What’s With Red Rings of Death? Why So Common…?
- Scribbled on May 3rd, 2007 by Derrick Schommer
- Filed in Editorial Content, Microsoft Xbox 360, WTF
Since the Xbox 360 launch we’ve been plagued by gamers with critical console failures. A few of us have received more red rings of death than we have blue screens of death and that’s disturbing.
Unlike Microsoft Windows, when our 360 fails there is a very good percent chance it is not our fault. When we install beta drivers on a Windows system there is a chance for a blue screen of death (BSOD). But, in the case of Microsoft Windows, there is usually a work around, safe mode for example.
Is there an Xbox 360 safe mode? Is there any online support for us which will allow us to self-fix the problems? A F.A.Q if you will? When your console has a wikipedia entry for your failures, that’s saying something about your console.
What about this famous towel trick? When gamers are inventing black magic ways to fix their consoles doesn’t that make you wonder about the quality of the device?
When visiting a local Wal-Mart the electronics “guy” actually told me the Elite fixes all the hardware problems that older Xbox 360’s had, mis-information that is 100% incorrect. Gamers and bloggers have pulled apart these systems and found the same chips and the same DVD players in both the elite and premium/core models.
What about this mis-information? People assume a console re-release at a higher price and black in color means the device has been redesigned to be better. This fall we should see a chip design change, moving to a 65nm chip which should run cooler - perhaps solving the typical “overheat” problem with their 360.
As a gamer and a guy that also runs a online game retail store, I’ve been able to see a few Xbox 360’s pass through my hands, used and new. We test our used Xbox 360’s for weeks before qualifying them as worthwhile to sell. In many cases we’ve seen “red rings of light” on 360 consoles that just mysteriously go away after a reboot or three.
How can you boot a 360, receive 3-rings of red light, close your eyes and take a deep breath and restart. Praying to the gods of gaming for a second and opening your eyes to see the one green light - heaven for gamers.
Should we have to take a deep breath when powering on our Xbox 360? Do you have other USD $399 products that you hope works when you power it on?
Many of my friends have gone through at least three Xbox 360’s. I’ve only lost one due to an “act of god” (lightening) which doesn’t constitute warranty replacement. I feel lucky because every console I’ve touched that has red ringed has come back from the dead to run again!
We’re also hearing gamers that patch their console for games like Guitar Hero 2 and instantly brick their console. Gamers say the patch destroyed their console. And the argument against this? “Well, the Xbox 360 might have just died at that point in time with no patch correlation.” So, we don’t know if the patch caused it or if the 360 design is simply flawed. What does that say about the design? Or what does it say about the ability to destory a console with a patch?! In both cases their is a major flaw in the design of something we purchased for a lot of money!
Now, my console has frozen up many times, once every three or four sessions of play. This seems high to me, and overheating issues could be the problem, but playing my consoles in the deep winter of New Hampshire (and having the temp set to 67F) doesn’t seem to be the environment for freezing. Leaving the brick out in the open to breath, and the console on a shelf with plenty of circulation yet I still see freezing.
My SNES has never frozen, my NES only locked up when I accidental kicked it (or the cartridge was dusty) and my Game Cube has worked flawlessly. The Nintendo Wii froze up once playing Super Paper Mario. I’ve heard very little about PlayStation instabilities (even the pS3) - what’s your thoughts?
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:47 am
There is definitely a fundamental flaw to the design of the 360. Never before has there been either a console or an electronics device in general that has as many problems as these seem to. I’ve had a SNES that froze maybe 2 or 3 times over the course of 6 years, usually after double-digit hours’ continuous playtime, a N64 that I don’t remember ever freezing, a PS2 that maybe froze 5-7 times in a 5 year period of time, and a 360 that has easily frozen more than a dozen times, lately once in every 2 or 3 boots, in the year and 4 months since I purchased it. It may be the increased presence and reach of the internet this day in age over PS2 / Xbox days and earlier, but it seems like there are more problems with the 360 in all its incarnations than any previous console, though admittedly the PS2 had some pretty big issues out of the gate. It seems that there isn’t an owner I’ve spoken to who has been completely problem-free. Everyone I know has more frequent than should be freezes, some have had the red rings, and a couple have needed replacement consoles. Each time I boot my 360 I’m afraid that I’ll get mine too. Already had them once, but thankfully was fixed with a reboot. We shouldn’t live in fear of our $400 investment going to crap so soon in its lifespan. I think it’s pretty telling of the console’s quality with how MS continually revises and expands upon its warranty, as though it’s more likely that it’s going to fail than it is to play problem-free.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Dugg down as misleading. Please don’t disparage the good name of the Detroit Red Wings by associating them with death. They are currently 2-2 with San Jose and are very much alive.
May 3rd, 2007 at 12:35 pm
lol, I am fairly certain you cannot digg down gamestooge articles
Dugg up for your great dugg down comment.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:01 am
I have had to have a total of two replacements. This was at the tail-end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006. Since I got my 3rd 360 in ‘06, I haven’t had any problems. The fact that I had such a hard time before is a real bummer and I agree that a purchase, not investment (they go up in value), of this magnitude should work! Microsoft’s shoddy workmanship was and now still is expected.
May 4th, 2007 at 7:38 am
I call it an “investment” because, in theory, your game play value should rise as the system gains momentum.
A system that’s released and has no games that are any good, in my mind, is a “bad investment.”