How to Fix the Three Red Lights Error on Your XBOX 360

Let me guess, you have become victim of the infamous Xbox 360 three flashing lights, right? If you don't know by now, the root cause of this error is due to a "General Hardware Failure". This problem has also been categorized as "error 0102", E74 and the 3 Red Rings of Death(RROD).

Many people assume that upon receiving the 3 red flashing lights, their Xbox 360 is a total brick and no longer have a use for it other than a large paper weight. Some figure that they'll send out the xbox 360 to Microsoft hoping for a permanent fix since it's still under warranty. Only to find out later that not only did they spend over $100+ in shipping, wait 6 to 8 weeks wait for your xbox back, but also had to send their xbox 360 multiple times to Microsoft. Quite frustrating eh? Trust me, I have heard all the horror stories and none had anything good to say about Mr. Bill Gates.

My best advise is to first take the Xbox out of the garbage because there is hope and can be fixed yourself - permanently. If you don't mind taking the time to open the xbox (video shown below) and placing a few household items in place within the xbox, then you'll be on your way within 2 hours(assuming that you know nothing about the inside of your xbox 360). There are repair tutorials all over the internet, but the one that seems to be the most popular and the one I personally used, was from x-box360redlightfix.com. From the reviews on online forums, most people have been able to get their xbox 360 fixed in about an hour using this tutorial - the website however guarantees to get you going in 2 hours or less. Not bad huh? It was quite easy for me - for instance, to open the xbox all you need are the 3 tools(shown below)and it will be open in less than 5 minutes.

- Something thin, strong and pointy (for the rear case clips)
- A small flathead screwdriver
- A Torx screwdriver - sizes 9 & 10 (check your tool box or local hardware store)

If you however want to surf a bit longer only to get frustrated with unproven results and strategies - then you must have a couple of weeks to spare. Trust me, I've tried many methods only to have my xbox in pieces and making the matter even worse. So, take it from me - save the time and frustration and just fix it yourself the smart way - not the hard way.

Good Luck and Happy Gaming! =)


How To Open Your Xbox