Few steps necessary to avoid the red ring of death flashing red lights:

1. Placing the Xbox 360 in a proper ventilated area. The console should be kept in adequate ventilated place. There should be adequate space around the fans. Storing it around other electronic equipment should be avoided.
2. A small fan should be used so that cool air is kept blowing across the top of the system. This helps in keeping the console cool and thus avoids the red ring of death.
3. Xbox should not be used when it is sitting on the carpet as it doesn’t allow proper ventilation around the box. Thus results in over heating. There is chance of dust and grit to enter the Xbox from the carpet. This result in improper ventilation. Power supply box should also be kept in proper space and shouldn’t be surrounded by dust.
4. The fans and vents should be cleaned at least once a week. This helps in reducing accumulation of dust. Vacuum cleaner or wash cloths can be used to clean the vents and fans. Proper ventilation stops the console from getting over heated.
5. The Xbox can be turned upside down which results in making the bottom vents to face upwards. This allows heat to escape more than the other way round and thus results in faster cooling and that too for a longer period.
6. Xbox should be kept out of direct sunlight. You should avoid leaving the Xbox in a hot car or keep it in direct sunlight. All these may overheat the console faster.
7. If you have used your Xbox for a longer period then you should turn it off and let it cool down. Using it for too long is one of the reasons of the console getting over heated. You should try to limit your gaming session to shorter periods; this will result in less frequent heating. The Xbox will get time to cool off and thus you will avoid getting a Ring of Death.
8. When you have finished using your Xbox turn it off and then unplug it from main. You shouldn’t leave it on for hours or days like that.
9. You should avoid putting things on the top of the Xbox. Putting things on the top of the console will confine air flow and will avoid heat from escaping. Thus will result in over heating.

Step 1

For a quick Red Ring of Death Fix, you can follow the steps below or go to other articles on this site for more fixing options.

First, remove the hard disk and at the same time unplug all cables from the unit, assemble back the hard disk and power up the console again and let the motherboard to read the hard disk again. There is a release button for the hard disk, press on it, it should come right off.

Step 2

If step 1 does not solve your problem, it means your system is more or less “dead” so go ahead and try the method lay out below:

Many Xbox owners don’t know that Microsoft actually offers to fix Red Ring of Death at a low price or even Free! Go to their website and click on the support button where it will display all the options for the repair. Login using your Windows Live ID and thereafter you will be prompt to enter the barcode number of your Xbox 360 console set, it can be found at the back of the console. After you had input the numbers correctly, click on continue. By now, all requirements should be cleared for them to send you a mailer for them to send your Xbox 360 back to them for repair. Once Microsoft confirms that your Xbox 360 is still within coverage, they will send out a shipping package for you to ship back your Xbox 360 with Red Ring of Death back to them free of charge (FOC)!

Step 3

Once the package arrived, put your Xbox 360 inside the box carefully with any documents that Microsoft requested and also follow the instructions given by them. Next just make sure that the package is secured then ship it out.

Step 4

Once the package had been received at Microsoft side, they will inform you whether or not the package had been received and the lead time you are required to wait until the system is being sent back to you. Another way is that you can track your Xbox repair status by logging into their website.

Lastly, always follow their instructions carefully that comes with the shipping package. Follow the instructions one by one. If your Xbox 360 might be out of the 3 years warranty coverage, you can also just try it to be sure, if not, get your Xbox 360 back and follow the other articles lay out here on this site to get your Xbox 360 fixed yourself.

Step 1

Do not panic, check exactly how many red rings there is. If all 4 red rings is turn on, it only means that your console needs to cool down for awhile and all you have to do is to switch it off, let the temperature cool off then switch it back on again. For additional prevention of 3 red rings of death, place your Xbox 360 in a place where there is good air flow and air ventilation.

Step 2

One of the symptoms of red ring of death is that the Xbox console will start to hangs quite frequently during game play, so do take note of that.

Step 3

This method is also being discussed in other articles in this site. This towel technique is a temporary solution not a permanent one. All you need to do is to get a towel, wrap up the whole Xbox console from top to bottom and also unplugging all cables from the console and then wait for 20 minutes. It is a cooling method that is quite well known in the Xbox industry. This method do have some risk involve like fire hazards, so do try it with care.

Step 4

Always remember to register your Xbox 360 online after your purchase. Everytime when you talk to the support of Xbox regarding any issues you might have, they will ask for the 12 numbers serial number of your Xbox 360 console set which can be found at the back of the console.

Step 5

When the 3 red rings of death occur, it must be a hardware problem with your Xbox 360 console. If your Xbox is already out of warranty, you might want to try the steps below before deciding to send it in to the service centre.

Step 6

Always look out for the power supply lights. If it is still green in color, it means you have a hardware failure. If the light is orange or red in color, you can try switching of the console, unplug alls cables and then plug in back and switch it back on again, see if the problem goes away.

Step 7

After switching off and on the Xbox 360 and light changes to green color but the console is still flashing 3 red rings, you can consider sending it in to the service centre.

Step 8

After you had requested for sending in from the Xbox service centre, a label priority mail box will be sent to you which takes around 5 to 7 days. Thereafter you can place your Xbox inside and send it back to Microsoft. From there you will have to wait up to 1 month to get your Xbox 360 console back.

Step 9

If your Xbox console is still under warranty, the repair is free, if not the cost of repair can be around $140.

Step 10

You can go to the Xbox website for technical support which can be found in resources below.

Assistance by phone seven days a week.
1-800-4MY-XBOX

International direct dial to U.S.: 425-635-7180

Hearing Impaired TDD device: 1-866-740-9269 or 425-635-7102

Hours of operation every day:
9:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. Eastern Time
6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Pacific Time

Step 1

Power on your Xbox 360 and do confirm that there are exactly three red lights as one or two or four red lights means a whole different problem altogether. Once confirmed, power off the console set and remove all cables attached to your Xbox 360, remaining just the Xbox console itself.

Step 2

Gently take off the faceplate of your Xbox 360. After that, also do remove the harddisk from the top. There is a button located at the top and simply remove it by pulling the harddisk out.

Step 3

There are 6 tabs which you will need to depress with pins that are holding onto the top air vent and gently pull it out to remove it. There is one more rubber pad at the last tab which you can also remove but risk that the tab might break. Simply repeat the steps to remove the bottom vent, it will be easier to remove with the bottom vent.

Step 4

Before you do this step, make sure that your Xbox 360 is already out of warranty or you had already opened the console beforehand. Remove the Microsoft warranty seal at the back of the console.

Step 5

In this step, you need a tool called 360 unlocking key which can be bought in amazon.com itself. This tool is used to push in some small holes and unlock the locking mechanism while separating the Xbox 360 into halves. Without the key, its going to be tough. In the worst case where you do not own the unlocking key, you can try using a small flat head screw driver or something similar.

Step 6

Next you will need to lift up the tabs at the front and then remove the side of the console. Use your screw driver to remove all screws and do remember where those screws are to be place at.

Step 7

This step would be quite easy. Remove the eject button gently using your fingers, using a screwdriver to do this job will work too but take extra care as it might break the button when too much is used.

Step 8

Now remove the other half of the casing. From there you will see 2 cables just behind the DVD drive and is connected to the motherboard, unpluck the cables and remove the drive.

Step 9

You will need to gently take out a big plastic casing at the back of the console that actually covers the fans. Do also remove the fans. There will be quite abit of work involve to remove the fans, take your time to remove them if you need too, do not rush, your goal is to fix Red Ring of Death problem not giving it more problems.

Step 10

This step is going to be just a little technical but do bare with it. Locate where the power button is, carefully remove the white plastic that surround it and from there locate a small circuit board, unscrew them and carefully take out the board.

Step 11

This step is to remove the motherboard from the X-clamp metal frame. Use a flat had screwdriver below the corners of the X-clamps and twist it so that the screwdriver pushes the clamp up and down on the motherboard. Repeat this step on every corner of the X-Clamps until the clamps comes off.

Step 12

There will be heat sinks (pieces of metal for cooling the CPU) attached to the clamps, you will need to remove those heat sinks out using pliers and then unscrew the screws on all 4 corners of the heat sink.

Step 13

Use a piece of cloth, dip it in alcohol or IPA solution to remove the compound on the 3 chips from the heat sinks until you have a shiny surface. Do not ever scrap the compound off as this way it could damage your Xbox console.

Step 14

The reason for removing the compound is to replace it with better compound of our own. A compound called Arctic Silver is one of the best in the market, go buy it, it’s a must. Apply a small amount of it at the center of all 3 chips. Do not spread the compound out, when you place back the heat sinks on the chips, the force downwards will spread the compound evenly on the chips without and air pockets in the compound and you will have a better thermal flow between the heat sink and the chips.

Step 15

Put back the heat sinks, screws and washers carefully one at a time. Always remember that the top of the screws will always at the bottom of the motherboard. This step may requires two person to do it as one can hold the heat sink in place, the other can screw in the screws and also the washers. Make sure that the screws are tight enough to secure the heat sinks in place but also do not tighten too much and cause the screw threads to overrun and you will not be able to remove the heat sinks anymore, hand tight will do, do remember by hard on this. Do this on both heat sinks.

Step 16

Now its time to assemble everything back together. Put back the motherboard together with the metal frame and also the small circuit board of the power button all back in place. For now, do not screw anything back together just yet and go ahead and plug in the a/v cable and power cable and switch on your Xbox console.

Step 17

You are almost near the end of the fixing procedures, hang on awhile more. Once your Xbox 360 is turn on, it will go back to 3 red rings again and then down to 2 red rings. Here is the cue, when you see 2 red lights, immediately switch off the console and unplug all cables and also remove the small circuit board.

Step 18

Avoid touching the heat sinks now as it will be hot now, use a cloth or something to remove or place back the heat sinks. Do not wait for the heat sinks to cool down. Take out the motherboard and flip it to tighten the screws securely. Lastly, assemble back your Xbox 360 game console and it should be able to start working normal again and you can start playing on it of your favourite games.

Below are some extra tips and warning for you:

• If your Xbox 360 is still under warranty coverage, please do not attempt the repair method above. Please send it in to Microsoft Service Centre for repair.
• When you have the Red Ring of Death, do not panic. Try switching off your Xbox 360 and switch it back on again to see if the problem goes away.
• Tearing apart your Xbox 360 on your own will void all warranty coverage.
• Before attempting any repair procedures on your Xbox 360, unplug all cables from it as shock do occurs at times.
• Use the above repair method only if your Xbox has 3 red lights only, not 1 or 2 or 4.
• Do not apply too much thermal compound on the CPU and GPU between the heat sinks as the compound will short the circuit boards if it is messy and overflow to the boards below the chips.
• After switching on the console, be careful when handling the heat sinks as it can be real hot.

Step 1

Switch on the console set and let it power on and not doing anything for at least 5 minutes. The reason behind this is to get your Xbox system to its standard temperature and allow the console to store this data.

Step 2

Once the standard temperature is achieved, go get 3 towels and wrap up the whole console system completely with all 3 towels. The system had to be kept turn on. Allow the system to stay power on for 20 minutes and at the same time making sure that there is no way for air to get inside the towels.

Step 3

After 20 minutes, you may now unwrap the console system. The key point of this this overheat trick is that it will reset the system’s standard temperature higher in the console data itself thereby making it harder to have Red Ring of Death. To have this method to work at its best is to melt the CPU down to the motherboard better. One thing to take note of is that in order to achieve that, it may take a couple of rounds of using this method to succeed at it. Be it whether the CPU have better contact with the motherboard, the main objective is to have the standard temperature changed to higher level in the console’s data and the system now works again. This method usually works for four weeks and thereafter you will have to repeat the whole process again.

As you can see, this method is a temporarily method to fix Red Ring of Death, not a permanent way. One piece of last advice of this method is that do not leave the console in the towels for more than 30 minutes, remember!

Note: This method has risk involved which includes fire hazards or even further damage of the Xbox 360 if not done correctly.

The most infamous and most popular of all, we called it the “Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death” which happens when you see a complete ring of red light around the power button. Another nickname for these failures are the “Red Ring of Death ” (“RROD”) or less often as the “Red Light of Doom” (“RLOD”).

Since the launch of Xbox 360, there had been quite a number of issues of failure rates being high but not to worry, look through this complete Red Ring of Death self help site, I believe you can get your Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death fixed in no time!

In the 21^st century, the game industry had grown much faster than we thought. Many types of video gaming platform are booming with very good sales performance each year. The old arcade games are almost trend out and came along the new game system like Xbox 360, Wii, Playstation, PSP and so on where all provides an array of games to play for all age group for one of the most popular game console will be Xbox 360.

Some history background is that Microsoft launched Xbox 360 way back in May 2005 and this gaming console was a big hit and hit sold out record just in the first week of the launch and out-perform many other gaming console in the market. 3 other versions that launched later are the Xbox 360 Arcade, the Xbox 360 Elite and the Xbox 360.

The Xbox 360 Arcade is the version introduced publicly by the President of Entertainment Devices of Microsoft and was in the market in mid 2007. Some of the most famous games for the Arcade version are Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Edition, and Uno, which are included in the available version.  In 2008 the holiday consoles include the Sega Tennis as well.

The Xbox 360 is called also Premium, and instead of the composite cable included in the Arcade version, this comes out with a hybrid cable, and features an optional optical out cable. The Premium boasts a 60 GB of hard disk that can store all necessary game and multimedia data and it includes demos , a free Arcade game and various video clips. The Elite version is the most expensive as it features a 120 GB disk and comes out in a sleek black color with matt finishes. This version was released in late 2007 and some of the most popular titles are the Kung Fu Panda and Indiana Jones.

One of the reason why Xbox 360 became one of the leading game console today is that it can creates an impressively interactive games and the excitement it can create so as the player feels like actually playing the game in real life rather than controlling a controller.

If you were to agree with me, is that the Xbox 360 is an expensive gaming console and doing your best to take all the necessary precautions or step to prevent it from breaking down as well as prevent other maintenance issues linked to Xbox 360 like the red ring of death is one of the best thing to do for your game console.