Anyone who knows a great deal about the X Box 360 has heard of the problem of the 3 red lights, or the Ring of Death. It refers to the appearance of three red lights surrounding the power button on the front of the 360's console. It signals hardware failure which causes a complete shut down of the unit. Fortunately for those who love their X Box 360 there are ways to avoid and fix the 3 red lights.
As with any problem, it is always better to keep it from happening in the first place. Overheating is the root cause of the system failure. To avoid this, do not put the system into a closed cabinet. The cooling fan needs to have access to cool air in order to work effectively. In an enclosed area the air gets warm and the fan can not do its job. Sometimes it may be necessary to use a supplemental fan, especially when using the system for extended period of time.
Letting the power brick get too hot can also lead to the 3 red lights. The same rules apply here. Keep the power brick well ventilated and out of enclosed places. It may also be helpful to set it up on one end instead of letting it lay flat. This increases the amount of area that air can reach.
If this advice has come too late and you have already experienced the 3 red lights there are solutions. They do not require a great deal of technical know-how. If you are familiar enough with the X Box 360 to play games on it you are probably capable of fixing this problem.
The first fix, although widely used and somewhat effective, can cause more problems then it solves. It is known as the towel fix. All this entails is wrapping your unit in several layers of towels and leaving it turned on for 25 minutes. After this time you remove the towels, turn off the machine and allow it to cool. A large percentage of the time when you turn the system back on the lights will be gone. A small percentage of the time this method causes a fire. This not only permanently damages the X Box but may burn your house down.
This method seems to work because the heat built up resolders any wires that may have become unsoldered from the motherboard. If you have the know-how and the tools there is a more effective way. Take off the console's cover and resolder the wires individually. This prevents further damage to the unit and your home.
If neither of these solutions work for you there is still one option remaining. Send the system back to the manufacturer. The downside is that you will have to do without your X Box for several weeks. The upside is that when the unit is returned the problem will have been eliminated.
Fixing the 3 red lights on you X Box is not terribly difficult. In most cases it can be accomplished at home with a few simple steps. However, to completely repair the problem it may be best to simply return the unit to the manufacturer and let them deal with it.
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