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My Xbox Is Overheating

Your Xbox has many of the same components of a computer, including a processor and hard drive. When you use your Xbox to play your favorite video games, those components become heated during the process. While the Xbox contains internal fans to help keep the components cool, if the fans aren't working properly or your Xbox must process large amounts of data and memory to play a game, you'll notice that your console becomes hot to the touch. Understand why it happens and what to do to prevent future overheating from ruining your console.

Symptoms of Overheating
- One of the first things you'll notice with an overheated console is that the plastic casing is actually hot to the touch. This proves that the fan might not be working as efficiently as possible to help keep the console cool. Some other clues that your Xbox is overheated is suddenly shutting down, which is a failsafe put in place to avoid further component damage due to an overheated hard drive. Finally, the dreaded "rings of death," or red rings around the power button denote an overheating problem within the console.
What It Means
- When your console experiences signs of being overheated, you could be in danger of losing functionality. In general, simply shutting down your console and allowing time to cool off should be sufficient, but if you don't notice that your Xbox is overheating, you might be rendered with a useless machine. Microsoft is aware of the problem, which is why the company makes provisions in the warranty to protect against damaged sustained as the result of an overheated console.
Microsoft Warranty
- The typical Microsoft warranty for the Xbox protects against hardware- and software-related damage for one year after you purchase your console. As an added bonus, there's a clause within the warranty that protects against error E74, otherwise known in the industry as the "rings of death." That's because the overheating issue is based on Microsoft's hardware and design. The warranty protects against E74 for three years after the purchase date.
What to Do
- If your console feels hot to the touch, shut down and turn the Xbox off altogether to give it time to cool and to avoid continuing damage. One of the issues with overheating is improper ventilation around the console, which is why Engadget suggests suspending your Xbox or placing it on a crate or other space with holes. This increases ventilation and should help keep your console cooler. If your Xbox has become so overheated that it malfunctions, contact Microsoft tech support about obtaining service or a new model. Avoid trying to fix the console yourself, as it could void your warranty.

Xbox 360