How to Fix 3 Red Lights on Xbox 360

If you log on to any Xbox 360 forum, you will find many individuals asking for help and information regarding the 3 red lights on Xbox 360. I only hope, you are not one of them because it is a costly game console you possess. It is said that the problem of ring of death faced by many Microsoft Xbox 360 users, is due to overheating of the system. While rendering the detailed graphics for the video game you are playing, the CPU and GPU has to work hard, which causes the heat to build up inside the console. It is also said that the design of the Xbox 360 is faulty and does not provide for the proper ventilation of the console. Overheating causes the solder joints connecting the vital parts of the system to liquefy which ultimately, disrupts the contact. This is the cause of your Xbox 360 freezing and of flashing of 3 red lights on it. The crisis demands immediate shutdown of the console and a call to the Microsoft customer care service for help. The service may solve your problem or advice you to take your Xbox 360 to the service station for repair. This requires considerable time and costs you a few bucks. If your console is still in warranty period, then you may choose this option and suffer the absence of your console with grace only because you don't have to pay for the repairs. However, if you don't want to part with your Xbox 360 or if the warranty is no more applicable to your machine, then you will have to do something about the problem on your own. Let us see information on how to fix 3 red rings on Xbox 360.

Fixing 3 Red Rings on Xbox 360

If you search on the Internet, then you may come across various solutions advising you to use wet towels for cooling your game console to buying a new one or playing less graphic intensive Xbox 360 games. The following paragraph gives information about tackling the problem of overheating itself. Let me warn you against, executing the instructions provided for a Xbox 360, well within warranty period. Get it repaired from Microsoft because it is your right. If you are bent on Do-It-Yourself Xbox 360 repair then know that we are disassembling the Xbox 360, and going to try to insulate the heat sink of the Xbox 360 from the computer chips (heat source) located under it. Have an Xbox 360 repair kit at hand. Follow these instructions:

• Remove all the cables attached to your Xbox 360 and remove the Face plate of console.
• A latch is located just behind the ventilation grill on the upper left side of the Xbox 360. Insert a flat bladed screw drive to release it.
• Perform the same operation on the latches located at top center and top right side of the grill. Treat the grill on the left side in the same way and remove the face plate.
• Remove the 14 screws (#8 screwdriver) located under the bottom shelf.
• Pull the outer casing of the console off and undo the screws (#10 screwdriver) on the back panel. Pull the two plastic inserts and back panel off.
• Pull the metal plate off after undoing the screws (10# screwdriver) on it.
• Detach the plugs on all the drives inside the Xbox 360, undo the screws from around them and remove the drives.
• Using a flat headed screw driver remove the clips on the both sides of the heat sink.
• Clean the area around the computer chips that are located under the heat sink and apply thermal paste to it and leave it undisturbed for 2 hours.
• Unscrew the motherboard and lay it face down on the surface covered with a cloth.
• Remove the 8 screws from the area opposite where heat sink was.
• Replace all of these 8 screws after placing a metal and a nylon washer on each of them.
• Turn the motherboard over without upsetting these screws. Place another set of a nylon and then a metal washer on each of the screw.
• Tighten each of these screws into their washers from beneath the motherboard.
• Replace motherboard, heat sink and drives inside the Xbox 360 by fixing them in their proper position with the help of screws. Remember to replug the drives.
• Carefully reassemble your Xbox 360.

Depending on your experience with the machines and dexterity, you may find it easy or difficult to follow these instructions. At no point of time hurry the dissembling or reassembling of your video game console. If you have any doubts you may refer to Xbox 360 repair guide which you can download from the Internet. Take it easy and take a pause before acting on the intermediate steps. If this does not take care of the Xbox 360 ring of death problem, call and let the Xbox 360 repair service take care of this problem.