Xbox One Problems Update: Broken Disc Drive May Be More Common Than Previously Believed, Long Installation Fixes

It's been a disappointing few days for some of the first buyers of the just-launched Xbox One, with some gamers unable to play due to a broken disc drive and others finding painfully long install times. While the disc drive was first believed to be a limited problem, more reports of the same issue have surfaced. There's no quick fix for that, but gamers experiencing long install times may be in luck.

With millions of sales of the new Microsoft gaming console after the Nov. 21 midnight launch, reports of glitches, errors and odd issues were to be expected. The PlayStation 4 launch brought similar complaints, some that could be easily fixed, such as a missing USB cable or a faulty HDMI output, while others had no solution other than returning the PS4 to Sony, such as the "blue light of death" or bricked systems.

Initial report of errors or problems with a new system can be a bit skewed, affecting a tiny fraction of the total user base but getting blown out of proportion. But that may not be the case with the Xbox One broken disc drive.

Kotaku is reporting the Xbox One broken disc drive, dubbed "Disc Drive of Doom" by the site, may be more common than previously believed. The article's author, Jason Schreier, says he received more than 150 emails from Xbox One owners experiencing a broken disc drive. Common experiences include being unable to play games and hearing a loud grinding noise. Schreier notes other gaming publications have reported on a similar problem and a call for any PS4 hardware issues returned a few dozen responses in the same time frame.

As for the slow install time, an Xbox support forum agent recommends disconnecting the Xbox One from the network, powering off the console and re-installing the game while not connected to the network. Some users have reported being unable to install the day one patch, with it failing at a rate of 79 percent. In the forum thread, some users recommend updating via a USB while others are reporting the same issue even after contacting Xbox support.

In the Xbox One support forum, the disc read issue and grinding noise have the most replies, 113 and 78, respectively. Microsoft has yet to officially comment on the issue, other than to say that users should contact Xbox support and they will replace any broken console with a working Xbox One.