Xbox360 help: 2 red lights

Wrap your xbox with a towel or a bunch of thick paper towels, mainly around the airspace (the back area) and leave it on for about 5 hours... see if that doesn't help, it worked for me once.

EDIT: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907533

There's some more info and solutions on it.

 

Which warranty is out? They extended it for like 2-3 years for the ROD. I called them first and the CR said it's still under warranty for that particular problem and you can do everything online to request shipping label, etc.

 

not sure what model you have but basically its a design flaw in the xbox

the heat sink over one of the processors isnt seated properly to ensure maximum contact so it results in overheating (thats why it plays for 20 mins and then shut downs after passing the temp threshold)


you could try to get it fixed via someone on craigslist/this bbs who knows how to fix them


or you can fix it yourself

i believe the procedure requires just opening the xbox up, getting a different mounting plate and drilling in more appropriately places holes in the heat sink mounting plate and then re-seating the heat sink. you may need to buy some new screws or something...there are guides online that show you what you need and how to do it.

its not too hard of a process you could easily find someone via craigslist to do it for a decent price...I think I paid like 30 bucks for someone to do mine havent had an issue since.


that towel method is just fools gold really it may help in the sense that it can lower the overall temperature down a bit but your xbox will still overheat

 

That is only for the 3 rings of death. So, it will not work...

Here's an idea though, you can tell them you have 3 rings... send it in... and get another back... I did that about 4 months ago when my CD drive was messed up... my warranty was out so I bsed it and sent it in saying I had the 3 rings.. they sent me one back (not the same console)

 

I just read an article on G4 about a faulty XBox and their customer service. Its a pretty interesting read. The comments are really interesting.

G4TV article on XBox failure

Landryman14, I apologize for not helping you with your problem, but this is bugging me. The author said a recent article put the failure rate at 68% for XBoxes. 68%! I didn't think it was that bad. What gets me though, is in the comments users say they've multiple XBoxes after failures. I just don't get it. Can someone explain why?

Is it pure stubborn ways? I can't think that some people are so obsessed on having the "right" console they would stick with it after the letdowns. Similar to sticking with a girlfriend or boyfriend after they cheat on you....again......and again.

Is it the investment they've put into it? I guess I could understand that, but honestly if it were me I'm taking my games down to Gamestop for credit.

If you feel one system of the two is better than the other thats fine. I personally feel the PS3 is the better one, though Live is supposed to be better than PSN. I just don't think either one is so vastly superior to disregard the pains in the @$$ it would bring.

Sorry again, but I didn't want to start a new thread on this. I'm just astonished. Landryman14 I hope you get it working. I know it can be frustrating.

 

Just so u know, two rings will eventually lead to 3 rings. happend to mine but i fixed it.

If you don't can't fix your or don't want it sell it to me.

BTW, whoever said my 360 will die again failed so far haha. couple months after the rrod fix and still going baby

 

Had the same problem, always got 2 red lights but never the ring of death.

I called XBOX anyways, and when they asked me what was going on I told them that when I tried to turn it on, I was getting the 3 red lights and my xbox wouldnt do anything else.

They sent me the FedEx Box and I sent it back to them anyways.

2 weeks later, I got a brand new XBOX.

So obviously they dont do anything to inspect the unit when they get it, or they would have seen that I didnt have the ROD and would have tried to make me pay for a repair.

If I were you, I would just try that, Ive recommended it to other friends when they were only getting 2 red lights as well, and it has always worked.

 

Two mean your xbox is overheating. You can fix it by applying some heatsink compound to your cpu and getting rid of that x-clamp. When I took mine apart they had done a real crappy job of applying the compound it was barely on the chip.

 

Forgot to add, you can always put layers of tape over the cooling unit in the back, not allowing your xbox to ventilate, and then turn it on and start playing a movie or game for about 10 minutes, and the inside of your xbox will get so critically hot, that your 2 red light problem, will automatically become a ROD problem.

Just make sure you do a good job of taking all the tape off and cleaning up the sticky residue before you send it back into Microsoft.

 

to add to what air langhi said, i recommend using the artic silver thermal compound from radio shack. you can grab one for cheap

 

Just remember if you open up your XBOX, the warranty is VOID! My friend sent his for the ROD, but they sent him back a bill of $150 to see if he wanted it fixed due to it being opened. There probably is a sticker or something that breaks for them to know. Also there are videos I remember seeing on how to get 3 rings if you only have 2. Otherwise I believe it wouldn't matter much because Microsoft is more worried about PR than having to save money and not fix units.

 

I have done this as well, and got the same results so I can vouche for it. 2 lights, told them got the RRoD and get back a fixed unit. No questions asked.

 

I have had 4 replaced....one 3 times the other one in the kids room once.

No big deal...

DD