<P> Almost at the same time the Xbox 360 was released in late 2005, customers began reporting circumferential scratches found on discs used in their Xbox 360 consoles . Almost two years later, in February 2007, the Web site "The Llamma's Adventures" investigated the matter and concluded that some Xbox 360 disc drives lack a mechanism to secure the disc solidly in place . Tilting or moving consoles with these drives, when operating with a disc spinning inside, can potentially cause damage to the disc and in some cases rendering the disc unplayable as a result . Discs have also been scratched by stationary consoles during normal use . One side of the disc can also be scratched by the disc tray if it malfunctions by closing with the disc in an odd position . Also, technical engineers already knew about the problem before release confirm this with Microsoft with a list of solutions . According to Microsoft, decreasing the disc rotation would cause games to take excessive amounts of time to load from the disc, and adding a bumper in the disc tray would cost 25 cents per console--a total of about 11 million dollars and causing a delay of the Xbox 360 release . In 2005, they were accused of many technical Xbox 360 problems and a poor lack of solutions and warranty . According to reports in news media, the new Xbox 360 S design still scratches discs when the console is moved while spinning in operation . However, the Xbox 360 S and Xbox 360 E ships with a sticker informing users that moving the console while powered on poses risks, effectively removing responsibility from Microsoft . </P> <P> Although discs scratched by the Xbox 360 are not covered under its warranty, Microsoft's Xbox Disc Replacement Program will sell customers a new copy of discs scratched by the Xbox 360, if they are published in countries where the Xbox was originally sold, at a cost of $20 . The published list of games that qualify, however, is limited . Halo 3 Limited Edition was replaced at no cost until February 1, 2008 according to the Xbox Disc Replacement Program's main site . Other publishers can be contacted directly for a disc exchange, but it is unclear whether they will replace discs at no cost . Game publisher Electronic Arts details a specific program for this problem which requires the disc and original receipt, also the game must be purchased within 90 days of the request for a replacement disc, or will request a replacement charge of $20 or $25 . </P> <P> In December 2005 (shortly after the Xbox 360's release in the United States and Canada on November 22, 2005 and around its release in Europe and Asia in early December 2005), reports of unidentifiable noises from the Xbox 360 were appearing on Internet message boards . In response to the problem, Microsoft offered in December 2005 to replace only the Perfect Dark Zero video game "even if it was not the game that was scratched ." The scratched disc problem reportedly affected only a small percentage of Xbox 360 units, however it became apparent in December 2005, through message board reports and growing media coverage . </P> <P> The Xbox 360 scratched disc problem received little media coverage in 2006; however, in February 2007, the Dutch television program Kassa investigated several complaints from Dutch consumers about circular scratches made in their Xbox 360 discs . Some of these consumers claimed that their discs became unreadable . Kassa investigation traced the problem to a design defect in which the Xbox 360 optical lens was not restrained sufficiently . In asserting that Microsoft or at least its chain of suppliers was aware of this problem, Kassa noted that Microsoft's "TSST" versions of the Samsung DVD - drive lack rubber cushions around the optical lens while identical Samsung drives sold for PCs did have these rubber cushions . Kassa also noted that the affected Xbox 360s all seem to have been produced towards the end of 2006 . </P>

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