Testing a therory about dead 360s...

[diskoboy]

For those of you here who have experienced the dreaded red ring of death on your 360, I'm testing a theory about why so many failures seem to still be reported.

Please awnser only if your 360 has actually died.

Was your console lying horozontial when it died, or standing vertically? I have a January 2006 model console. It's always lied horozontial. I've never had one problem with it.

[omnedon]

It is a BGA RAM array failure. It is fatal. All of the fixes you read about online range from 'totally pointless' to 'may work for as long as a month' before the problem returns.

It is a manufacturing issue, and has nothing to do with what games you play, or how you orient the console.


Three red lights = needs new XB360

You do not want to know how much time and dollars went into learning this for OSG. It cost us a LOT. And here it is free for all. Assuming you believe me.

Many don't. I wish them well.

[cityside75]

It is a BGA RAM array failure. It is fatal. All of the fixes you read about online range from 'totally pointless' to 'may work for as long as a month' before the problem returns.

It is a manufacturing issue, and has nothing to do with what games you play, or how you orient the console.


Three red lights = needs new XB360

You do not want to know how much time and dollars went into learning this for OSG. It cost us a LOT. And here it is free for all. Assuming you believe me.

Many don't. I wish them well.

OK, do you know more about it? For example, is it a heat related failure? If not, why do some people find that using a heat gun restores their systems, at least temporarily?

Also, is the manufacturing issue still present in newer consoles? Is there a particular manufacture date that is more reliable?

It sounds like you've put a lot of effort into this, so anything you can share is appreciated.

[Gamereviewgod]

It is a BGA RAM array failure. It is fatal.

Is there an english translation to that. ;)

[shadowkn55]

Is there an english translation to that. ;)

The memory went bad.

[Darren870]

Im on my third and its always been horizontal.

[smork]

You know, back in January my 360 (bought late last year) started the with the ring of death. First the game was hanging up, then it locked up completely, red lights a flashing.

I rebooted it, been running fine since -- probably 50-100 hours of play time since. Who knows? Guess it's not always fatal.

[Cryomancer]

Make sure you're plugging the power cable in until it clicks. Guy I know bought a "dead" one with the ring off ebay cheap, and that's all that was wrong with it.

[diskoboy]

The heat issue was mentioned...

My theory basically was that the heat was causing soldering to melt away from around chips. If you kept your machine flat, the chips (or whatever components may be coming loose) would still stay seated in their places, and the soldering would solidify once again when cooled down.

If you left the cosole standing vertically, the component(s) would fall completely off the mobo, and render the machine useless.

But it seems we have a few horizontal ones doing it, so that shot my theory to hell. Oh well.... MS needs to get on the ball with the 65nm chips, already. Cut down on alot of that heat...

[omnedon]

""You know, back in January my 360 (bought late last year) started the with the ring of death. First the game was hanging up, then it locked up completely, red lights a flashing.

I rebooted it, been running fine since -- probably 50-100 hours of play time since. Who knows? Guess it's not always fatal.""

If the red lights go away, it's not a 'real' three red lights (1,3,4 segments) general hardware failure. That said, 50-100 hours is not really enough testing. We had 'repaired' three red light units that worked for more than 2 months before the problem returned on OSG warranty. Which it did, 100% of the time. And we honoured every single one, at great expense in labour and parts losses to us.

My information is based on the study and repair of more than 350 XB360's and counting. This is not based on, "mine was sideways when it broke, so maybe that's it" kind of testimonials, that the message boards everywhere are full of.

The XB360 mainboard gets very hot. Then it gets cool. Then it gets very hot again. Then cool. Then some motherboards get tiny solder fractures, and then you need a new 360. Imagine microscopic stress fractures caused by a board not made well enough to survive the temp changes. Some of the XB360 boards are good enough, and will just work. Many are not.

There is no revision of the 360 yet, that is free from the possibility of this occurring. Perhaps this new one with HDMI will finally have it addressed.

[heybtbm]

So what exactly happens when you send your 360 in for "3 red lights" repair?

My 360 (purchased Feb. 2006) had the 3 red lights in July 2006. I sent it in, it came back and has worked perfectly ever since. I should add...it gets a lot of playing time. Did they replace any parts? I've always wondered what they did to fix it...because whatever it was, it worked.

[omnedon]

They send you another one.