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How to Fix Three Lights on Xbox 360 for Free

Microsoft Xbox 360 consoles are prone to errors that cause the system to display three red lights on the front of the machine. These errors are caused by severe overheating inside the console. Heat stress can cause the hardware inside the machine to fail if it is not properly dispersed. You can repair red light errors by replacing the thermal paste on the Xbox 360 CPU and GPU to allow for improved heat conduction. Repairing red light errors on the Xbox 360 will take about 20 minutes.

Things You'll Need

Torx screwdriver (size 7)
Thermal paste

Instructions

- 1
  Unplug all cables from the Xbox 360. Remove the plastic faceplate from the front of the console. Unclasp the plastic hinges on the outer shell and remove the exterior plastic casing from the machine. Use the Torx size 7 screwdriver to open the metal interior casing and allow access to the console's motherboard.
- 2
  Locate the CPU and GPU by the large metal heat sinks attached to each. Unscrew both heat sinks and apply a pea-sized dab of new thermal paste to the top of each chip. Spread the paste evenly across the entire surface of the chip to improve heat conduction.
- 3
  Replace the heat sinks and rescrew the metal casing on the console. Return the plastic exterior case and the faceplate to their original positions. Replace all plugs and cables then turn the machine on. If repaired correctly, the console will no longer display red light errors.

Xbox 360