Xbox 360 Repair Tips: Red Ring Of Death

1. Overheated

Xbox 360 build up with several high power and complicated components which are packed in the small space. Those component generated large amount of heat. Internal heat sink and fans utilized to cool out the heat. But due to limit marginal cooling capacity and limited space within the console causing overheat problem once the air flow blocked and lead to red ring occurrence.



2. Lead Free solder

To avoid lead product may cause danger to children, Microsoft designed to use lead free solder in Xbox 360. Lead free solder tend to be more brittle. Once the lead free solder exposed to heat for long period, it become more brittle and happen to be a tiny hair-line cracks will develop once you stress it. The cracks can obstruct the flow of electrical current and also result in a weak solder joint that easily breaks.



3. Poor Heat sink clamp Design

Xbox 360 using X- clamp on the heat sink which is a poor design as the X- clamp force is very uneven. The uneven pressure get worst once the GPU and CPU get hot and overheated causes the motherboard to flex. Problem become worst when the lead free solder become brittle after get stressed with flexing motion of the motherboard.

The step that the xbox 360 indicates its health to the users is via three LED rings on the front of the xbox 360. Normally these are green, but when one of them turns red, you know there is error. Here is what each of the red light issue mean and what you can do to avoid of them:

1 Red Light - If one red light starts to light on the xbox 360 device, this usually shows that either a DVD drive problem or a hard drive problem. You can notice that it is by observe at the code number displayed on the screen. E64, E65 and E66 are DVD drive errors, while E67, E69 and E79 are hard disk troubles. The E74 issues shows a troubles with either the GPU or the HANA graphics scaler chip. If it is a hard drive errors, try disconnecting your drive and restarting to see if that avoid the errors. If it is a DVD drive issues, your failure may have been caused by a current firmware update. Try put back to an before version of firmware, using the instructions below:

Ways to reinstall from a problems System Update:

1. With the console off, press and hold the sync up button (the small white one).
2. While holding the sync button press the power button to turn on the console.
3. Continue to hold the sync button until the Console has booted up completely.
4. During the boot process the console should clear any failed updates, allowing you to use it normally.

2 Red Lights - If you see two red lights lighting on the front of your unit, this shows an overheating problems.
You should immediately turn off your device and take it to a well ventilated place indoors to cool it down. DO NOT place your xbox 360 in a refrigerated space or put it outdoors, this will not help a thing. Just let it cool it down at room temperature for 2 hours or more. The next step, try locate it in a good-open space place and restarting. To avoid overheating, make sure that you use your 360 in the upright position, always keep it away from outside heat sources and dust, and make sure that the fans are operating properly.

3 Red Lights - This is the well know as "Red Light of Problem" problem, and it affects the largest number of Xbox 360 gamers. The name of this trouble is the "General Hardware Failure" and the issue could be tie with to multiple of things. This trouble means that somewhere inside the unit or a component is not operating properly, and it usually need a send to Microsoft to get rid. Here are some guide you can try to solve the trouble yourself.

4 red lights - This seems like it should be the serious problem of the bunch, but actually it is one that can sometimes be troubleshooted by the users. The 4 red light issue communicates to user a trouble with the A/V connector cable. The first thing to do is make sure that the cable is connected safely at both ends, and reboot the unit. If this doesn't work, try make clean of the metal end of the connector cable with a cloth and blowing out any dust from the connector pins. Finally, you can try put in new the A/V cable with an optional one to see if this fix the problem.

First simple ways that you can try to restart your console back. If did not work
, try to remove and disconnect all the power core cable attached on the console and then unplug the power core cable from the wall plug as well. Then re-connect back the power cable back to console and wall plug. Switch on power and turn on the console.

If above step still not able to work, power off the console and try to disconnect all cable from console include the power core cable from the wall. The disconnecting the hard drive. Now plug in back all the cable to the console and turn on console. If console did not show any signal of red light of death, turn of the console then unplug cable from the wall plug. Finally, installed back the hard drive , plug in the cable and switch on the console again.

Another ways you may need to look into, is that if you use extension cord or power strip, your xbox 360 console may not able to receive adequate power. Try to unplug the cable of extension cord, then plugging the power brick directly into the wall. This sort of thing happens more often than you might think.

If you think that your console is overheated after long hours of gaming, try to switch it off and let it cool down. Make sure nothing blocked out the air flow and cooling vent of the console. Keep your Xbox 360 in a ventilated and open area. Do not place your console near hot environment like near heaters and radiators and such. No electrical devices that are sitting on top or beneath your Xbox, this also will contribute indirect heat to your console as well.

Do add extra cooling fans inside the console to decrease the heat
produce by console and do regular clean up remove any dust and obstacle that buildup inside the machine.

One thing that need to remain you that once you open up the console will VOID YOUR XBOX WARRANTY, so before you make any move to screw up your Xbox 360 make sure you call to Microsoft Xbox center to check for your warranty option. You can call up Microsoft Xbox service center at 1-800-4MY-XBOX(469-9269) for any inquire regarding your Xbox 360 warranty by sending back your Xbox to them for repair.If your XBox 360 is over the warranty period.

Tools that you need to prepare:

* Small Philips head screw driver
* A torx style star head screwdriver size T10
* A very small Flathead screwdriver

Step 1: Disconnect all the connection wire back of xbox console, include the wall plug as well. Once completed disconnect, press and hold the power button around 2-3 seconds to make sure drain out any extra power charge that still remain in the console.

Step 2: Remove hard drive and any memory device that plugged inside XBox console. For remove the hard drive, you can press on the hard drive button, and straight plug off by pulling the hard drive straight up.

Step 3: Next, you need to remove the face plate by gripping on the top and bottom near the left hand side of console where near the disc drive located and pulling slowly until the faceplate pop out. Repeat the same step on the other side of console. Once completed both side, you able to remove the faceplate from the console.

Step 4: Remove grey mash panel by prying them off using any small objects (small flated screwdriver) by inserting them into holes located on the left, middle and right side point of xbox console. You can see clearly the grey tabs and pushing in the small screwdriver to release the hook which catches.

Step 5: Remove the white case located on top and bottom of console by inserting flat head screwdriver into the back of the console located of left and right hand site of the white case. Once insert the flat screwdriver in, you should hear a pop when each site releases. Make sure you hold on the side and start to separate the case pieces so that they don't click back together when you pop the tab.

Step 6: By using small flat head screwdriver you can unhook the case tabs on the front of the console from one end until another side. There should be 4 tabs to releases, once done to unhook the case tabs, just slide right off.

Step 7: Now you can see a metal plate which had XX mark on top of it, use your Torx T10 star screwdriver to unscrew the 6 screws located on left top, middle top , right top, middle left, middle, and middle right. You not need to remove any other screws although there are bunch of screw there.

Step 8: Put aside the all 6 screws that you removed on step 6 make sure you keep it properly and don't lose them. Then, you flip the console over so that the remaining half of the white case is on top. Make sure the metal part that you just unscrewed facing down.

Step 9: Pull the white case straight up, it should easy to separate from the rest of the console. Now, you able to see the inside of your Xbox 360 console which contain cooling fans, various kind of electrical component, motherboard and a white guard to direct air flow in the console.