How to Fix an Xbox 360 With Three Red Lights Flashing on the Ring

Remove the cords from the Xbox 360. Stand the Xbox 360 vertically on a table with the hard-drive compartment facing up. Grasp the upper-left corner of the faceplate with the left hand. Take the bottom-right corner of the faceplate with the right hand.

Squeeze the upper-right corner of the faceplate while pulling up on the bottom-right corner. Slide the faceplate off the Xbox 360.

Place the Xbox 360 horizontally on the table with the DVD disc slot facing you. Insert the tip of the flat-edge screwdriver into the top-most hole closest to you in the ventilation grill on the right side.

Wiggle the tip of the flat-edge screwdriver to release the clip inside of the hole. Repeat this procedure in the top-most center hole and the extreme right top hole of the ventilation grill. Repeat the procedure with the ventilation grill on the left side.

Turn the Xbox 360 face down on the table. Lift the lower shelf at the bottom to reveal the 14 Torx screws. Remove the 14 Torx screws using the Torx screwdriver.

Turn the Xbox 360 back right-side up on the table.
Grab hold of the Xbox 360's case from both sides with your hands. Lift the case off the inner case and put it aside.

Remove the two side panels from the inner case with your hands. Remove the screws from the back panel with the Torx screwdriver. Remove the back panel with your hands.

Remove the screws from around the metal shield with the Torx screwdriver. Remove the metal shield from the Xbox 360.

Remove the screws from around the DVD drive on the left side of the inner case with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Lift the DVD up with your hand.

Remove the two cables connected to the back of the DVD drive from the motherboard using your fingers, Put the DVD drive aside.

Insert the tip of the flat-edge screwdriver into the left side of the metal grill heat sink that is above the spot for the DVD drive and to the right.

Release the clamps holding the metal grill heat sink to the mortarboard. Repeat this procedure on the right side of the metal heat sink. Put the metal heat sink aside.

Blow off the two computer chips that were beneath the metal heat sink with compressed air.

Scrape around the two computer chips with the scraper. Blow off the two computer chips with compressed air.

Moisten a cotton swab in distilled alcohol. Wipe around the two computer chips with the moistened cotton swab.

Moisten a new cotton swab in distilled alcohol. Wipe the top of both of the computer chips with the moistened cotton swab.

Apply a liberal amount of heat-dissipation thermal paste on top of and around both of the computer chips. Let the thermal paste set for 10 minutes.

Moisten a new cotton swab in distilled alcohol. Wipe off the inside top of the metal grill heat sink with the cotton swab. Blow off the inside of the metal grill heat sink with the compressed air.

Put the metal grill heat sink back over the two computer chips. Re-engage the clips at both sides of the metal grill heat sink with the tip of the flat-edge screwdriver.

Reattach the two cables from the DVD drive to the motherboard. Put the DVD drive back into position in the inner case of the Xbox 360. Reattach the screws.

Put the metal shield back onto the Xbox 360. Reattach the screws.

Reassemble the Xbox 360 by reversing the disassembly process. Reattach the cords to the Xbox 360.