AfterDawn: News

'Halo Reach' users seeing disc read errors

Microsoft has noted today that some Halo Reach users have been experiencing disc read errors when trying to play the popular game.

"We are aware of a very small number of customers reporting that their copy of Halo Reach is causing a 'disc read' error," says the software giant. "Those affected should contact Microsoft customer support at 1-800-4MY-XBOX for troubleshooting assistance."



Most users with the issue are playing on a 20GB Xbox 360 Pro which was on sale from late 2005 until 2008.

A minority amount of users also reported issues with the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite.

Halo Reach is a prequel to the original Halo, the original Xbox's second-highest selling game.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 20 Sep 2010 17:46

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• 18 comments

• dcmorrow

  This happened to me on my Elite, (Jasper). I blew in the open disc tray in case there was any dust. Then remembered you can load the whole game on the hard drive. The first attempt failed. The second attempt worked.
  
  The game loads and plays 10 times faster. No more disc errors. That does not mean the problem does not exist, I just worked around it.

  20.9.2010 18:14 #1

• Pop_Smith

  Originally posted by dcmorrow: This happened to me on my Elite, (Jasper). I blew in the open disc tray in case there was any dust. Then remembered you can load the whole game on the hard drive. The first attempt failed. The second attempt worked.
  
  The game loads and plays 10 times faster. No more disc errors. That does not mean the problem does not exist, I just worked around it. I second doing this. Any game that is frequently played on the 360 should be loaded to the HDD.
  
  It helps reduce loading times and heat. Disk read errors also go away since the game only has to be in the drive as a "check" to prevent piracy.
  

  http://www.megavideo.com/?v=V1VZAD0O <-- Brian Regan "Take Luck" video.
  
  "The only people who should buy Monster cable are people who light cigars with Benjamins." - Gizmodo

  20.9.2010 18:34 #2

• biglo30

  @pop_smith and dcmorrow
  
  Agreed, personally I always install all my games on the hard drive when playing them because the 360 is pretty loud and gets annoying.

  20.9.2010 19:15 #3

• ZippyDSM

  Well MS had issues with Halo 3 and DREs... MS... stop getting your sht from china already!
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  20.9.2010 19:27 #4

• mike.m

  Why not just install it to your HDD? First thing I did was installed it. Never got an error message.
  

  
  

  20.9.2010 19:38 #5

• mostopher

  I'm no expert on this, but wouldn't installing on HDD have no effect in this case?
  If it's getting DRE that means it's unable to read the disc, which means you wouldn't be able to install it to HDD in the first place but also means you wouldn't be able to play from HDD since the game disc needs to be in the drive, surely if it can't read the disc in the drive it can't validate the game?
  As I said I'm no expert so would welcome someone contradicting me on this if I'm wrong.

  20.9.2010 21:24 #6

• Pop_Smith

  Originally posted by mostopher: I'm no expert on this, but wouldn't installing on HDD have no effect in this case?
  If it's getting DRE that means it's unable to read the disc, which means you wouldn't be able to install it to HDD in the first place but also means you wouldn't be able to play from HDD since the game disc needs to be in the drive, surely if it can't read the disc in the drive it can't validate the game? It's similar to how PC games work. 99% of them don't need the CD in the drive to play it, hence No-CD "cracks" that remove the limitation. However, a "No-DVD" crack isn't possible on the XBox by legitimate means.
  
  dcmorrow said that their game gave them a DRE the first time it was ripping but the second time worked fine. Unless a disk is really messed up it should successfully copy to the HDD, even if it takes two or three tries.
  

  http://www.megavideo.com/?v=V1VZAD0O <-- Brian Regan "Take Luck" video.
  
  "The only people who should buy Monster cable are people who light cigars with Benjamins." - Gizmodo

  20.9.2010 21:42 #7

• dcmorrow

  Call of Duty: MW2 does the same thing. I always thought there was something wrong with the disc. Take it out rub it with a clean cloth and then it will play. However Reach is a brand new disc without a finger print and it botched right away. I took it out, looked it over put it back in and it started working. Then i had the idea to load the game in the HD. First try, failed, second try it worked.
  
  Again I don't know now if it is the disc or the drive. My 360 is not that old, it got it from Costco.
  
  The problem could get worse and I wonder if I should call MS and get it straitened out before it really is useless.

  20.9.2010 23:17 #8

• Racem22

  It's most likely the disc. I'm a member of the AnyDVD forum & DVDFab forums, and, although this only pertains to DVD/BD video discs, we get a lot of read errors and such from bad discs. They're basically a manufacturing defect, so I would assume that console games get the same thing from time to time. If I were you I would look into exchanging the disc for a new one, because it will probably get to a point where you can't play it at all, then you're screwed on a $50 game. It's a lot easier to backup a movie than it is a 360 game.
  

  21.9.2010 01:37 #9

• davidike

  this seems like a common occurrence now, rushed games with very little testing before they are rolled out to the public, all you can hope for is that the designers/publishers release a patch to fix the issues instead of just denying they exist.
  
  IMO we should be able to take a game released that is fundamentally flawed with errors back to the place of purchase for a full refund.

  21.9.2010 06:17 #10

• ZippyDSM

  I don;t haz a 360 HD I haz a flash drive tho 0-o
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  21.9.2010 06:28 #11

• miketrev

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: I don;t haz a 360 HD I haz a flash drive tho 0-o Lol, bet you dont get this problem with Verbatims :D
  

  
  
  To get instant assistance with Flashing / JTAG / Homebrew from experts for free! click me (Im not one of the said experts BTW)
  
  Make poverty history, cheaper drugs NOW!

  21.9.2010 07:04 #12

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by miketrev: Originally posted by ZippyDSM: I don;t haz a 360 HD I haz a flash drive tho 0-o Lol, bet you dont get this problem with Verbatims :D I wont be hacking this one since its the first 360 I got in a few years I got fed up with the horrible over priced games and poor selection as well the RROD stuff.I just picked up a WII ,next system I get is a 360 for modding or a PS3.
  
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  21.9.2010 07:07 #13

• dEwMe

  Originally posted by miketrev:
  Lol, bet you dont get this problem with Verbatims :D You are correct sir...The Verbatims play it flawlessly (and have for weeks now)...ARRRRGGGHHH!!!
  
  

  Just my $0.02,
  
  dEwMe
  

  21.9.2010 13:09 #14

• DXR88

  i had an Issue identical to this, except it was Mass Effect. i would run this game threw AGBX just to make sure the CRC is correct
  

  Powered By
  
  

  21.9.2010 13:34 #15

• virgil86

  I have an original launch day xbox Pro. The first time I opened Halo:Reach, it worked fine. Played some co-op. Next morning, "Open Tray". I exchange my disc. Same thing. So, I go to www.xbox.com/support and follow all directions for troubleshooting, i.e. clear cache. Works again, I finish campaign co-op, which was awesome by the way. Next day, "Open Tray." WTF!!! Every other game disc I have works fine. I call xbox, and after an hour and a half, they tell me to send my unit in for service. Really? I guess I should have installed it right away. I am now on my 3rd different disc, and still can't play it after finishing the campaign.

  22.9.2010 14:30 #16

• xbox360 elite prob (unverified)

  i tried every solution i tried cleaning the inside , blowing inside and there is liek no solution

  25.9.2010 17:38 #17

• lawndog

  wow it's been a long time and a totally different forum since I saw the Verbatims comments. Thanks for bringing back those memories
  

  26.9.2010 05:34 #18