The XBox 360 'Ring of Death' (system failures)

Today, I experienced for the first time a hardware failure with my XBox 360. I took the incentive to write a guide with how to prevent, understand, and treat system failures.


Preventing

There are a few easy steps to help prevent system failures.

1. Keep your XBox 360 and power supply in a very well ventilated area. If you haven't noticed yet, the console can get very hot. To avoid an overheat, place it and the power supply in the best ventilated area you can find. DO NOT: Place on carpet or wood, place on top of a thick TV stand (anything more than one inch thick is a no-no), or keep on for more than 6 or 7 hours (probably shouldn't play that long in one sitting anyway). If the console freezes, TURN IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. It is not a problem, it's actually a safety device. When the XBox senses that it is getting too hot, the game freezes so it doesn't overheat, not because it overheats. It's basically a warning. If it freezes, shut the system off and keep it off for at least 10 minutes.
2. Don't move your XBox 360 when it is powered on. This can jar moving parts, damaging them. The only safe time to move is when the system is off. Even then, avoid moving the console at all.
3. DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING ANY WIRES WHEN THE XBOX 360 IS ON. Too many people wreck their consoles by unplugging wires when it is on. DONT DO IT. It can easily shock and hurt you or short-circuit the system. There have even been reports of killing the power in a house because of unplugging the power cord while the 360 is on. Not only that, but it can even wreck your TV.


Understanding

There is one thing you need to know about XBox 360 system failures. When a system failure occurs, the 'Ring of Death' turns red. You know the ring of green lights around the power button that indicate the connection of a controller? Well, if a system failure occurs, on or more of lights will turn red. Basically, your console is whack. You have a serious problem, the same one I had.


Treating

There is one thing you have to do to figure out what the problem is. The support website and telephone service say the same thing. You need to isolate the problem. Here is how.

1. Test the power supply. Turn on the console. The light on the power supply should turn from orange to green and stay green as long as the console is on. If it stays orange or turns red, the power supply is your problem. Move the console and power supply to a more ventilated area. Try putting the power supply on the corner of a topless box (probably not so great with the console). Make sure the four vents on the top and bottom are completely free and the big one in the back has lots of space. If the light on the power supply is green when the console is one, but you still experience the red Ring of Death, the power supply is not your problem. Proceed to step 2.
2. Test the hard drive and other memory units. Turn off the console and remove the hard drive. If there is any other memory units such as a memory card plugged in, remove those too. If the failure occurs again, the hard drive or memory card(s) are not the problem. If it doesn't occur again, make sure you know if it is the hard drive or the memory card (try with just the cards and then with just the HD, and whichever one is plugged in when the problem occurs again is bad). Once you know what the problem is, call customer service (1 800 4MY XBOX). The automated machine will have you do the same thing. Continue until you get a service rep. Follow his instructions and when he asks you to remove the hard drive, tell him that that is the problem. He should then help you fix the HD. If that doesn't work, well...

It's the console.

Basically, you have to send your console to Texas for repairs. If your console is more than three months old, your manufacturer warranty is expired and you will need to cough up 140$ for the fix. That is what happened to me, and boy, am I pissed. Call customer service (1 800 4MY XBOX) and tell them you need repairs. They will take your name, phone number, street address, and email address. They will then send you a prepaid shipping box. Send what they tell you to and wait. Usually, repairs take about three weeks, but you can get it back in two with a little extra green.

Now you know how I feel. But I wish you good luck with the repairs, and pray that you wont end up like this guy.