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Xbox 360 Rings of Death

Posted Jan 5, 2009 at 3:28AM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Xbox 360 Tags: GPU, Microsoft, Ring of Death, troubleshooting, xbox 360 titles

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Xbox 360 Rings of Death

The Red Ring of Death is the most common failure of the Xbox 360 to date. The chances of your Xbox crashing are a whopping 30%. Microsoft has been tight lipped on this subject except in a July 2007 press release, where they stated that there is a design flaw, and almost every system could fail at some point. Even if you don't have problems right now, you should be aware of what can happen because as your system gets older, the chance of failure increases drastically.

Before you do anything, check your warranty (1 year for all issues, 3 years for the red ring of death). Do not do anything if you can send it in for repairs, it's free and it's the safest bet. Since it's past the 3 year mark for most people, this guide can help you if you are an unfortunate victim of red lights and in need of repairs.

We will explore the causes of the Red Ring of Death and the Red Ring of Death solutions. We will also go over some other possible errors your Xbox 360 may (or is) experiencing.

What Causes the Red Ring of Death?

Your Xbox is overheating because the cooling system is too small to adequately keep the Xbox 360cool. This causes the Red Ring of Death. Another problem is the solder which holds the CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit) on the motherboard. The material that Microsoft used to make the solder is not able to stand the heat inside the Xbox 360. This causes the solder to have small hairline fractures. These fractures turn into larger cracks as the motherboard expands. As the solder cracks it causes the GPU to become disconnected from the motherboard and this cause your Xbox to crash.

The good news is that if you have warranty left on your Xbox 360 then you are covered as Microsoft has extended the warranty to 3 years to cover this specific problem. If you don't have warranty on your Xbox 360 then you must repair the console yourself or send it in for $140 to get fixed by the Microsoft technicians.

Be careful to diagnose what problem you have before taking action.

Troubleshooting

To identify the problem your Xbox 360 is having will need to follow a few steps. First you must identify if you have the Red Ring of Death error or another error. You can identify the Red Ring of Death error by the lights on your ring of lights. Lights 1,3 and 4 will glow an angry red instead of green. Before you take apart your console (which will void the warranty) follow these troubleshooting steps first to see if you can fix the problem.

- Reboot your console and see if the error returns.

- Make sure that you have a green light on your power supply. If it is not green and is red or orange there is a problem with your power supply.

- Unplug all the cables and controllers that are attached to the Xbox 360, reattach and power up the console. If the lights are green, then your console is alright.

- If you are still having the red light error, turn off the console and remove the hard drive. Then turn the console on without the hard drive. If the lights are off then put the hard drive back in and turn the console on.

- If these suggestions do not fix the problem then you will have to do some more to fix the problem.

How to Repair the 3 Red Light Error

If you don't have warranty left on your Xbox then you can perform the repair on the 360 yourself. To repair the 3 red light error you will need to do something called the "X-clamp" fix. To do this you will need to remove the hard drive, and disconnect all the power cords and controllers. Take the system apart and remove the X-clamp that is securing the heat sinks to the GPU and CPU.

Once you have taken off the X-clamp, you can remove the heat sinks. Then you will need to clean the old thermal film and replace it with a thermal protective paste. When you are done that put back the heat sinks. Make sure you have applied adequate pressure to the GPU and CPU. For more information on this repair you can go to http://www.Xbox360repair.ca/redringofdeath.html

The 1 Red Light Error

The fourth quadrant in the ring of lights will be flashing red if you are experiencing the 1 red light error. A code will appear on your TV screen such as E74 error or something similar. The definition of this error is "hardware failure".

The underlying cause of the 1 red light error seems to be the overheating of the Xbox 360. The error that normally pops up on the screen is E74. This indicates an audio video error.

It is possible that the actual AV cable has failed or the ANA chip at the back of the console. While there can be numerous causes, it is most likely that the Xbox 360 overheating has caused this error. Unfortunately the 1 red light error is not covered by Microsoft's extended warranty. So if your warranty has run out you will have to fix the console yourself. The 1 red light error can be fixed using the same method as the 3 red light error.

More Problems with the Xbox 360?

There are a few more problems with the Xbox 360s that have been reported. A fairly common one is the 2 red light error. This error is classified as "overheating".

To repair this error you need to take some simple steps to troubleshoot the problem. The first thing you need to do is to check your power light and make sure it's green. An overheated power brick can cause this or a low power supply.

If the power supply is not the issue, it's time to move onto how the console is set up. Make sure you have no obstructions over your air vents. Then check to make sure the console is on a hard surface and not a cloth cover or on top of another piece of equipment that radiates heat (such as a DVD player).

If you still have a 2 red light error on your console then allow it to cool and do an "X-clamp" fix.

Another error is the 4 red light error. This error means that the Xbox cannot locater the AV cable. This can be easily fixed. Check your cables first, and make sure they are connected properly and tightly. If you hear a click as you replace the cable then you have connected it properly. If that doesn't work try buying a new AV cable. If this still does not fix the problem then it is very possible that the Xbox has overheated again and you may have to perform and "X-clamp" fix.

How to Prevent Problems

Hopefully you won't run into problems. By taking care of your system you can greatly reduce the risk of issues occurring. First, do not block the vents at the back of the system. Make sure it has plenty of fresh air to cycle. Placing it in a boxed area that confines heat is a very bad idea (as the hot air will keep cycling).

Second, do not leave the power bar on a rug/carpet. That causes heat to build up back into the power bar. Try to hang the power cord in the air (over a hook) or have it on a surface that does not insulate heat.

Third, do not leave your system on over night or for extended periods of time back to back. The less heat you allow to build up the safer your system will be.

Hopefully you are aware of the various Xbox 360 problems and how to prevent it as best you can. You are also aware of the red light error repair option available if you are out of warranty.

Best of luck, and happy gaming.

This article was written by Scott Reidly, an editor for Xbox360Repair.ca

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This would have been food for ps3 fanboys before the 360 price drop.

fact is there are only two worthy consoles this generation. and nintendo isn't one of them.

The ps3 has a slight edge in graphics and well bluntly is a better designed console.

but the 360 is very budget friendly and has lots of good games,, and thats important right now.

I prefer the ps3, but lets be real about this,, considering the price difference,, where price an issue.

One would be a fool to even compare them. It's very simple really,, if price where a concern,, get a 360. if you want quality and are willing to pay for it,, get ps3.

this in no way is a fanboy statement. just cold hard fact.

# Yep — Woden501 2009-01-05 06:33

That is pretty much the bulk of it. The only other thing I like to bring up to the customers at the Game Crazy I work at is whether or not they plan on upgrading to Blu-ray. If so then I tell them that the PS3 is one of the best Blu-ray players out there, and that they should go ahead and get a PS3.

# Silly — Puntymario 2009-01-05 06:35

Thinking that nintendo isn't a contender in this will be a big mistake for you

# >_> — nikko03 2009-01-05 07:35

hmm...guess i shouldn't have destroyed my old 360 because I voided warranty after I got my 3 red rings..lol...o well i have the newer 60gb jasper now..hopefully this wont fail..

# Yeah Qj another fix for 1 red light — phiyuku 2009-01-05 08:31

is to overheat it even more to get 3 red rings of death. The stupid thing is Microsoft doesn't cover 1 red light but only 3 red lights. 1 red light is actually less of a problem then 3 red lights and in order for Microsoft to fix it you actually have to break it even more by overheating it more to the point you actually get 3 red lights. Hope this helps for people trying to get 1 red light fixed but can't because its over 1 year but less than 3.

# also I thought it was proven — phiyuku 2009-01-05 08:40

that these are temporary fixes that work for only a short time but defintely still longer then the towel trick. These fixes only make good at preventing the Red Ring of Death and fixing it temporarily and the only true way to 100% fix your 360 is with a reflow

# ! — Matt-N 2009-01-05 09:25

I'm a proud PS3 owner, but I have to admit, this seems a little out the blue. All this is common knowledge now isn't it?

I have no problems with the 360 or its owners at all.

# @ Puntymario — Matt-N 2009-01-05 09:27

LOL

# actually — Surftycoon 2009-01-05 09:28

This article was prob only written because many of the 360 early adopters' warranties are just running out. Its nice to have some info on how to attempt to fix the problem yourself instead of losin money payin to get it fixed or buying a new console. If Qj wants to attract visitors to there site by putting this out there, let them its not hurting you.

Also, yamagushi, the RROD is still a very common problem. Even the new 1A consoles that just came out have had the problem already. I have personally done the return on a couple. Im not saying it couldn't be due to user neglect, but it does happen.

# Punty — Surftycoon 2009-01-05 09:31

Nintendo isn't really a contender. The Wii is a secondary console. most people who buy one either already have one of the others, or would have never bought a console in the first place.

# This article was written by — misthero 2009-01-05 09:31

Scott Reidly, an editor for Xbox360Repair.ca

# @ Surftycoon — Matt-N 2009-01-05 09:44

Aaaaaah.

Didn't realise it's been out that long already. It makes sense then.

-1 # ... — Justingraziano 2009-01-05 11:17

You know, I bet Microsoft purposely made the RROD so that way people would be forced to send their consoles in and they could remove any mods or mod chips to prevent piracy.

# Yama dude — blkthunda 2009-01-05 11:19

You seem to be very protective. It's just an article telling people on how to fix some problems. I don't seem any harm in this. Geez.

# silly people — dylantalon 2009-01-05 13:03

anyone that complains about this article is a real dumb a**. there are a lot of people who dont know about the rrod yet because they are new to the gaming community. and there are a lot of people who dont believe that there is a problem with xbox 360 because they are all fanboys and are in denial. these are the same type of people that say things like they'd rather pay for online or that dvd 9 is better than blu ray and other silly things.

people need to be informed about a product and faulty product articles shouldnt go away that easy. there are a lot of xbox 360s that are still failing on a daily basis and people need to know that and aren't surprised when their system breaks. what kind of person would want someone to buy a broken product while not knowing that the products are still faulty. this article as a right to be here and should be on a lot of sites to inform people about a faulty product. i dont understand stupid people getting upset about the truth and because they are fanboys they want to cover up the truth about the xbox 360 failing 33% of the time.

here are facts, xbox fails 33% of the time and they are still failing even on the new models and was confirmed by a lot of people. xbox 360 uses dvd 9 discs. there is a monthly charge for playing online on the xbox 360, no game on the xbox runs at 1080p at 60fps. those are facts and there are a lot more that i can say but i dont understand people getting upset over the truth like they work for microsoft and are getting payed.

# ... — Shatterdome 2009-01-05 13:17

Not so sure about this. I experienced the 1 red light and was pissed that it was not covered by 3 year but was effectively the same problem as a RROD.

When my 360 was getting the one light, it would engage fans at full blast in an attempt to cool it, then click, the system turns off and displays the 1 light.

Nothing else was running in the system and the outter shell cooled right away, so it was not even possible to wrap it in a towel or anything to attempt to get a rrod, or have things settle into place again....

I did the xclamp mod and every cooling mod available, and it helped for awhile, but eventually died altogether....

# ... — [DVSDevise] 2009-01-05 14:27

LOL, I wonder how much QJ gets paid for reffer link. You must not have much respect for your readers. You should of atleast acknowledged this is a paid article.

-1 # good but — Justingraziano 2009-01-05 14:58

You forgot to mention that the Xbox 360 doesnt come with rechargable controllers, only allows you to upgrade your HDD's with special Microsoft drives, has extremely limited backwards compatibility, has no web browser, has no official Linux support, has no wifi built in, has no HD media drive, has no motion sensitive controllers, has nothing like PlayStation Home, and doesnt even have gigabit ethernet.

# $150 — norm851 2009-01-05 19:36

for $150 you can almost buy a whole new system.

save the hdd and get an arcade system.

-1 # Whatever... — Shatterdome 2009-01-05 21:16

The free information, displayed on this site, is enough to give a new consumer some basic background into the problems 360 can/does have....

There is nothing wrong with this, especially since many people got new 360's this xmas and should need to know this.

Also, why write an article yourself if you can have a more qualified person write it for you ?

aaaaand....see all those ad's all over the site, whats one more....

# Intercooller attatched to red ring — kazaryster 2009-01-05 21:37

i have found that by using the inter cooler increases the chances of getting the red ring all of my friends that used the inter cooler have gotten the three rings or E74 just thought I'd add that

# Well... — Stealth! 2009-01-05 21:42

As far as I see it's no different to last generation with PS2 having a 13% failure rate to DRE. Of course fanboys will attack anything to make their purchase look good.

Anyway good article. I might get a 360 down the road so this is good stuff for me to know.

-1 # Don't know only thing I know — phiyuku 2009-01-06 08:44

is if they got any money it was a set amount because if it was per click there would be have a referer's link attached to it. Also if you don't know this site is here to make money. There are advertisements and the Buy Now in numerous articles has a referer link attached to it so they get like a nickel or a penny every time someone clicks it.

# well I will say it, — sickofitall 2009-01-06 08:50

this article is just sad. There shouldn't need to be a tutorial on how to fix all the problems of a game machine.

+1 # Paid article? — Chris C 2009-01-06 09:56

We don't do paid articles. We aren't seeing a red cent from this. The guys at 360Repair came to us and proposed the article, we figured it was well written and provided a lot of good info for our readers so we put it up.

# LOL — chessboxer 2009-01-06 10:08

33% of the time it fails... every time.

# the PS3 and Wii don't have repair tutorial — houaruto 2009-01-06 13:47

thats because they don't break down for every other person every other day

the tutorial are meant to help other box3fixME owners who are have a broken over 500 dollers worth of wasted cash including games

stating out the problem N fixin its helps gamers out no matter what fanboy u are............but keeping quiet about it because you are so ASHAMED that U don't care if any1 else suffers is just so SELFISHLY SAD ..

the funny part is 6 months to a year from now when ur x3fixeME breaks down..........u will be running over digging through QJs old tutorial article desperately searchin for help with that soooo cool RRoD problem

the most ridiculous part is you buy an Xbox even though you know you will always be in constant fear of the RRoD problem and live day 2 day being haunted by that inescapable fact that the candle is burning an soon things are gonna get burning hot.....happy hell day ^_^

# @BIH — KyuuDMC 2009-01-06 15:52

Every single thing written here is absolutely right! I have a Pro 60 GB NTSC-J X360, and I'm lucky enough that It kept working long enough, more than a year ... anyway it DIED while I was playing Tales of Vesperia a month ago.

you're only proving you're ignorant thinking this is food for PS3 fanboys. All X360 owners are having hell of trouble with that, you can check Youtube yourself! but I know it wouldn't work since you're an obvious stubborn fanboy.

Anyway, try not to play more than 2 hours continuously so often, if you want to keep your Xbox alive that is.

# X-Clamp is the ONLY way to fix the 3RLOD on older boards. — Nineball 2009-01-06 20:30

The "design flaw" is Microsoft's insistence to use "kewl" X-Clamps to bolt the GPU and CPU heatsinks to the motherboard. The architecture of the X-Clamps bends the board in a concave fashion, so that when the board gets hot, the bending breaks the soldered contact traces.

Replacing the X-Clamps with 5M x 12 bolts makes the surface flat and a re-heat of the board by just simply turning it on will cause the board to have the solder traces around the CPU and GPU to make a connection once again. I've made a bit of extra coin fixing Xboxes with the X-Clamp replacement and have never had a complaint.

# normally this should be necessary info but... — GiveMeABreak 2009-01-07 00:17

this was way too outdate because it never state that newer manufactured console improve cooling. how is it food to ps3 fanboy if they all should know about it.

why should you be offended if ps3 fanboy use this material, think of it as minor punishment toward microsoft gaming division. the punishment is justifiable. why should sony suffer their punishment while microsoft get away.

i begin to wonder if 360 fanboy want microsoft to repeatably deliver defective console, now why would you want that, it cheaper if microsoft deliver working console from the start.

think of the children crying when their 360 rrod because you guy support microsofts reluctance to fix the console sooner.

as for ps3 fanboy, stop supporting sony error, you get more games to play sooner that way.

# ... — avidGamer 2009-01-07 04:42

I'm on my 3rd xbox now, with each one lasting just over a year. I think the xbox is a great machine and don't mind putting up with the failures. But I am concerned that after 3 years from my original purchase I am now now longer covered for an xbox which is less than one year old, and from experience will fail again at some point!

Though on the bright side when it does fail at least the xbox arcade is fairly cheap, and with HDMI and quieter fan and lower power consumption it will be like an upgrade.

# M$ was greedy once again — houaruto 2009-01-07 10:11

they don't think is important 2 use decent parts 2 make their x3fixME they would screw their users over and force them 2 buy 3 to 5 systems until the xbox720 comed out N purposely repeat this process all over

thar 2 me is more like setting you up 2 steal all your hard earn cash....happy hell ^_^

# .. — blkthunda 2009-01-08 21:06

Sometimes I get frighten to play my xbox too long.

# mine was free — automaticsnow 2009-01-22 12:46

I just got the rrod for the first time on my launch console today, called Microsoft and they still said my repair was free despite purchasing it over 3 years ago at launch.

# RROD — Rickey123 2009-01-24 03:41

LOL

# Best Repair, Fix Xbox 360 Guide — Guest 2010-01-13 04:15

Wat about the http://fix-xbox360.com site that does provide guides like u

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