If flashing red lights are a new experience for you, make certain that you count three red lights (see picture to the right). Four red lights also form a red ring but it is not the red ring of death. A brief description of the other error codes including the four red light error are given here.So Why Does the Red Ring of Death Happen in the First Place?
Causes for the Red Ring of Death
There are two broad reasons why your Xbox 360 will flash the red ring of death:
1.) When the console is getting insufficient power. This can be readily identified and easily fixed without having to open up the console.
2.) The other more serious cause for the red ring of death is overheating of your Xbox. The Xbox overheats because of various design problems.
Sometimes overheating will trigger the three red light condition (red ring of death) before any damage has occurred. In such cases you will have to pamper your Xbox in various ways (described in the troubleshooting procedure) to keep it from overheating.
However, overheating (or repeated overheating) can also damage the motherboard. If this is the case, then repair of some kind will be necessary. You can either send your Xbox back to Microsoft if you have a valid warranty or you can do the repair yourself (see the "Repairing Your XBox" section below).
The heat problem and the Xbox design issues that contribute to the red ring of death are explained as follows:
1.) When the console is getting insufficient power. This can be readily identified and easily fixed without having to open up the console.
2.) The other more serious cause for the red ring of death is overheating of your Xbox. The Xbox overheats because of various design problems.
Sometimes overheating will trigger the three red light condition (red ring of death) before any damage has occurred. In such cases you will have to pamper your Xbox in various ways (described in the troubleshooting procedure) to keep it from overheating.
However, overheating (or repeated overheating) can also damage the motherboard. If this is the case, then repair of some kind will be necessary. You can either send your Xbox back to Microsoft if you have a valid warranty or you can do the repair yourself (see the "Repairing Your XBox" section below).
The heat problem and the Xbox design issues that contribute to the red ring of death are explained as follows:
1. Heat
Xbox 360 heat is excessive.
The Xbox 360 is crowded with a lot of high powered components filling a small space. These high powered components (the CPU and GPU in particular) are giving off a large amount of heat. This heat is dissipated within the console with vents, heat sinks, and fans. It's marginal cooling capacity causes this system to overheat if the flow of air into the Xbox 360 is obstructed. The red ring of death occurs when various design flaws act up due to the increasing heat levels.
Heat Sinks
2. Lead free solder
Xbox 360 solder is brittle.
In order to avoid using lead in products used by children, Microsoft made the Xbox 360 with lead free solder. Lead free solder tends to be more brittle. To make matters worse, the wrong type of lead free solder was used by Microsoft, one that gets really brittle with heat exposure over long periods. If you stress this brittle solder, tiny hair-line cracks will develop. The cracks can obstruct the flow of electrical current and also result in a weak solder joint that easily breaks.3. Flawed heat sink clamp design
Xbox 360 heatsink clamp causes motherboard to flex.
The X clamp is a questionable design because it's clamping force is very uneven. When the GPU and CPU heat up, this uneven pressure intensifies, which makes the motherboard bend and flex. Lead free solder joints that are very brittle get stressed by the flexing motion of the motherboard. With time and heat the solder joints snap.
X-Clamp
4. Thermal Paste Issues
The Thermal Paste Often Fails
One common cause for many ring of death failures is bad thermal paste connecting the CPU and the GPU to their respective heat sinks. High quality paste that is properly applied should last for years. Poor quality paste can break down in months. Improperly applied paste can cause immediate problems. In the past, Microsoft has accidentally left foil on the heat sinks. This foil renders the thermal paste useless. Improper thermal paste application during manufacture is possible.5. Deficient Manufacturing Process: Soldering Temperature Was Too Low
Xbox solder process was sub-optimal.
The soldering process during manufacture was done at too low a temperature. When lead free solder is under heated, the resulting solder joint is full of voids and other defects. These weak joints won't hold up for long even under normal circumstances. If you include the other Xbox faults such as running too hot and warping of the motherboard, you've got the perfect formula for failure.
6. The Graphics Chip Puts Out Too Much Heat
Instead of going to an experienced vendor for its chip design (ASIC vendor), Microsoft designed the graphics chip in house, in other words, on it's own. They did this in order to save some tens of millions of dollars in the cost of the design.
Although Microsoft has some experience here, it doesn't come close to the level of expertise of the ASIC vendors. As a result, their graphics chip is inefficient in that it dissipates too much waste heat.
This problem dovetails in with the weak cooling system in the console.
Microsoft has gone to an ASIC vendor in the US and had the graphics chip redesigned. This move goes a long way to resolving the overheating problem.
However, there are lots of Xbox units in use that still have the old graphics chip. These will continue to be susceptible to heating problems.
Although Microsoft has some experience here, it doesn't come close to the level of expertise of the ASIC vendors. As a result, their graphics chip is inefficient in that it dissipates too much waste heat.
This problem dovetails in with the weak cooling system in the console.
Microsoft has gone to an ASIC vendor in the US and had the graphics chip redesigned. This move goes a long way to resolving the overheating problem.
However, there are lots of Xbox units in use that still have the old graphics chip. These will continue to be susceptible to heating problems.
Graphics Processing Unit
Troubleshooting Tips for the Red Ring of Death
Xbox troubleshooting before you do repair.
If you are thinking of getting your Xbox repaired either by yourself or by a repair service, please try out the trouble shooting tips below first. These don't involve opening the console and are easy to do. You should also try these tips before using your warranty as well. No sense in doing the packing and shipping and being without your Xbox when the problem could have been quickly solved on your own. I don't want to get your hopes up here but you never know, these tips may do it for you.If the first tip doesn't help, then proceed to the next and so on.
1.) Restart The Console
Yes, this seems a bit silly but depending on where you live and the time of year, electrical brown outs can happen especially in hot weather when everyone has their air conditioner running. A momentary dip in electrical power can trigger the ring of death.2.) Reconnect All Cables And Power Cords
You may have a loose cable or cord. Any cables and power cords that can be removed should be disconnected. Unplug the power cable from the wall plug. Firmly reattach all cables and cords back into the console. Now connect up the power and turn on the console.If you notice any damaged cables or cords, replace them.
3.) Reconnect The Hard Drive
Turn off the console, unplug the power and then disconnect the hard drive. Now plug back into the power and turn the console back on. If the console does not show the three red lights error, turn it off and disconnect the power cord from the wall. Finally, reconnect the hard drive, plug in the power, and turn on the console.4.) Bypass All Electrical Impediments
If you are using a surge protector, plug strip, or extension cord, remove them and plug the power brick directly into the wall. Surge protectors can be defective and long extension cords will reduce the power available to your power hungry Xbox.5.) Use A Wall Outlet In A Different Room
Your wall outlet may not have adequate power. You can rule out this possibility by trying your Xbox on a different wall outlet that's on a different circuit. This usually means in a different room (but not always).6.) Resolve Any Power Brick Issues
The power brick may be overheating. When this happens, it doesn't supply the required power to your Xbox which triggers the ring of death. It won't run cool unless it gets adequate ventilation. Keep it off of shag carpeting. Don't place it on your bed covers or sheets.Another possibility is that the power brick is defective. If you have a spare or can borrow one from a friend, try it out.
7.) Your Xbox Must Run Cool
If you think that your machine has overheated, then turn it off and let it cool down. Ensure that the cooling vents are not blocked in any way and keep your Xbox 360 in a ventilated and open area.Verify that the fans are actually running.
Do not place it near any sources of heat. There are obvious sources like heaters and radiators and such. But less obvious sources include the electrical devices that are sitting on top or beneath your Xbox. Direct sunlight can also heat up your Xbox.
Try removing any dust buildup on the vents.
Cool off your console with a small fan.
Keep the rear of the console clear. Don't push it up against a wall and keep any debris away. This includes not allowing any cords and cables to get all bunched up in this area.
Don't do any all day gaming marathons. Limit your gaming to just a few hours, then turn it off and let it cool down for a while. The warmer the room temperature is the shorter your playing time should be.
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