The Benefits of Learning Xbox 360 Self Repair

Xbox 360 gaming systems are extremely popular and quite expensive. When they malfunction, and are no longer under warranty, they can be expensive to repair. If you have more money than brains, you can throw away a malfunctioning unit and purchase a new one. Most of us, unfortunately, don't fall into that category, and must watch our pennies. That's why it's wise for most avid Xbox 360 gamers to learn about Xbox 360 self repair and how to repair their own Xbox 360s, regardless of what is wrong with them.

If your Xbox 360 is under warranty, cost will not be a problem in getting it repaired. Simply send it off to Microsoft and wait for up to seven weeks to get it back home in operating condition. If you are no longer covered by warranty, expect to pay about $150 for the repairs and for shipping to and from Microsoft. For gamers without an active warranty, Xbox 360 self repair is the sensible solution. It gives you more control over down time and reduces your financial outlay. If you become an expert at Xbox repairing, you can actually make money by fixing units for other fellow gamers.

The most important problems you'll face in Xbox 360 self repair will be the infamous Red Ring of Death, the dreaded three flashing red lights error that freezes up your Xbox, indicating a severe hardware failure. This common problem is known to be caused by general and severe overheating inside the Xbox console. If the cooling system, including vents, fans, and heat sinks have any reduction in efficiency for any reason, heat can build up inside the unit very quickly.

Learning about the cause of problems is important, but learning how to prevent or repair them is even more important. To do so efficiently, inexpensively, and correctly, you'd be well advised to buy a good Xbox 360 repair guide.

For many years good Xbox 360 self repair guides were hard to come by. Xbox gamers had to depend upon knowing an electronics expert in order to fix their systems without Microsoft's costly assistance. Now you can get an excellent repair manual for about $30. Not only do you get great step-by-step instructions, you also have access to video tutorials online, as well as free telephone customer support. It's worth the small cost to have access to procedures and tips developed by experts in the field. Having a good repair guide is like having an electronics technician standing beside you as you undertake to repair your Xbox 360.

One of the best Xbox 360 self repair guides out there right now is called James Dean's Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix Guide. This features excellent guided help for fixing the Red Ring of Death problem. It uses text, videos, and online help to walk you through the repair process. When you purchase the guide you become a member, which entitles you to view all of their streaming self-help videos and tutorials. The videos are an especially nice touch. They are high quality productions. They even have a zoom feature that lets you enlarge certain areas to see better what is going on.

The instructors that present the tutorials are well spoken professionals who give clear instructions and precise explanations of what's going on. Some of the instructions are not spoken, but printed on the computer monitor. You have to be paying attention all the time to get the full benefit. Nonetheless, if you do pay attention, you'll become expert in Xbox 360 repair procedures very quickly.

I've emphasized the repair manual's excellent handling of the Red Ring of Death problems, but only because the problem is so prevalent and so devastating. The guide goes way beyond that one fix, however. You'll get excellent advice on handling problems with freezing up, console overheating, graphics problems, and the e74 error. All this information is presented in an easily understandable manner. Once you're an expert in Xbox 360 self repair, and you've fix enough Xbox 360s on your own, you could even consider making a few extra bucks by purchasing broken systems cheaply, repairing them, and selling them for a profit. Who knows? It could happen!