Fix your Own XBox 360 - The 3 Red Lights Error

So what do you do when this happens to your XBox? First of all, don't panic. In nearly all cases, your XBox can be fixed.

Before doing anything, try these simple solutions first.

Is your XBox hot as Hades? Put your hand on the box. Does it seem unnaturally hot? If so, it may have overheated. Simply unplug your XBox from the power supply and give it some time to cool down.

While it is cooling down, grab a can of compressed air and use it to blow into all the vents. Dust trapped within your equipment can cause it to overheat -- both on your XBox and your PC. If you don't have compressed air handy, you can try using a hair dryer if it has a cold setting. Just don't blow more hot air into the thing.

Still not fixed?

Okay. Now you have to consider what to do. If your XBox is still under warranty, it is easy enough to return it for a repair or replacement -- however you need to keep in mind that if you send it in to the Warranty center, you probably won't have it back for at least two months.

The other alternative is to fix it yourself. There are a couple of different repair guides available for the XBox and my personal favorite is Chris XBox Repair Guide. Following his instructions is pretty simple and this is the best way to go if your XBox is either out of warranty or you do not have the patience to wait two months.

I fixed my XBox myself while it was still under warranty because I didn't have the patience to wait and since then haven't had any problems, but it's up to you whether you want to do that. If it's under warranty, you void the warranty when you open the machine up. However -- the repair is very easy and since this is usually the main thing that goes wrong with the XBox, it's usually worth doing. Also, one of his repairs doesn't even involve opening up your XBox so if that one works for you, you're all set with your warranty protection.

Get Chris' XBOX Repair Guide Now