What Is the Red Ring of Death?

• On the Xbox 360 video game console, there are four lights that form a ring around the front center of the console. Each one corresponds to a different quadrant. Normally, all the lights are a solid green. If any of the lights are red, it means there's an issue with an area of the hardware or a cable not connected to the console properly. When three of the quadrants are red (also known as the "Red Ring of Death"), this signifies that the console is inoperable due to significant hardware issues.
  
  

What the Lights Mean

• Each quadrant of the ring signifies an area of the console. There is one light in each of the four corners. If all four lights are flashing red, this is the easiest problem to fix: it means your A/V cable isn't connected, according to teamxbox.com. If only the first quadrant is solid green with all the others flashing red, a general hardware failure has occurred. If only the second quadrant is green, the console has overheated. If only the third quadrant is green, a crucial hardware failure has occurred.
  
  The most common cause of the Red Ring of Death is overheating. Soldering can melt if placed near parts of the console that get too hot. In turn, internal components can become warped or unseated.
  
  

How to Repair Your Console

• If either the first or third quadrant lights are solid green, it most often means a hardware error has happened. However, this isn't always the case. Turn off your Xbox 360 and unplug all the cables. Allow it to sit idle for 10 minutes and then reconnect everything. If the console still doesn't work, then call Microsoft Xbox 360 Support at (800) 469-9269. The support network's hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, seven days a week.