What Exactly is this “Red Ring of Death”?
It is a ring of 3 lights that flashes on by the power button on your xbox 360 console, it is usually accompanied by a frozen screen and/or some choppy graphics. This error usually renders your Xbox360 unusable, and it is really frustrating when it happens to you.
Why does this happen?
The cause of this is usually a malfunction with the CPU or the GPU of the Xbox360. It is usually caused by overheating. Intense gaming sessions that last for long periods of time may cause this, or it may be caused by a dust build up on the chips.
How in the world do I fix it?
Well just like with everything else, an ounce of prevention is way better than a pound of cure. Avoiding this “red ring of death” is really not too hard, if you just take the steps necessary to take care of your Xbox360. It is really only caused by 2 things, dust and overheating problems.
To prevent overheating you should keep your Xbox 360 console in a cool room with enough ventilation to keep air circulating through the console. Try to keep the console out of the suns rays, because obviously this will only make it hotter. If you don’t have an AC and it is very hot in the room that the console is in, then try not to play for too long. Usually 4-5 hours at time is okay, as long as it is not too hot in the room you are playing in. Whatever you do, DO NOT try to cover the console up with something, this will only make it hotter.
Try to clean the vents on the console with a duster on a regular basis to keep dust from building up inside and damaging the CPU or GPU. If you feel you have let to much dirt and dust build up inside the console, then you can open it up and clean the inside with a slightly damp napkin. Make sure you don’t wet any of the chips and make sure it is 100% dry before you turn it back on.
If you have already gotten the red light error, then have no fear, there is a comprehensive guide that can help you get your Xbox360 back up and running within an hour. It’s called the 3 red light fix repair guide. Also be sure to check out the rest of the free info on this site if you have any other Xbox360 errors.
