Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is a seventh generation game console and is the successor to Microsoft's Xbox video game console, developed in co-operation with IBM, ATI, Samsung Electronics and SiS. Information on the console first came through viral marketing campaigns and it was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the prominent Electronic Entertainment Expo. Upon its release, the Xbox 360 became the first console to have a simultaneous launch across the three major regions, as well as the first console to provide wireless controllers as a standard. It also serves as the first entrant in a new generation of game consoles and is competing against Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. Microsoft believes that its push towards high-definition gaming, year-early head start and its Xbox Live online gaming service will help the console be successful. The Xbox 360 can also be System Linked with other Xbox 360s as well as the original Xbox, allowing multiplayer games to take place much more easily among gamers. There have been a few different types of the Xbox 360, there was the Core, Arcade, Premium and the Elite. However, special editions have also been available. These are like the Halo 360 had a physical Halo theme as well as a special controller.

Halo 3 on the 360 Dashboard
In the 360 dashboard, the user can apply a Halo themed background that comes preloaded onto the 360's hard drive. There are also 3 Halo gamer pics that come preloaded as well. One is of the Master Chief, the other of another Spartan, and one of Sergeant Johnson. You can go to Xbox Live Market place and download more themes, pictures, and even download some free Halo videos. Buying Limited or Legendary Edition Halo 3 disc two will come with Bonus features to download more Halo 3 themes for your 360 console such as a Bungie theme, Red vs. Blue theme and the This Spartan Life theme. You can also download more detailed gamer pics.

Malfunctions
Since the console's release in 2005, it has become infamous for its high failure rates and poor reliability. The Xbox 360 console alerts the user when a malfunction has occurred by flashing one or more red lights around the power button. The number of lights gives the user an idea of what the problem is.


 * One flashing light typically means that there is a problem with the attached hard drive.
 * Two lights indicate that the unit has overheated and has shut down to prevent damage to internal components. This is usually caused by having the Xbox console in a small, enclosed area that does not provide enough space on all sides of the unit for adequate ventilation. If you are getting two flashing lights, you should try moving your console to a less enclosed area where the fans on the left, right and back of the unit have enough space around them to properly cool the console.
 * Three flashing lights indicates that your Xbox 360 is experiencing a general hardware failure.
 * Four flashing lights usually indicate a problem with the A/V cable not being properly inserted, or that it has been damaged.

Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 are flashing red
- The AV cable cannot be detected

THINGS TO TRY

Make sure that the AV cable is correctly connected to the Xbox 360 console. Disconnect the AV cable from the Xbox 360 console, and then reconnect the AV cable to the Xbox 360 console. If the four flashing red lights continue to flash, try wiping the metal area of the AV pack with a dry cloth. The metal area is the end that plugs into the console. Wipe the metal area thoroughly, and then try the AV Pack again. If the AV cable is correctly connected but the four red lights are still flashing, substitute a different AV cable if you have one available.

Sections 1, 3, and 4 are flashing red
- General Hardware Failure

Check the secondary Error Code per the instructions in the section below

THINGS TO TRY Try restarting the console. If restarting the console does not resolve the behavior, follow these steps: Turn the console off. Unplug all the power and AV cables from the console. Unplug the power cord from the wall socket. Firmly reconnect all the cables. Turn on the console. If these steps do not resolve the behavior, turn the console off, remove the hard drive, and then turn on the console. If the 3x Red LED error light is no longer displayed, turn the console off, re-attach the hard drive, and then turn on the console. Also examine the lights on the power supply. When you turn on the console, the power supply light should illuminate green even if the three lights on the RoL flash red.

Sections 1, and 3 are flashing red
- Overheating

Alternatively Overheating can be cause by the console locking up or "freezing" after a set amount of time. Lockups that occur at a specific point in a game are generally problems with the game itself and not caused by overheating.

THINGS TO TRY Let the Xbox 360 console cool. Note You may have to wait several hours for the console to cool enough. Do not turn on the console when the console is hot. Verify that the console has sufficient ventilation and that the fan is operating. For more information about ventilation, see the "More Information" section. PREVENTION SUGGESTIONS To try to prevent this problem, use the following precautions: Do not block any ventilation openings on the Xbox 360 console. Do not put the Xbox 360 console on a bed, on a sofa, or on any other soft surface that may block ventilation openings. Do not put the Xbox 360 console in a confined space, such as a bookcase, a rack, or a stereo cabinet, unless the space is well-ventilated. Do not put the Xbox 360 console near any heat source, such as a radiator, a heat register, a stove, or an amplifier. DO NOT EVER PUT YOUR CONSOLE IN THE FREEZER OR OUT IN COLD WEATHER Some people think that doing this might help "fix" an overheating console, in fact doing so could cause even bigger problems. Electronic devices like your console are made to function at and around room temperature, extreme cold temperatures can often cause just as many problems as extreme warm temperatures (such as overheating). Also if the console is located in a dramatically cold area while running, the difference in temperature between the hot console and cold air can create condensation which in turn will short out your console making the situation far worse. Condensation will happen more quickly if your console is overheating due to the greater difference in temperature. In short... DON'T DO IT.

A more aggressive Solution to overheating is to improve the cooling system of the console. The best solution is to replace the thermal compound. If you attempt this you do so at your own risk. If you're console is still under warranty it is recommended that you contact MS for a replacement before attempting to fix it yourself.

Section 4 is flashing red
- Hardware Failure

'''The Specific Type of hardware failure can be determined by the error code displayed on the screen. If the screen is blank or you would like additional information follow the instructions for determining the secondary error code in the section below'''

E45: Unknown (possibly dashboard update related)

E64: DVD Drive Error.... DVD Timeout, Wrong firmware, dvd is without f/w chip, etc.

E65: DVD Drive Error.... DVD Timeout, Wrong firmware, dvd is without f/w chip, etc. This can also be caused by the tray not being fully closed on boot.

E66: DVD Drive Error: DVD model, or version does not match that of the version expected by the dashboard. OR the firmware version on the drive is older then the firmware version expected by the dashboard. Make sure the DVD drive is of the same version originally included with the console and that it is using either the original firmware included with the console or newer.

E67: Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it

E68: Voltage Error... This error means that the Xbox 360 has insufficent power to function properly. This can be caused by an error in the hard drive or the fans that make them suck up too much power, it can also be caused if you have unnecessary accessories attached to the console like an external fan unit. Attempt to remove unnecessary accessories first, and then necessary components such as the hard drive and USB devices. If you have any case mods you may want to investigate those as well.

E69: Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it

E71: possibly a dashboard update error, Check below in the "Console Reset Codes" for instructions. If that does not work there is no other solution and the console must be sent back to MS for repair.

E72: (not yet known)

E73: General Hardware Error: Ethernet port... this error is caused by a problem with the Ethernet port.

E74: There is high chance it's a scaler chip problem (the "ANA" or "HANA" chip near the AV cable connection) it can also be caused by a faulty AV cable so check that first. In some cases it is a problem with the GPU and may be repairable by doing the x-clamp replacement (see error 0102)

E76: This error deals with the Ethernet port's controller chip, a dead chip may not cause the error but removing the Ethernet controller chip does, it may also be caused by other Ethernet related problems.

E79: Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it. According to tmbinc: E79 is the error code if xam.xex could not be started, i.e. probably a file system corruption.

Secondary Error Codes
Release the eject button and press it again.
 * The specific type of hardware failure can be determined by a "hidden" error code
 * Turn the xbox 360 on, and wait till the 3 red lights are flashing.
 * Press and hold the sync up button (the small white one), while holding that button press the eject button.
 * The LEDs will now blink the first number in the code (as described below).
 * The LEDs will now blink the second number of the code.
 * Release the eject button and press it again.
 * The LEDs will now blink the third number of the code.
 * Release the eject button and press it again.
 * The LEDs will now blink the forth number of the code.
 * Release the eject button and press it again.
 * The LEDs will go back to the 3 red flashing lights.
 * You should be able to determine the difference between the 3 flashing lights and the error code lights by the rate in which they flash.

Here is how you interpret the LEDs to get the code number:
 * All four lights flashing - 0
 * One light flashing - 1
 * Two Lights flashing - 2
 * Three lights flashing - 3

0001 power supply problem 0002 Network Interface problem 0003 Power problem could be the PSU could be the GPU/CPU, somehow the console isn't getting clean power from the power supply. 0010 There is a problem with the Southbridge Chip usually dealing with how it connects to the mainboard (cold solder joint/bridged solder joints) 0011 CPU over heating - If you are receiving this error after disassembling your console make sure to all 8 of the heatsinc screws are tightened securely to the board/heatsink holes. 0012 GPU over heating 0013 RAM over heating 0020 (Not yet known, possibly overheating) 0021 This can be caused by two completely different things either: A. DVD Drive Time out - Can be caused by problems with a firmware flash. This is also speculated to sometime be caused by a problem with the southbridge chipset on the motherboard based on how it connects to the DVD drive. B. GPU error, generally caused by a poor connection to the mainboard (cold solder joints/bridged solder joints) See error 102 for more information 0022 CPU error, generally caused by a poor connection to the mainboard (cold solder joints/bridged solder joints). This can also be triggered by an error with the TSOP. 0023 (not yet known) 0030 Problem with temperature control 0031 (not yet known) 0032 (not yet known) 0033 (not yet known) 0100 (not yet known) 0101 (not yet known) 0102 Error in the "Digital Backbone" (CPU/GPU/RAM), this is usually caused by a cold solder joint between the GPU and the mainboard. There are two theories to fixing this one deals with the "X" clamps that hold down the chips. The other involves re-Heating the chips. DO NOT attempt either of these if your console is still under warranty. If your console is still under warranty return it to the store where it was purchased or call MS to have it replaced. 0103 GPU Error this is usually caused by bridged solder points where the GPU connects to the mainboard. see error 0102 for more detailed information 0110 Ram error, this is caused by a cold or bridged solder joint on one of the Ram chips.

0200 (not yet known)

1000 Kernel can't be launched/signature in NAND Flash chip is broken! It could be possible after bad update. http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?sho...p;#entry4156375 This might also be caused by a bad SATA cable. 1001 DVD Drive Error, either incorrect firmware or DVD Time out. 1002 DVD Drive Error, likely a firmware error, drive can eject, read, and write under windows but errors on console, replacing original firmware should fix issue. 1003 Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it. 1010 Hard Drive Error, Can be caused buy a corrupt or missing eProm. See also E68 above. 1011 (not yet known) 1012 (not yet known) 1013 (not yet known) possibly a dashboard update error 1020 (not yet known) 1021 (not yet known) 1022 There is high chance it's a scaler chip problem (the "ANA" or "HANA" chip near the AV cable connection) it can also be caused by a faulty AV cable so check that first. In some cases it is a problem with the GPU and may be repairable by doing the x-clamp replacement (see error 0102) 1023 DVD drive not connected, connect DVD drive to boot 1030 This error deals with the Ethernet port's controller chip, a dead chip may not cause the error but removing the Ethernet controller chip does, it may also be caused by other Ethernet related problems. 1031 (not yet known) 1032 (not yet known) 1033 it could be cpu/gpu related or it could be psu related, not much info is known for sure. 1444 and up There is no "4" in the error codes four lights is a "0" go back and check your code again.

Other Issues
In addition to the flashing red lights, scratched discs caused by moving or tilting the Xbox while it is on are another frequently reported issue. Since the Xbox lacks a mechanism to secure the disc in place while it is spinning, moving or tilting the system can cause the disc to acquire circular scratches, thus rendering it unusable. Scratched discs are not covered by the warranty. Firmware updates have also been the source of problems, most notably during the 2006 Fall Update that added 1080p output. Some consoles were made useless by the update ("bricked"), failing to boot and always showing an error code when the unit was turned on.

"Red Ring of Death"
The "Red Ring of Death" is a term coined by Xbox 360 users to refer to the three flashing red lights around the power button that appear when the Xbox encounters a "general hardware failure". When an Xbox displays the Red Ring of Death, usually there is a problem with an internal component. Frequently, this error is caused by uneven heat distribution inside the console which causes the motherboard to warp out of shape. This in turn results in the GPU being separated from the board at one or more corners. Usually when one receives a Red Ring of Death error, they must send the console in to Microsoft for repair or replacement, unless they want to attempt the repair themselves (this will void the warranty).

Trivia

 * Halo 3 can only be played on the Xbox 360.
 * The Xbox 360 is also commonly called "A 360" or simply "The Xbox"
 * All three original Xbox Halo discs are backwards compatible on Xbox 360; Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack.
 * There is a Halo 3 edition of the Xbox 360. It was released on September 16th, and has other things in the box like a wired Halo 3 headset.
 * Two Halo games are in development for the Xbox 360; Halo Wars and Halo: Chronicles.