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 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.
Allowing the power brick to overheat will also cause the ring of death to appear. Do not lay the brick flat on the ground as this blocks air flow. Instead, place it on its end and keep it away from anything that will keep air from circulating freely around it.
So what do you do if you are reading this too late and the 3 red lights have already appeared? Relax, there are ways to fix the problem. They are simple and do not require that you have a lot of knowledge about how electronic devices function.
It is possible to resolve the problem by wrapping your console in towels and leaving it on for an extended period of time. A silly as it sounds, this method often proves successful. It is not really a good solution however as the towels have been known to catch on fire. This leads to much more extensive damage to your X Box and perhaps your home.
A better answer is to pop the cover off of your system and get a look inside. Most often the 3 red lights appear because a wire or two has come off the main circuit board. If you see this is the case then it is possible to repair them using a soldering gun.
Not everyone owns a soldering gun, and risking burning down your house may not seem like your best option. If this is the case for you than you will want to send the unit back to the manufacturer. They will repair the problem and return the system back to you, usually within a few weeks. This does mean you will have to survive without the X Box for that long. The advantage to this method is that when you get it back, the unit will be completely repaired.
If you own an X Box 360 it is really important to keep it from getting overheated. In that way your can avoid having to fix the 3 red lights. If it is too late for that your best bet is to send it back to be repaired.
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