbox a year and a month and my Drive now reads nothing. Can't play a game, audio disk, nothing and ONE month after the damn warranty is over. It just happened out of nowhere to I had no problems with it ever till now. I just got 3 new games for Xmas to, what a waste. I called the Xbox 1-800-4MY-XBOX number and they just say I need to send it in and it will probably cost me for a new drive it better be a damn Samsung. And The Philips, Thomson and Samsung drives are not all there is, their is another drive but the guy on the phone couldn't remember the brand. ANYONE WITH A THOMSON DRIVE get the extended warranty or return it. The Thomson drive is the one with the DVD TRAY that has a U cut out of it. Its the only drive for Xbox like it. Anyway I'm off to not play xbox, what a drag after Xmas.

DAG NAMIT! Thats my problem right there. I as well have the stupid Thomson and it is a piece of crap. It reads not a thing. My god. Now I know the dealio. Im def not going to take any more friggin Thomsons. What a jip. :cuss:

nG-Punisher
12-28-2003, 08:31 PM
Lucky for me I bought one of the new X-Box's...the ones that had defects left and right when they came out...two years and still running strong, maybe I was one of the lucky ones because all of my friends that had gotten it at the same time as well have already purchased a new one or have replaced it with a ps2...

Prior
12-28-2003, 10:41 PM
well i have a peice of crap thomson drive in my xbox i had my xbxo for about 2years now it never had any probs till a couple of months ago its started to read disc errors and the loading was slower i just go it cleaned it the xbox wasn't dirty or any i just need a new drive the best ones are samsung and philups so i consire does who have a thomson watch out.

BoundBruiser
12-29-2003, 12:39 AM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Casper-XBA


Because not every single Thompson drive has had issues. You're making it sound like MS has timers in some of them so that a month after the warranty is up, the drive goes bad.....hmmm, that does sound pretty convenient :eek: [/QUOTE

It's pretty weird that all the ones that go out are right after the expiration of the warrenty. Last year I got my xbox(with a thompson drive) a week before x-mas and it went out this year two days before christmas. I just got a new one and it a samsung. I'm gonna buy a new laser eye for my old one.

Shorezy
12-29-2003, 12:53 AM
As some of you know I had a First Gen Thomson and this Christmas I just got yet another Thomson.

SHOULD I RETURN IT GUYS?!

I mean is this what your suggesting? I would agree, after what i went through with my first thomson I don't want anything like that to happen again.

If i do, where is the Manufacture's Date on the damn Box that the XBOX came in?

THanks.

BoundBruiser
12-29-2003, 01:05 AM
Originally posted by kenji
Hehe, sir.

I put a lens cleaner through it twice, and it still didn't work. I have a warranty and I'm sending it in to be fixed. The box to send my Xbox is on its way as we speak. The reason I was so pissed is that now I have to do homework.:cry:

Thanks for the help though.:cheers:

My old x-box's drive was slowly going out over the last few weeks of it life. Then I tried to clean the lense with a philips cd/dvd lense cleaner with lil' brushes on it. Since then it hasn't read anything.:cuss:

BoundBruiser
12-29-2003, 01:16 AM
Originally posted by Shorezy
As some of you know I had a First Gen Thomson and this Christmas I just got yet another Thomson.

SHOULD I RETURN IT GUYS?!

I mean is this what your suggesting? I would agree, after what i went through with my first thomson I don't want anything like that to happen again.

If i do, where is the Manufacture's Date on the damn Box that the XBOX came in?

THanks.

If you ask me, I'd take it back. I'd also say 1 out of every 3 thompson drives will go out within a year and a half. Return that sucker and get a samsung. The samsungs should read a bit faster too.

CC-CRC
12-29-2003, 10:51 AM
Yet again my Thompson is quick speedy and not had a problem. Sent it out and they replaced the thompson with another and havent had one problem.. not one dirty disc error nutthing. People just because 200 of the millions of thompson drives crapped out you dont need to freak.

BunnyRabbit
12-29-2003, 11:18 AM
Originally posted by boundbruiser


If you ask me, I'd take it back. I'd also say 1 out of every 3 thompson drives will go out within a year and a half. Return that sucker and get a samsung. The samsungs should read a bit faster too.

I read that the Thomson is a U shaped hole. How do you tell the difference between a Samsung and a Phillips?
I guess it doesnt matter.. When I get a new one as long as it isnt a Thomson im going to be happy. Oh and Casper its obvious that there is a timer. Thats why you set the date when you first hook up your Xbox. Then it can easily tell when a year and a half passes and ink begins to flood the inside.

eyecrave
12-29-2003, 11:36 AM
I just got my Xbox for Christmas and fortunately I scored with the Samsung drive.

I found this link that has probably the best images to compare the difference.

http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox_dvd_version_comparison.htm

Cheers.

Spaztic
12-29-2003, 11:52 AM
my dvd-drive is on its way out. Dosn't very many dvds anymore.

TrueBelieverUK*
12-29-2003, 01:43 PM
i've got the crappy drive, well it hasnt messed up yet. had it a year and a half, so i guees its about to dye!!!!!:cry:

as i sed it hasnt messed up or anything yet, but after reading thsi thread i'm scared to buy xbox live if the xbox is just gonna f*ck up. then agen xbox's are relativly cheap now and i'll try and get a good package if it does mess up.....so it wont be all bad, well it still works so i dont no why i'm posting, i'm off to again attemp the airport mission of rainbow six 3

tbuk:cry:

Shorezy
12-29-2003, 03:21 PM
Yeah I think I will take it back.

Two more questions for you guys though:

1 - Is it OK if i've opened the box (warranty issues and what not)

2 - WHERE IS THE MANUFACTURE'S DATE ON THE BOX? I really would like a samsung.

Thanks again.

CRAYMAN
12-29-2003, 03:25 PM
I hadn't owned a console nor played one since the first playstation was introduced and when I was in Wal-Mart one day, there was an announcement over the store intercom saying "we have received 3 xbox's in electronics". It was near Christmas so I thought my parents would want to get this hot item for my brother. I rushed down and plunked down **$300** for one with NO games.

It turned out my brother wanted a Gamecube, so I kept the Xbox and we've been in love ever since.(My brother now has an Xbox)
I have played the mud out of it(hours and hours daily) along with many kids in the neighborhood. The Thompson drive so far has caused me no grief!

:cheers:

CRAYMAN
12-29-2003, 03:29 PM
Originally posted by Shorezy
Yeah I think I will take it back.

Two more questions for you guys though:

1 - Is it OK if i've opened the box (warranty issues and what not)

2 - WHERE IS THE MANUFACTURE'S DATE ON THE BOX? I really would like a samsung.

Thanks again.

What do you mean "opened the box"?

The box it came in or the xbox itself?

If you open the xbox, you void the warranty!!

:cry:

Dark Mamba
12-29-2003, 03:49 PM
I got a the Samsung dvd, according to the picture on the site. I'm still gonna be careful with my system.

Chr0nik
12-29-2003, 04:01 PM
I have a Thompson drive, and over the past 2 weeks I have received about 4-5 dirty disc errors. I have fired some compressed air into the DVD drive to clear out some dust that may be causing this. So far, so good. My extended warranty is up, and it would not really matter seeing that I have opened up the Xbox myself for various reasons.

chefdontcook
12-30-2003, 02:32 AM
kz.. i recently just found out about the thomson drive or whatevers that came with the first gen.. now the damn thing is giving me problems..giving me errors and this and that.. with newer games.. is there nothing i can do about it?. please.. give some feedback.. can i buy a new drive, how much does mircosoft charge to fugging fix the problem.. can i fix the problem myself.. please help.. it only gives me problems with new games..

Casper
12-30-2003, 11:10 AM
http://www.stores.ebay.ca/id=65820531&ssPageName=L2

Those are some good deals.

And here's what I'm going to do today to help fix my latest problem - it won't read RS3 and causes lag in my games when it does.

I'm going to GameStop today so that I can trade mine in for $100. As long as it passes the tests (plays 3 different games) then I'll get the store credit. I buy a new one for $179 (w/Clone Wars) then trade in Clone Wars ($10).


New Xbox $179

Trade in -$100
CloneWars -$10

Total Cost = $69

If I trade in 2 more games, I can get it for free :)

Snake Eyez
01-04-2004, 11:33 AM
Originally posted by Casper-XBA
http://www.stores.ebay.ca/id=65820531&ssPageName=L2

Those are some good deals.

And here's what I'm going to do today to help fix my latest problem - it won't read RS3 and causes lag in my games when it does.

I'm going to GameStop today so that I can trade mine in for $100. As long as it passes the tests (plays 3 different games) then I'll get the store credit. I buy a new one for $179 (w/Clone Wars) then trade in Clone Wars ($10).


New Xbox $179

Trade in -$100
CloneWars -$10

Total Cost = $69

If I trade in 2 more games, I can get it for free :)

Have fun transfering all the saved games. It sure was a blast for me.

Game_Geek
01-04-2004, 12:16 PM
My gave me my first 2 problems since I bought it in 01. One was in R6 were it took forever to load a level, and the same type of problem but this time in PGR2. If I can get 3 years out of my Xbox I'll be pleased. What really suprised me is the manufacture date is Sept '01! :eek:

Hope this helps (http://www.xblgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4008)

Slap A Pope
01-04-2004, 10:50 PM
I didn't even know about the different drives in the xbox, till recently. Now I don't know weather to feel luckily, or doomed. I've had my Xbox with the Thompson drive for alittle over a year, and haven't had a single problem. I've logged serious time with Morrowind: GOTY, and GTA: DB, two games I see most people have had problems with. Also, if I do have a problem and have to buy another Xbox, does anyone know the chances of getting another Thompson. Do they still make them, or are they all Phillips and Samsungs?

http://www.ape-law.com/evilmonkey/vmheader.JPG

Third Eye
01-04-2004, 11:13 PM
I'm getting DDE's now...crud. I have a
Phillips drive too. The thing is I only get
DDE's on certain games. Mostly on Vice
City, Espn basketball, and football, yet on
other games I play it works fine. My discs
are in great condition so I'm just a little
confused, any suggestions? They would
be most welcomed from me.

MaDDaWg836
01-05-2004, 01:03 AM
my manuf. date is 2001-12-14. i got a thompson. dont care cuz only gave me a couple of DDE. im not complainin. its goin on for 2 years+

wbio
01-05-2004, 07:06 AM
yea, mine crapped out on me about a year and 3 months after I got it with my Thompson, and I sent it back in and they sent me another Thompson, but no problems yet, it's been about 11 months since that happened. I'm getting another Xbox soon anyways.

Snake Eyez
01-05-2004, 01:53 PM
Originally posted by Third Eye
I'm getting DDE's now...crud. I have a
Phillips drive too. The thing is I only get
DDE's on certain games. Mostly on Vice
City, Espn basketball, and football, yet on
other games I play it works fine. My discs
are in great condition so I'm just a little
confused, any suggestions? They would
be most welcomed from me.

From what I have read it can depend on whether the game is a CD or a DVD.

jimmer71
01-05-2004, 02:24 PM
Oh great! Now I see this. I am now on my 3rd Xbox and I now need to go home and check which one I got last month. I will take this one back and exchange it. Thanks for the cool links guys it will come in handy.

Duke
01-05-2004, 03:46 PM
Third Xbox, first Samsung.

I've got my suspicions about that last one actually being new. (Had a Thomson in it)

Things seem to be running much better. Morrowind has no problems, and finally got rid of the periodic chugging on R6 (at least hopefully, only had time for two rounds, but it's been awhile since I haven't gotten it)

MikeMan91389
01-07-2004, 11:30 PM
Originally posted by Cryogenic Pyro
I think I have a Thomson drive, but I can't quite tell the difference between the Phillips and Thomson drives, so I don't know for sure. I also can't check the manufacture date because I can't find when mine was manufactured.

Anways, I bought it about a year ago, and I've had only had three dirty disc errors(Other than ones caused by an actual scratched or screwed up disc) and only one occurrence of the Xbox reading the game as a DVD.

My Xbox has been used quite a bit too. Hell, Soul Calibur II by itself has over 40 hours of play time.

I play xbox, over 50 hours a week.....phillips works great!

LynxFX
01-08-2004, 12:46 AM
Bought a launch Xbox, has the thompson drive, no problems. Never bothered looking until today.

Highlite23
01-08-2004, 08:44 AM
Originally posted by LynxFX-XBA
Bought a launch Xbox, has the thompson drive, no problems. Never bothered looking until today.

What he said, times 2. :cool:

Of course you know Lynx that tonight when we fire our Xbox's up they will just explode. :D

LynxFX
01-08-2004, 10:51 AM
Originally posted by highlite23-XBA


What he said, times 2. :cool:

Of course you know Lynx that tonight when we fire our Xbox's up they will just explode. :D
Yeah you are problably right...which is why I didn't turn on my Xbox last night. :D

burnedmilk man
01-08-2004, 07:09 PM
DDE, scratch, freeze, noise, unable to read?????? chances your box has a THOMSON drive right?????? SURE! it's a piece of garbage!

Microsoft doesn't care.

http://groups.msn.com/XboxDDE/home.msnw


the bigger it gets.......the bigger our VOICE

LynxFX
01-08-2004, 10:15 PM
Out of curiousity, of all those that have had an xbox with the thompson drive and had it fail, was your xbox manufactured in Mexico?

After launch those were the xbox's that had the most troubles and I wonder if it is related.

Mine is from Hungary.