Last year it was estimated that Microsoft would have to spend an amazing 1 Billion Dollars for fixing all the broken Xbox consoles from many thousands of frustrated users worldwide. All the trouble because of some serious mistakes being made in the planning stage of the Xbox console…

The so called Red Ring of Death, also referred to as a “general hardware failure”, is a problem Xbox users are afraid of the most. It simply means your Xbox is broken and won’t run again until you repair it. Although you’ll get this done in a Microsoft repair center where you have to send your console, you should also know that it will take a lot of time until you get your Xbox back. Usually it takes around 14 days, but I’ve also heard of people waiting for nearly 2 months! Don’t even think about having lost your warranty, then you’d even have to pay for such a repair…

But sometimes the solution to your Xbox problems might be much easier to find than you think it is. Let me tell you about some simple steps that will hopefully restore your Xbox 360 without the hassle of having to repair it:

Check all cable plugs

This may seem like the most logical step in order to make sure what’s wrong with your Xbox. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason, many people don’t think about simply checking those cables first. So my advice, first check all cable plugs before proceeding any further!

Is your Xbox overheated?

In case that all 4 red lights are flashing at your Xbox’s power button, your Xbox simply is overheated. Make sure to turn it off and let it cool down for several minutes, then try again. You should also check if there’s dust somewhere within your console or in the cooling fans. You can use a hair dryer to blow it out, but first let your Xbox cool down (at least if your dryer blows out hot air, as what most of them do).

The “Towel Trick”

The last tip I want to share with you may be a great danger to your Xbox. So please use it only at your own risk because you could potentially damage your Xbox 360! Don’t blame me that I haven’t warned you!

Ok, at first you have to remove all cables from your Xbox besides the power cable that should be left plugged in. Second, put one or two dry towels around your Xbox and make sure to cover all fans and holes. Third, turn your console on and let it run for 15 to 20 minutes in order to overheat it (yes, you heard right). Fourth and last step, unwrap the towels and let your Xbox cool down for about 20 minutes.

If everything went right, your Xbox console should start again without any problems. This is because damaged solder joints, that are usually the main reason for a Xbox to fail, will melt and therefore start to get back their connections to the motherboard. Sounds really scary and, in fact, I personally have never used that trick on my own console, although many people report of having successfully “repaired” their Xboxes.

If all those “first aids” mentioned above fail, it’s usually time to send your Xbox 360 to a Microsoft certified repair center. That takes a lot of time and even money when your warranty’s over. I therefore fix my Xbox by my own whenever it fails (and it has done that quite often unfortunately). I found a nice <video guide> that explains everything, from opening the Xbox case to checking the motherboard, step-by-step and easy to understand. It has helped me in fixing my Xbox several times within about an hour or even less! You can order a copy of the guide for cheap, it’s really worth it!

Hope that I could help you. Happy gaming and may your Xbox never fail!