Xbox Series X - Xbox One (non-enhanced) Games Crashing To Home

Sharpnd · Nov 6, 2021

I ordered a Series X console from the Microsoft Store (online) last month on September 9th. After receiving it, I set up my console for the Delta preview and everything was great for about a week, but then some random issues started happening. I first noticed that Cyberpunk would no longer load. Trying to start the game resulted in a black screen, followed by being sent back to the dashboard with no error message. After trying a few more times, I noticed that sometimes while trying to launch it, the console's power button light would flicker before getting kicked back to the dashboard. The system never shutdown/restarted though. I initially chalked it up to Cyberpunk being just a glitchy mess based on all the articles I had read. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning. GTA: V was next where it would start to load and then kick me right back to the dashboard with no error. Then Red Dead Redemption 2. I thought it had to do with the internal drive, so I deleted and redownloaded the games to an external hard drive as well as the official 1TB Seagate Expansion card - same behavior. However, I'm a really big tech-guy and I was determined to try and get to the bottom of it.

Steps I've taken:

Multiple Factory Resets at various points (joining delta, beta, and reverting to public builds), both keeping games & apps as well as a full-wipe.

Left the preview program, console successfully downgraded to public build. No Change.

After no change on public build, I downloaded OSU1 from the support page to do an offline system update via USB in the recovery menu. No change.

Re-Joined the preview program, this time trying the Beta version. No change.

Deleted local game saves & resync from the cloud (multiple times). I've verified the cloud-based saves work on my other console with no issue.

Clear cache with full shutdown + pull power cable for 30 seconds.

Clear reserved space for each affected game.

Redownload all games mentioned above multiple times (Cyberpunk was disc based)

Run all games from the internal SSD (no change). Run games from two different external hard drives + 1TB Seagate drive (no change).

Tried a different profile, as well as a brand new profile after resetting. Some headway here - I could sometimes get Cyberpunk to load into the main menu, go through the character creation, but immediately after trying to start the campaign it instantly crashes back to the dashboard with the same symptoms mentioned above. I was also able to play GTA: V for about 5 minutes before getting kicked back to the dashboard (no error codes).

Tried disabling HDR, Auto-HDR, Dolby Vision. No change.

Changed from 4K down to 1080P. No change.

Tried in a different home, with a different TV, different HDMI cable, not plugged into any surge protectors. No change.

I reported GTA: V & Cyberpunk crashes with Report a Problem from the console. I successfully did Tracing with the GTA: V issue

At this point, I was at a total loss for ideas. However, I then noticed something even more bizarre. ALL Series X enhanced games worked 100%, totally fine. Gears 5, Borderlands 3, DOOM Eternal, etc. - no issues whatsoever. I then tried some 360 BC games - no issues. It seems to only be affecting Xbox One (non-enhanced) games. This honestly still has me scratching my head; what exactly is defective? Is it software or hardware?! I've spent countless hours researching this issue online but never came up with a resolution. I did find others with VERY similar symptoms on Reddit & Xbox support forums, and the only way it was ever resolved was replacement. I even came across some users saying they sent it in for repair only to be told there was nothing wrong with it - then getting it back and the same issue was there. One individual even posted a video of it happening. Suffice it to say, it's not just me, but apparently not widespread enough of an issue.

I contacted Xbox Support and they said it needed to be repaired. Keep in mind, at this point the console was less than two weeks old. I was not a fan of the idea of getting a refurbished unit back when this was so new, as well as the possibility of it being sent back un-repaired as other users had reported. From here, I contacted the Microsoft Store. I tried to do an exchange but there is no system in place for the Series X since they are constantly sold out. My only option was to get a refund. I tried escalating to every single person that I possibly could, both at Xbox Support and Microsoft Store support. Unfortunately, I was still stuck at square one: my options are refund or repair which truly bothers me because it's literally brand new and so hard to get from anywhere. I even tried getting another console (to simply replace this one) when they were in stock at the Microsoft Store online, only to be denied because of the one-console per account purchase limitation right now. I'm seriously bummed.

As of right now, I initiated the return through the Microsoft Store and have a prepaid shipping label to send it back. I have not sent it yet and thought I would try one last-ditch effort and relay the situation/issue to the community + Xbox staff in hopes there’s a better, more viable solution out there. I also thought from a technical perspective, this issue is extremely bizarre and maybe the Xbox team might want to analyze the console or something?! I did reach out to Major Nelson via email, but I’m not sure if it went through properly (additionally, his auto-reply says to contact Xbox Support for console related issues).

I’ve been an Xbox Live subscriber for 16 years and have amassed a pretty sizable digital library. I’m a huge fan of Xbox, so I hope this info can make a difference in some way. I apologize for the ridiculous novel-length of a post, but I wanted to provide as much info as possible.

Thanks in advance for any and all help/suggestions!

:)

ClausReich

Hello Sharpnd! I'm Claus, an Independent Microsoft Community Consultant for Xbox! Glad to be able to help you!

I am very sorry for the experience you are having with your brand new console!

After analyzing your reports, and mixing them with my knowledge about PCs and electronics overall, this seems to be a hardware issue at the end of it.

Given that both the Xbox One and the Series X|S console are all x86 consoles, they should be compatible between both families of consoles. The fact that your Series X|S-optimized games are all working correctly, and without any problems, and just Xbox One games are having issues (the ones you've reported), this could lead me to believe that some CPU instruction that the Xbox One games need, but that the Series X|S games don't need to use, (possibly because a newer and better instruction is available to be used for the optimized games), could be faulty and making your Xbox One games crash.

The fact that after doing so many factory resets, going to the Xbox Insider versions of the Xbox Dashboard, and doing pretty much everything that can be done, that makes me come to the conclusion that there's a hardware fault in your console, that will only affect Xbox One games. This wouldn't be solved quickly or easily, and might take Microsoft some time to get to the root cause of this, being easier for you to request your console to be serviced, which will allow you to enjoy your games in a quicker manner.

By the looks if this, where nothing could fix it, and by requesting your console to be serviced, it could be that a simple "board swap" could solve the issue.

Obsessive Power

HI,

This an Xbox One X enhanced game. But to get the enhancement you'll need either a Xbox One X or either one of the newer Series X|S machines. The Series S is a digital only console though.

On an original Xbox One or One S, it will be the BC 360 game with no enhanced graphics.

You'll get access to an enhanced version regardless of disc or digital, but you need the right console to be able play the enhanced version.

Obsessive Power

Hi,

I doubt you'll get a direct answer from here, not from the Microsoft tech team anyway. But as I understand it, Series X will run all Xbox One games and all the games currently BC for Xbox One. This will include the Xbox One X enhanced titles.

The Series S will not be able to run enhanced titles. Instead it will run them as Xbox One base games, but, it will apply it's own enhancements instead.

Why can't Series S run Xbox One X enhanced games?

So, you would think that being that the series S is also a next gen system it should run Xbox One enhanced titles, but it can't. The reason is quite a simple one, RAM (Random Access Memory). The Xbox One X has 12 GB of RAM, which around 9 is usable for games.
The Series S only has around 8 GB.

Pushing high resolution textures and indeed 4K resolutions (or near 4K) requires lots or RAM. But to keep costs low, Series S has less RAM.

The series S won't run Xbox One games exactly how the original Xbox One runs them. It will still run them better. Which means better frame rates and better resolutions, but it can't run Xbox One games that have enhancements for the Xbox One X. They will
still work, but they won't be enhanced. I'm not sure about Xbox 360 enhanced titles.

JosefLBohorquez

Nope, only the Series X can run the Xbox One X enhanced version of games

The Kleaner

This is an incorrect assumption. You can insert an xbox one disc and download updates that may improve visuals and frame rates on Xbox Series X/S but in order to play you still need the disc unless you own the digital version of it.

Xbox Series X will utilize the Xbox One X version of enhancements while Xbox series S will use the Xbox One S enhancements.

You will not get a free game by borrowing or renting a physical version of a game and installing it on Xbox Series X/S.

Xbox Series X - Xbox One (non-enhanced) Games Crashing To Home