by Marc Sandford
Your Xbox 360 is a fantastic product when it's working. This only makes the red ring of death failure all the more painful. Being reliable is not a strong point of the Xbox.
The usual mode of failure of the Xbox 360 is a general hardware failure otherwise known as the red ring of death. This is the state where the green lights surrounding the on/off button change over to three flashing red lights.
So how do you get your console working again? Most of the time, the answer is that your Xbox has overheated and it needs time to cool off.
After it has cooled down, you can't just start it up again and expect the overheating problem to magically go away. If the console hasn't been damaged, then you'll have to find ways to keep your Xbox running cool.
The following are a few suggestions for doing this.
1.) Run the Xbox in a cool environment. Don't use it in direct sunlight. If you are living in a very warm climate, always have the air conditioner on when using your Xbox.
2.) Limit the number of hours that you use the Xbox 360. Refrain from gaming sessions lasting more than two or three hours. Be aware that some games make the console work very hard and cause heat to build up more quickly.
3.) Keep the cooling vents clear of anything that might prevent the flow of air into the console. This means grit and dust within the vents or objects that may be pushed up against the vents. The console must not be placed in confined areas that restrict the free passage of air.
4.) There may be a local source of heat next to your Xbox that you aren't aware of. Perhaps there's a heater vent, stove, warm electronics, or a furnace nearby.
5.) The need to cool the power adapter is often overlooked. Make sure that air is free to flow into the adapter. Keep it clear of shaggy carpeting and out of confined spaces. Try hanging it off of it's cord on a hook.
If these suggestions fix your red ring of death problem, then consider yourself lucky. Otherwise, the overheating has caused damage to the console which necessitates repair. If you have a valid warranty, you can return your console back to Microsoft or you can have it repaired at a shop.
Marc Sandford is a gaming enthusiast and writer. Get more Xbox 360 troubleshooting information about repairing the Xbox 360 red ring of death.
