Xbox 360 Freeze Issue Work-Around

[pkohler01]

I have the 20GB Xbox (well, maybe it's the 40GB, I dont remember). Anyway, I was getting hung up on the initial load freezes that a lot of people here were getting nailed with. After trying different things for a while, I stumbled on something.

 

So far I've been through 6 copies of the game. Suffice it to say, the issue doesnt seem specific to discs but, rather, the interaction of the software with the Xbox hardware.

 

After fiddling with this, I've come to the theory that the issue is due to the no load time and the size/available size of the system cache (memory) available for the game. It seemed to make the most sense since I was actually able to play the game for 20+ minutes the first time I ran it.

 

Anywho, I did something a bit differently this last time. I started up the Xbox, loaded GTA4 and skipped the opening cinematic. At this point, when skipped, you find yourself sitting in a car with Roman. This is where most people have reported the freezing.

 

Rather than play the game, I walked into the kitchen, got myself a glass of Pepsi, boiled water, poured it into a cup-o-noodles, waited the 4 minutes, stirred, opened some mail and started eating. About 10 minutes later, I walked backl to the Xbox, picked up the controller, held down LT and sent the car speeding backwards. I executed a 3 point turn and played the game for over an hour before saving and walking away from it.

 

Essentially I went from having what was literally a valueless disc to being able to play the game by leaving it alone when I first turned it on. I skipped all cinematics in the missions I did and had autosave turned on (which is defaulted).

 

I started this at 10PM EST as the Crab Show (Deadliest Catch) ended and have been playing up until about 8 minutes ago with no freezes.

 

Could this issue just be some sort of cache overloard thinger or some sort of thing where memory isnt getting freed up?

[r4w_talent]

That seems logical to try out. It is definitely a cache overload of some sorts. I dont understand why it works on some boxes and not others. And in my case i dont know why got about 3-4hrs of clean MP in before i tried a SP mission. Then once i got to the First Date, it bites it. Now it crashes everytime - MP and SP. But ill give your work around a shot tommorow and see what happens for me. I just want my game to work (hard to watch my roomate enjoi it while i must sit and fume). Sux since i took today off work for this, now im gonna go and bust my hump tomorrow catching up and have no stress reliving killing to do outside of COD4 - still runs perfect btw. Oh well, good thing i am patient.

[tre_t]

Good work. I've been having freezing problems as well on my 360 so I tried what you did. I skipped past all the scenes and just let it run for about 20 minutes, then i played for about 2 hrs with no problems.

[MasterJake]

mhmm...i gonna try it and see what happens.

 

(i have a 360 and the freezing happens like every 5 to 6 minutes)

[Gibboniser]

I didn't have that problem, but if it freezes later on during gameplay, which has only happend a couple of times with me (usualy after compleing a mision) try the guide button, if the sound happens it should be ok just wait a sec, if not, the its dead. ( I think)

[MasterJake]

didnt work....

 

but thanks for the advice.