subject: Why Did It Happen? What Causes An Xbox 360 To Fail [print this page] It's very frustrating to see those three flashing red lights on the Xbox! I have been there and know exactly what it's like. It's even more horrifying if it is out of warranty and Microsoft wants money to fix it! So what causes the infamous 3 red lights of death and what can you do to prevent it? The most usual problems are these.
Overheating is probably the most common reason why some part of an Xbox 360 needs to be fixed. This happens most often when your console is left on for extended periods of time in a cramped space. It's a recipe for trouble since it will keep the Xbox from removing hot air from the motherboard and processor. Keeping your system free to ventilate air will prevent this from happening.
An additional reason why people get the 3 red lights is disc reader damage. A disc reader can be damaged as the result of mishandling. If a disc is running in the console, do not shift or drop the console in any way! This is bad for the disc and can even cause unwanted damage to the disc reader. You don't want to do this as it's quite likely you will pay for it later when it breaks.
In addition to that, your Xbox could suffer as a result of hard drive errors. These are most commonly caused as a result of mishandling and improper removals. If the hard drive gets removed while the console is still working, you should plan on doing some repairs. Instead, don't attach or remove a hard drive without making absolutely sure that your Xbox 360 is shut off.
All in all, this common error on an Xbox 360 can usually be hindered if you are careful enough to watch what you are doing with your system. Don't let it overheat or improperly handle the hard drive or the disc reader! Keeping away from these will prevent a lot of issues, but if the lights still start flashing, I recommend getting help from a guide to fix it!
