Wednesday, April 16, 2008

How to Repair xBox 360 Problem, the Red Ring of Death

SquareTrade, a web site responsible for managing warrantees for xBox
360, reported that the failure rate for xBox 360 game consoles are well
over 16 percent. This is an alarming amount of failure for a game
system, especially coming from Microsoft. The xBox 360 crashing and
other problems are widely, known among gamers, but I didn't realize the
problem was this rampant.


Among the biggest problem gamers face is overheating of xBox 360 game
consoles causing flashing 3 red lights called "Red Ring of Death." I
have experienced similar problem in the past and there's a simple
solution to repair this xBox 360 problem by using the famous 3 towel
trick.


Three towel trick is a temporary repair that may last for a few days or
even several weeks, nobody really has any idea how long this temporary
fix will last. However, if you are desperate to repair your xBox 360
from red ring of death problem, following procedure is how you fix your
infamous xBox 360 "Red Ring of Death."


The reasoning behind the 3 towel trick is to get your xBox game console
very hot thereby reconnecting the possible loose connection on the game
board. And if all goes according to plan, after using the towel trick,
hopefully the game console will function normally again.


Repair xBox 360 Red Ring of Death Problem with Towel Trick


First thing you should do is turn the main power to your system off and
disconnect all network cables, leaving only the power supply. Then turn
on the power back on and with 3 or 4 thick towels, wrap the game
console loosely. Turn the power back on. If you can't locate the power
button with wrapped towels, you can turn the power on before you wrap
your towel. Let the game console heat up for about 25 to 30 minutes.
After heating it up for 25 to 30 minutes, take away the towels from the
game console. Be extra careful not to burn yourself, because the
console will be extremely hot at this point. Let the game console cool
down for about 15~20 minutes and reboot your xBox. Do not connect your
network cables at this point.


After applying the towel trick, your xBox 360 still flashes "Red Ring
of Death," you're out of luck. You need to have it fixed by a repair
personnel. However, if you find that the flashing red lights are gone,
then your xBox is good to go again. Reconnect all your network cables
and play your favorite game. Your xBox may operate without any problems
for few hours, few days or even weeks or months without a hitch until
you run into same problem again.


Remember, the towel trick is a temporary fix for your xBox 360 problems
and you should seek a long-term solution. The reason for the dreaded
three "Red Rings of Death" is because of the overheating of the game
console. You can apply some of the tips below to keep your xBox from
overheating.


Keep the xBox 360 game console in an open space. Keeping the game
console in a tight space prevents the vent on the side to get clogged,
causing it to get hot. You might also try to keep the main power supply
from overheating by keeping it off of the floor. Some gamers use a tiny
fan on the game console and/or power supply to keep the xBox 360 from
overheating.


There is a product called Niko Intercooler, which has a 3 built-in fans
that attaches directly to your xBox game console. Having this useful
add-on for your xBox will keep your game console relatively cool while
playing the game. It is a handy add-on that every gamer should have to
avoid the ring of death and overheating. Intercooler is available for
about $15 to $20 at most of major retailers and Amazon.com


You can avoid many of your xBox 360 problems simply by using these
common sense tips. However, if these tips do not fix your xBox
problems, you'll need to send it out for a repair to Microsoft or other
third party repair center. If you are under warranty, Microsoft if your
best option, but the repair may take up to 4 to 6 weeks plus shipping
time and cost. And if your warranty has expired, you should consider
other repair center for quick service. Most third party repair centers
charge anywhere from $140 to $200 depending on the severity of your
problem.


Many smart gamers choose another option to repair their xBox 360, which
is using a self repair guide. There are number of xBox 360 repair
guides that are available online which can help you repair xBox 360
yourself. Just remember, if you try to fix it yourself and break the
game box for good, you may not be entitled to warranty coverage. So,
decide wisely if doing a self repair is a good option for you.

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