Red light errors are nothing but the pre-programmed error messages that are setup in the memory of the Xbox 360 console and are made to pop up whenever there is a problem in the working of the console. These messages will help the users to know where the error has occurred. The error messages are in the form of alphanumeric codes. Each and every kind of red light error has its own code so that the users can also understand and solve the problem.

Red Rings of Death

There are many red light errors like the single red light, two red lights, three red lights and four red lights error. Out of these four types, the “Three Red Light Error” is the most dangerous one because only in this type there is possibility of the console’s hardware being damaged to the maximum level if left unnoticed. The Three Red Light error is otherwise known as the “Red Ring of Death” or simply as RRoD. The name is because they signify its hardware death.

Reason

Main reason for the three red light error to occur is the cooling problem. The heat sinks function is to cool the surrounding air when the air passes by its grills. The temperature inside the console due to its compact packing and hence the cooling was not sufficient. As a result the processors below the heat sink are getting affected. Out of the two important processors the graphical processing unit is the most affected area because of this problem. So whenever the problem arises, immediately there might be problem with the display. This clearly shows that there is a fault in the cooling system of the Xbox 360 console.

Solution

The three red light error can be solved by slightly repairing the hardware. The main objective is to provide adequate cooling to the motherboard. The possibilities of providing cooling to the system are by adding an additional inter cooler to the system and by removing the X clamps.

The repairing can be also done by giving the console to the Microsoft service center. But you need to wait for 4 to 12 weeks depending upon the number of incoming consoles. Microsoft won’t repair modded consoles at any cost. For this you need to get a repairing guide from the internet. These guides will help us to solve the red light errors. These guides are video tutorials so that they will explain the steps to be taken while repairing the console.

Instead, you can repair your console in your home with the help of repair videos which are available in the internet. The advantage in repairing the console on your own is that the cost of repairing is less and the time taken will be just an hour or two.

Xbox 360 is a video game console introduced by Microsoft Corporation in the 2005. The Xbox 360 version is an advance version when compared with that its previous version. Basically, the Xbox 360 has been released with three different kinds of motherboard such as Xenon, Zypher and Falcon. The Xenon type of motherboard is the latest type released in the market. Many users have reported about hardware failure in the xenon type of motherboard. The xenon type motherboard has been affected by frequent overheating causing the GPU to fail and thus disturbs the working of the console.

RRoD

The RRoD stands for the Red Ring of Death. RRoD is a condition where your console stops working and displays an error E74 on the screen and accompanied by red lights glowing near the power button. The Xbox 360 has been loaded with some set of error codes in order to warn the user about its working obstacles. One such type of error is the E74. This error means that the hardware has been overheated due to long working hours or failure in the components in the motherboard due to weak solder joints. Apart from the three red light error there are also one or two or four red light errors. But, these errors do not affect the console very much when compared with that of the three red light error. The three red light error is considered to be the worst as it may permanently cause damage to the motherboard.

CAUSES FOR RRoD TO OCCUR:

The primary reason for the RRoD to occur is because of the overheating of the console. It is caused because of large power consumption by the inbuilt intercooler. As the power supply to the intercooler is taken from the motherboard’s main supply, the entire current flows through all the components of the motherboard. Another possibility to occur is because of weak solder joints resulting in failure of the processors to work in the motherboard. But, the major fact is that the heat sinks over the processors do not provide enough cooling as the heat developed over the surface is more than expected. The X clamp that holds the heat sinks are very tightly fixed to the motherboard causing less air to flow.

SOLUTION

The only way to solve the problem is to provide enough cooling to the processors. The X clamp are removed and fitted again by screw and bolt to the motherboard. This can be done by giving your console to the Microsoft service centers or you can do this at your own.  When you give your console to the service centre the cost for repairing is over $100 excluding shipping charges and moreover you have to wait for up to three months to get them back.

There is one more way to get rid of red lights in your Xbox 360. You can repair it on your own and hence the cost of repairing is very less. Moreover the repair work will not take more than an hour. Do not worry if you have not repaired any electronic consoles or gadgets before. All you need to do is remove the X-Clamps. You can learn about this with the help of a repair video. This video will explain each and every step to repair your Xbox and hence you can repair your Xbox in just one hour and start playing the games again today itself.

When there is a problem within the console, then you will notice that red lights are blinking in the power ring instead of the green light. These are called as the red light error. The Xbox 360 is designed to inform the users the various kinds of error it undergoes during its normal operation. For example, when there is a loose connection between the console and the display, an error message occurs on the screen and also you can see a red light glowing in the power ring. The number of red light differs for each error. It may be one or two or three or even all the four. The lights are arranged in a quadratic ring fashion of four lights. When an error is displayed simultaneously the red light will glow.

TYPES OF ERROR

The one red light error is a normal kind of error. For this you can restart the console and the problem may get solved. Sometimes there may be some technical error like loose connections. When the AV cable is not properly connected then there will be two red lights glowing in the power ring area. The most damaging kind of error is the three red light error. It is commonly known as the “Red Rings of Death” or RRoD. The problem occurs because of the overheating of the console. When the temperature inside the Xbox 360 exceeds the normal withstanding capacity, the components inside gets affected and fails to work properly. This error sometimes may lead to the failure of the entire motherboard. This error is accompanied by three red lights in the power ring. When the error occurs, an error message E 74 is flashed on the screen interrupting the game in the middle. The error mainly affects the graphical processing unit and blocks the display resulting in a black screen without any video output.

METHODS TO SOLVE

There are various methods employed to solve the red light error problems. When the problem occurs you can give your console to the Microsoft service centers. If your console gets repaired within the warranty period, then the repair work is done at free of cost. But, if the warranty period is over then you have to pay for the repairing work. In addition to this when you are sending it to the service centre you have to pay for the shipping charges too. This is considered to be costly and also you need to wait for up to 3 months to get the console back from the service center.

The other way is to repair by our own which is very easy to do. For this there is no need for any complicated devices. A simple screwdriver will do the job for you. There are some video tutorials and repair guides available in the internet. These videos will explain clearly the steps to be done to eliminate the red light error. The advantage is that, you can save over $150 and can complete your repair work within one or two hours. This will also give you a permanent fix which is not guaranteed if you send it to Microsoft. Once finished repairing restart your console and you will observe all the lights are glowing in green color.

There are countless numbers of Xbox 360 repair guides available on the Internet. Many competing products offer essentially the same content; the only real differences come in the name and the price. In this honest review of “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition”, you are going to learn whether this particular repair guide is any better than the others on the market.

The “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition” makes the claim that you will be able to fix your Xbox 360 in under two hours. Seeing as this is the main sales point of the product, this claim was the first thing that would have to be investigated. Luckily, there was a broken Xbox 360 with the red ring of death lying out in the garage, so this became the test victim. Using the videos and audio files provided with the “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition” package, I attempted to carry out the repair method. One thing I noticed was that the method outlined in this repair guide seemed to be easier to carry out than ones in other repair guides. The videos were also of higher quality than most other products I have used. Using tools that I found around the house, and watching the video files more than once, it took me exactly one hour and twenty-three minutes to fix my broken Xbox 360. I was suitably impressed.

However, seeing as nothing’s perfect, here’s a round up of the less impressive features of “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition” -

1. The price of this guide is slightly more expensive than its closest rivals at $29 USD.

2. The purchase and information page is quite cluttered and distracting.

3. An automated pop up appears if you exit the page without buying. However, it is well worth reading through the message that appears as it has a special offer and interesting information.

Here’s what else I did like about “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition”-

1. The repair method outlined is effective and easy to follow.

2. All the claims that were made on the purchase page were actually true in my case.

3. Customer support is excellent.

4. There is a 60-day money back guarantee.

5. I got to play my Xbox 360 again!

Overall, “Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix; Pro Gamer Edition” is the most comprehensive Xbox 360 repair guide that I have come across. The method works, and I highly recommend it to anybody looking to fix a broken Xbox 360 and remove the red ring of death.

The worst thing that has happened to me recently happened about a month ago. I was in the middle of an intense game of Halo 3 when all of a sudden my Xbox 360 just froze up. Yes, you guessed it; the Xbox got the red ring of death. When it happened I actually sat there with my mouth wide open. I remember a few of my friends telling me that this happened to their Xbox 360, but I never really thought that it would happen to mine.

I decided to call one of my friends with whom I was playing. He told me that it had also happened to his system, and that he had to send it in to Microsoft to be fixed. He told me this process took over a month, and it all started because the console overheated. Apparently, even thought the overheating problem is Microsoft’s fault, they won’t even send you a protective box to send back your 360 in. So, you will have the inconvenience of getting your own box and waiting a month or so to play Xbox 360 again.

I’m sure that you would not want this to ever happen to you, so here are some tips to help prevent this.

To prevent your console from overheating, make sure that it is in a location that will not trap heat. This means avoid putting it inside of an entertainment center where there are a lot of other electronics. My main problem was that my entertainment center was very hot when I went to go check on my Xbox. Make sure that the place you choose to leave your console has a good amount of ventilation.

If it is too late for you and you have already gotten the red ring of death, try unplugging your console and placing it in an area where it can cool down. Leave it for about an hour and then plug everything back in and turn it on. If this fixed your problem then great! If not, I’m sorry but you will be without an Xbox 360 for about a month.