UPDATE – DON’T DO THIS FIX AS IT WORKED FOR ONLY A SHORT WHILE. IT RETURNED BACK TO THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE. YOU CAN DO THIS TO TURN YOUR ZUNE OFF FOR THOSE THAT ARE REPORTING HEATING PROBLEMS, ETC.
UPDATE 2 – It seems this update will work if you want to use your Zune for a short while. It has to do with the clock on the Zune it seems. You can do this and it will work, but once you plug it into charge in your computer – it will fail again.
UPDATE 3 – Microsoft has posted their fix: http://www.zune.net/en-us/support/zune30.htm. You need to wait till after noon Jan 1 2009 to use your device.
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If your 30GB Zune is a brick --- here is what I did to fix the problem. Please be advised that I am just telling you what I did and I am in no way responsible for you messing up your own Zune if you did what I mentioned here!
So, I posted earlier today about this. If you own a 30GB Zune, it probably turned into a brick today and just shows the startup screen and nothing else. None of the buttons will work and there is no way to turn it off. To fix this problem, you will have to first open the Zune case.
STEP 1 – Open the Zune case
You will need to get a small flat-headed screwdriver and pop off the black plastic item that surrounds the area where you plug in your Zune. Once you pop this off, you will then find two small screws. You will need a small screwdriver (obviously) so if you have a screwdriver for glasses or something – then this would work. Once you have the screws out – you can then pop off the cover (the top part will come off last).
Opening it up, you will find two battery connections at the top of the Zune.
STEP 2 – Disconnect battery connections
You will need to move these up. Start with the left one and move it up till it is half-way disconnected. Then do the same to the right side. Your connection will be something like the following:
Wait at least three seconds and then you will want to reconnect them by pushing down on these connections.
From here – reattach the case cover. You will notice that your Zune as rebooted and will now work.
Hope that helps.