"The only thing Microsoft should be worried about right now is how bad their publicity engine is. I mean, they're just letting Google walk all over them. They need to bring out their big guns and call BS on Chrome as an OS. Or, at least, force any rapid, fanatical anti-MS person to exclusively use browser-based apps for a week. "
-- David Geller

Our top 10 favorite headlines about Google Chrome OS

Mass High Tech

Microsoft's New OS

VIEW ALL

Bill Gates Watch

VIEW ALL

MYSTERY SOLVED?

Microsoft blames clock bug for Zune glitches, promises magic fix

By Todd Bishop on December 31, 2008 at 2:23 PM PST

Comments (8) | Permalink

Zune | iPod | AAPL | MSFT

Microsoft says a problem with the internal clock in its 30GB Zune players, related to the leap year, caused the widespread device failures reported earlier today. However, the company says the device should fix itself as the clock shifts to Jan. 1.

"The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year," the company said in a statement. "That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009."

The company is apologizing to customers, and but it's not clear if that will be enough to appease the people affected by the problem. In some of the forums earlier today, Zune users were talking about the possibility of a class-action lawsuit. The ultimate sentiment will probably depend on whether the Zunes actually fix themselves magically.

Read on for the complete statement.

Early this morning we were alerted by our customers that there was a widespread issue affecting our 2006 model Zune 30GB devices (a large number of which are still actively being used). The technical team jumped on the problem immediately and isolated the issue: a bug in the internal clock driver related to the way the device handles a leap year. That being the case, the issue should be resolved over the next 24 hours as the time change moves to January 1, 2009. We expect the internal clock on the Zune 30GB devices will automatically reset tomorrow (noon, GMT).

By tomorrow you should allow the battery to fully run out of power before the unit can restart successfully then simply ensure that your device is recharged, then turn it back on. If you’re a Zune Pass subscriber, you may need to sync your device with your PC to refresh the rights to the subscription content you have downloaded to your device.

Customers can continue to stay informed via the support page on zune.net (zune.net/support).

We know this has been a big inconvenience to our customers and we are sorry for that, and want to thank them for their patience.

All in all, it's still a bizarre incident, given the way the 30GB Zunes just suddenly stopped working, all at once. Even if the devices are able to heal themselves in the next day, there's still a premise for a great science-fiction novel somewhere in here.

Update, 3:20 p.m.: Here's a good one from the funny guys over at the Naked Loon: A live webcam of a 30GB Zune -- "to provide continuing, up-to-the-minute coverage of this important worldwide crisis."

The Tim said:

on December 31, 2008 at 3:39 PM

Thanks for the link to our webcam! I sure hope this magical auto-fix trick works.

Report Abuse

Raina said:

on December 31, 2008 at 5:22 PM

Doubt this fix will work and either way it's not enough. The Zune is a joke and I wish I had never gotten one. It still doesn't work with my 32 bit Windows Vista computer. I called their support line and they had no idea why it didn't work. Great huh? Instead they spammed my house with annoying phone calls and refused to stop even after I emailed them numerous times.

Report Abuse

RobertinBellevue said:

on December 31, 2008 at 6:17 PM

Looks like they haven't learned much in 20+ years! In the mid-80's, I had a systems building company installing the latest versions of MS-DOS on all of the machines I was shipping. Lo and behold, the new version came out (can't remember which one) so of course, I started installing it on all systems shipped out. One of my larger clients was supplying my machines all over the country to hotels to track their mini-bars in real time. Well, a week after the first machines with the new OS went out, I was called on the carpet and told I'd have to eat all the newest machines that shipped out. Why? Because every single one of them was flipping back the date as soon as it hit midnight! I was sweating bullets for a week.

As was typical in those days, Microsoft's initial response was complete denial and no acknowledgment of the problem. It was only after a detailed demonstration that showed how a new machine did this while an older system stayed on time that my customer finally realized it was indeed a Microsoft problem (I lost a lot of sleep worrying about having to eat over a hundred systems!).

Another week later, a somewhat apologetic Microsoft finally provided an upgrade to their OS to correct the clock problem. You’d think someone would have remembered that debacle but then again, maybe everyone’s retired on their stock options from that far back.

I seem to remember the old MS-DOS curse from the old days: Every other version was cursed with errors (I think it was even numbers if my memory still serves me). So I’m left wondering if this particular Zune version was even or odd? And I’m only half-kidding.

Report Abuse

BlogReader said:

on January 1, 2009 at 4:58 AM

"Jumped on it"? Then why after a day was there nothing on zune.net?

Report Abuse

Buzz said:

on January 1, 2009 at 9:05 AM

My Zune is back from the its' DN, e.g. Dead Now stage, working fine. It really is a pretty decent device...

Report Abuse

G said:

on January 1, 2009 at 1:51 PM

The Naked Loon live cam was brilliant. The dozens, nay hundreds of Zune users out there must have been transfixed.

Report Abuse

Kyle Mulka said:

on January 1, 2009 at 6:27 PM

I think this is the most hilarious tech blunder of 2008!

Report Abuse

S said:

on January 3, 2009 at 1:42 PM

Did this affect anyone outside of 98052?

Didn't think so. No users!

Report Abuse

Todd Bishop's Biography

Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle. READ FULL BIOGRAPHY

206-876-5466

Recent Sponsor Posts

Gnomedex: Tickets Available Now for Puget Sound's Premier Tech Conference Aug. 20-22

Join tech enthusiasts from across the country for the leading tech conference in the Puget Sound area, Gnomedex. It's the technology conference of inspiration and influence, hosted by Seattle-based blogger and digital enthusiast Chris Pirillo. Gnomedex is geared toward anyone with an interest in technology, and openness for sharing ideas and learning from others.

MORE INFORMATION

SynapticMash: A Microsoft BizSpark startup using technology to increase student achievement

How do successful startups like SynapticMash survive in today’s economy? Innovation gives them a leg-up; as does help from programs like Microsoft BizSpark. BizSpark is a program for software startups that provides development tools and technologies to build applications and server licenses to host them.

MORE INFORMATION