by Lynda Mc Donald

Created on: July 13, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2009

According to the Microsoft Corporation, unless you own an Xbox 360 Elite, witnessing the so-called 'red ring of death' is something that you cannot escape. Bill Gates even admitted in a conference that regular non Elite Xbox 360 models have a one hundred percent chance of breaking down. If the lights on your Xbox around the power button start glowing red instead of green, it's time to give Microsoft a call, or alternatively an email. Information to contact the Microsoft Xbox help line can be found

here.

Sometimes your console can break down without giving the red lights as an indication, although most times you won't need them as you'll already known it's not working. The most usual problems that people experience are having the screen freeze or hardware failure, which is indicated on the screen as 'E74. System Error. Contact Xbox Customer Support'. Don't panic if your screen freezes, just turn off your console and turn it back on, most of the time this will resolve the problem. If, on the other hand, your screen only freezes when it reaches certain parts of a game, try playing a different game, if the problem only appears when using a certain game it is more than likely a scratch or laser burn on the disc, and not a problem with the hardware.

Another problem that has started to appear recently, mostly in older models, is the console having difficulty reading discs. Most of the time this is caused by a build-up of dust inside the console, but unfortunately opening the console to clean it will void your warranty, which means you will have to pay for it to be repaired in the future. But if your warranty has already expired, or you are prepared to pay, it is definitely worth opening the console and cleaning it to see if it solves the problem. When cleaning the inside of the Xbox, DO NOT use a wet or damp cloth or move any of the hardware components, all you need to do it wipe away any visible dust.

Once you've tried everything you can think of and nothing has worked, call or email Microsoft and explain the problem to them. More than likely they will walk you through different ways to fix the problem yourself, and if this doesn't work they will kindly send a USPS truck to collect your console in a few days. In the meantime you can either print a postage label off of the Internet or have one sent to your home. This service is provided for free if your Xbox is still in warranty.

Preparing your Xbox for the journey is important, considering it will be in a truck. Find yourself a suitable sized box and some bubble wrap.

Once your console has been picked up you will be faced with a waiting period of up to six weeks. But I would just look forward to having a working console again.

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