Xbox Red Ring of Death

By Dave Clemens on Friday, February 25th, 2011 | Comments Off

How to Fix the Red Ring of Death

How to Fix the Red Ring of Death One of the most shocking moments for any gamer is to see the red ring of death on their Xbox 360. This is usually a time when most people will be either frustrated by the need to send their Xbox in to Microsoft for weeks and not have a system to play on. If you don’t have your Xbox 360 under warranty, it becomes even more of a pain knowing that you will have to shell out about $140 for the repair. Below, you will find instructions on how to fix your Xbox 360 and avoid having to spend money to get back to gaming.

First, you will need to remove the hard-drive. Then, remove the face plate by sticking your fingers into the USB port and pull the face off. Lift the latch on the DVD drive and remove it. You will need to unscrew the metal casing that surrounds the case.

Remove the DVD drive and the fan that is connected to the motherboard. You will need to take the DVD drive out first. Then, take out the fan and the motherboard. You will need to be gentle when you are removing all the cables and small devices that are connected to the motherboard and DVD drive.

Once the motherboard is out, you will need to flip it over to the side that has the x-clamps on it. Be sure to be very careful when you are removing the x-clamps. You will now have access to the CPU and GPU. Do not rush this part. This is a very crucial part of the project. Being rough with these components may damage your Xbox 360.

How to Fix the Red Ring of Death

You will need to unscrew the heat sinks to get into the area where the CPU and GPU are located. Using a soft fiber cloth that is used for eyeglasses, you will need to gently wipe down the CPU and GPU. This is often a step that will keep your Xbox from freezing and speed up any lag you may have encountered. You need to take your time cleaning these parts. If you scratch it or move it, you may find yourself with more problems than when you started.

You will need to apply some Arctic Silver compound gently over the GPU. This compound is used to disperse heat from the GPU and helps keep it cool during operation. You will need to let is set for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Place nylon washers on each of the screws that are attached to the heat sink. Screw them back into the motherboard and reassemble the heat sink. This will give it the proper clearance for the compound to work. You will need to slightly push the heat sink down onto the screws. This is to be expected. Tighten the screws down tight.

Make sure that everything is fitting and reassemble everything. Put the casing back on. The red ring of death should now be solved and the Xbox 360 should turn on.

PS3 Yellow Light Of Death

Ps3 yellow light of death There is nothing a modern console owner dreads more than the light change that indicates a problem. While the X-Box red ring of death stories have been around for quite awhile, Sony console owners recently found out they can join the complaint list with a PS3 yellow light of death that may signal the end of the PS3′s usable life if steps aren’t taken to fix it.

What Causes The Yellow Light Of Death?

Like the infamous X-Box red ring of death, the PS3 yellow light is a sign of some sort of hardware problem within your PS3. While a solid light, a blinking light, and a light preceded by three beeps on start up may all mean different types of hardware issues, they all basically just mean something inside the PS3 is not right. Unfortunately, since Sony charges one high fee to fix any yellow light issues, replacing a dead hard drive or simply reconnecting something loose will cost the same price even though one problem can be done simply at home and the other only requires an inexpensive computer part.

Can Users Prevent The Yellow Light Of Death?

While there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of a PS3 hardware failure, there are steps that a user can take that will at least minimize the risk. The most important step to take to keep your PS3 from experiencing hardware trouble is to simply take good care of it. Always keep it in a well ventilated place, and make sure all the vents are clear. Consider using the stand Sony provides to stand your PS3 up to keep as many vents clear as possible. Make regular backups of your PS3 hard drive on a periodic basis to protect against hard drive failure and keep any saves you don’t want to risk loosing on a separate card.

Is Sony The Only One Who Can Fix The Problem?

Sony is charging over two hundred dollars to handle yellow light of death issues, so many PS3 owners are starting to look for help elsewhere. For professional help, a range of local businesses everywhere have started offering PS3 repair services at a price that is probably going to be better than what Sony is offering, although not necessarily by much. For many hardware failures that may cause a PS3 yellow light of death, fixing the issue at home is actually a viable option with a decent guide.

Fix Your Own PS3

One of the most economically sound options for repairing a PS3 yellow light of death is buying a guide online of a decent quality that will walk you through the troubleshooting and repair steps yourself. Since most PS3 “hardware failures” won’t actually require a new piece of hardware, a home user should be able to get their console up and running again without too much trouble. Before you send your PS3 to Sony or a local repair business, consider finding out more about do it yourself options.