Blinking Red Lights on Xbox 360-what are the causes and solutions

Those who have played or play Microsoft’s Xbox 360 will be familiar with the phrase ‘red ring of death’. But for the amateur, the ‘red ring of death’ is defined by the four lighted arcs on the Xbox console’s front that, when they flash red, not green, may mean fault with the gamebox in numerous forms. That ‘something wrong’ could range from a simple loose cable connection to total stoppage of operation or equipment crash, as each arc means a different defect.

The common troubles and suggested actions

When the second arc blinks repeatedly, it means the box is overheating, so the best option is to stop playing, switch off the gamebox, unplug it from the power source and allow it to cool for a while. The third arc indicates hardware failure, and the quick measure is to unplug and reinsert all connections but if the problem continues, see your repair center. Four blinking red lights mean the audio-video cable is not inserted perfectly. Unplug and reinsert it until it ‘clicks’ into place . When three arcs blink at the same time, you may have a general failure on hand and the repair center is your only option. Check out the following article for learning about xbox 360 three red lights problem.

General failure may be presaged by freezing, errors on the graphics, fine lines on the screen or audio problems. The console may react only to power on and off. General failure may be due to failing one or a number of the components, but it can also mean there is not adequate power received into the system because of fluctuations in the main line or faults in cable attachments to the console.

The problem of scratched discs as indicated by rings in the disc is another possible problem. Scratched discs were first noted in Europe in 2005, even if many deemed it only a small fault. However Microsoft was sued in 2007 in Florida for ‘negligent design and manufacture’ of the Xbox, while two other law firms in California and Washington also have filed class lawsuits for the same reason.

The likely reasons and recommendations

One of the suggested reasons for general failures was fault in the soldering joints. The joints may be structurally weak because the lead-free solders may not have melted completely, owing to too many chips that absorb the heat while soldering. With extended playing, the heat generated may be sufficient to soften the solder in the joints that the motherboard would flex and thus dislocate the contents.Quick remedies include reseating or resoldering the board to return the unseated components or lowering produced heat by switching to 65 nm, but better consult the repair or support center.

The user also has some options to quick-fix the problem. When three lights are flashing in the ‘ring of death’ yet the power light is green, have the unit repaired. Red power supply light that turns orange or goes out when the console is switched on, plug to another outlet. . This is to obviate the particular household outlet which may be problematic. If the problem persists, swap the power supply unit.

Moving the console while the disc is spinning, wrong disc placement, or faulty disc tray are the common causes of scratched discs. Most faults are of the user’s.