Machines tend to break down. That’s just how they are. They tear, waste, use, overheat, fail, etc. Microsoft’s second entry in the video game console industry, the Xbox 360, is no exception. And it’s also known for its hardware failures, the most common being the Xbox 360 three flashing red lights, also known as “the red ring of death.”

The primary cause of Xbox 360 failure is related to a design flaw in the launch version of the console which uses 90nm technology. Essentially, the Xbox has an inadequate cooling system which results in damage to the components. This damage leads to glitches and eventually the so called “red ring of death”. Don’t worry: Your Xbox Live Account and your Xbox 360 achievements are not broken. Luckily, later version with 65nm technology are not affected.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 console has several ways that tell technicians what the problem probably is. One is through the four green lights that are around the power button. When they change to red and flash, they are trying to tell you something. If there’s only 1 flashing red light, then your Xbox 360 is pretty much dead. If you see 2 red lights, it means your Xbox 360 overheated and you should turn it off for a while to let it cool.

If this happens often, you might want to get a fan accessory to help it ventilate. If there are on your Xbox 360 3 flashing red lights, it means that something is wrong with the hardware, but don’t worry. It can be fixed. Finally, 4 flashing red lights just mean that you didn’t connect your cables properly. The 4 lights won’t flash if you connected the Xbox 360 wifi in a wrong way.

And one can identify Red Ring of Death (RROD) problem with their Xbox if they find any of following problem with their console:

* Disc Error problems
* Xbox freezing problem
* Abnormal sound from your Xbox
* Unable to play your Xbox

Once your Xbox breaks down you are left with very few options. Microsoft states that the average wait time for a repair is 4-6 weeks and that the cost of the repair would be $140. That’s in addition to shipping and handling charges! Another option will have you up and running again in less than an hour. This involves purchasing a do-it-yourself repair guide online. The top repair guides are very impressive and cost less than $30. These repair guides will focus on the how to fix your red ring problem and how to make sure it does not happen again.

The easiest way to do an Xbox 360 red ring fix is to prevent the problem from happening at all. If you bought your Xbox 360 within a few months after launch day, do yourself a favor and buy the fan. Also, never, ever place your Xbox (or any other electronic device) next to a heat source. Some people tend to cram all their devices together, TV, DVD player, CD player, VCR, Xbox 360, Playstation, Nintendo Gamecube, etc., which causes them to heat each other. Always leave some space between your Xbox and everything else. This will not only keep it from receiving heat from other devices, but it will also keep the ventilation holes open and with plenty of space to operate.

It’s also a good idea to clean the back of your Xbox 360 from time to time. Just brush off with a dry cloth all the dust and dirt that accumulates in the back of it. It will not only prevent the red light problem, but it will lengthen the life of your Xbox 360.

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