subject: What Is The Xbox 360 Ring Of Death? [print this page] One of the most frightening things an Xbox user can experience is the Xbox Red Ring of Death. The left top and bottom lights as well as the bottom right light start to flash red, a warning that this is an imminent hardware failure. The Xbox 360 Ring of Death is usually caused by a hardware problem or a power supply problem.
It can also be caused by overheating. The three lights can also flash when there is a power surge or if there is a problem with the power supply. If it has anything to do with the power supply, it is easily rectified by checking and re-plugging the power cable. If it is a hardware problem, then there is only two options; send it in for repairs or try to fix it yourself.
Fortunately the Xbox 360 Ring of Death comes up gradually. The first warning signs include, freezing, "checker boarding" or "pin striping" on the screen and sound problems. When the console only responds to being switched off on the on/off switch, then you know the Xbox Red Ring of Death is imminent. The Xbox Ring of Death is the consoles way of shutting itself down in order to prevent permanent damage.
If there is a power problem causing the Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, try unplugging and then re-plugging the gaming console. If there is a power surge, the lights will flash until the surge is over, or you have unplugged the machine and tried it in another outlet. If pulling out the plug does not work, the message may be caused by loose connections. This is easy to repair with the right tools.
If the Xbox Ring of Death is caused by a hardware malfunction. There are many reasons for this to happen. During the manufacturing of the unit, the chip will absorb heat during soldering of the lead-free solders on the motherboard. This will cause them to be soldered incorrectly; these errors causes air bubbles or cold solder joints.
These bubbles will cause cracking of the solders due to the temperature changes during game play. The motherboard of the unit is also prone to overheating. This will cause the processing chips to overheat. This is all too common as the machine does not have sufficient air spaces for it to cool down.
The Nyko Intercooler also plays a huge role in causing the Ring of Death, as it can drain too much power from the console and can also scorch the AC Input. There is a way of rectifying this; Nyko has recently released an solution but it is recognized by Microsoft as an unlicensed add-on and will nullify any warranty.
If your console is still under warranty, you can take it back to the place where you bought it and get a new one. If it is out of warranty you can either send it in for repairs for a cost or try to fix it yourself.
