Xbox 360 – Your Options For Fixing The Ring Of Death

by Marc Sandford

Do you have an Xbox 360 that freezes up? Are you getting the red ring of death error signal? You are now a member of a growing international group of frustrated and angry Xbox owners.

Misery may love company but this isn't going to help you any, so how you can repair your Xbox will be the topic of this article. In no special order, they are:

1.) You can return it to Microsoft for repair or replacement. If your warranty is still valid, they will do this free of charge. Otherwise be prepared to spend more than $100.

Note that if you have opened up your console, your warranty is void. It doesn't matter whether or not you were trying to fix it yourself or had some other justifiable reason, your warranty will be void.

This process can take a long time. Two weeks is the typical time for getting a replacement. There is also a specified packing routine that Microsoft wants you to follow before returning your Xbox.

2.) You can attempt to wet-nurse your console back to good health. If your Xbox hasn't had very many ring of death failures, then there may not have been much heat damage. You may be able to avoid future ring of death failures by ensuring that your Xbox doesn't overheat.

Getting too hot is the primary reason for the ring of death failures. Make sure that the fan vents are clear of any blockage. Operate your Xbox in an open and cool environment. Limit your gaming to less than 3 or 4 hours.

Note that if you're getting frequent ring of death shutdowns, then a good amount of damage has already been done. Avoiding the ring of death may not be achievable by keeping your Xbox cool. If your Xbox has had too much heat damage, expect the ring of death to occur more frequently with time.

3.) Fix the console yourself. Before you try this option, remember that opening your console voids your warranty. But if you have an expired or voided warranty, then there's nothing to lose and are free to open up and work inside of your console.

Doing your own repairs can seem intimidating or may sound complicated. But if you're using the right info and a few household tools, it's not that hard to do. The Internet has more than enough information about how to fix your Xbox both free and paid.

The problem with free info is all of the research work that you'll have to do. Bad advice abounds on the Internet and weeding out good information can take a lot of time.

There are many paid instructional guides that will give you step by step info on Xbox repair. You should insist on a money back guarantee. Unlike the free information out there, the guarantee gives you some accountability and therefore improves your chances of getting information that actually works without further damaging your Xbox. The best guides will supply you with instruction in the form of both video and text downloads.

With a bit of luck, one of these three options will make sense for your situation and return you back to enjoying your Xbox.

About the Author:

Marc Sandford is a gaming addict and author. Get more Xbox 360 trouble shooting information about repairing the Xbox 360 red ring of death.