Fixing the Xbox 360 Red Ring Of Death (or E74 error) can be a hassle and very frustrating especially when you don't know the cause of the problem or where to start. Therefore, I'm going to give you some tips on how to fix the red ring of death. That way, those red rings will be a distant memory and you can enjoy gaming again without fear of freezing.
My tips on how to fix the red ring of death are:
1- Send your Xbox 360 back to Microsoft: This is a long and costly process. Out of warrantly, they charge upwards $140 plus shipping to fix the red ring of death and it can take up 8-10 weeks before you get your system back The worst thing about this method is that microsoft don't guarantee that your Xbox would be fixable and you might get back a refurbished console. Gamers who forget to remove the memory cards, controllers and hard drive before returning their consoles report that these items are lost.
2- Dealing with the cooling system: When Microsoft designed the Xbox 360, they downsized the heat sinks which keep the system cool to accommodate the DVD drive. After long hours of playing, the temperature reaches beyond 120 degree, the solder connection heats up, becomes soft which cause an electrical failure - and the Red Ring Of death (or E74 error) will happen.
3- Fixing your Xbox yourself: Believe it or not fixing the ring of death errors is not a difficult process and you don't need to be an expert to perform the fix. I suggest you see a professional Xbox repair guide with detailed clear HD video instuctions. They will show you step by step how to take your Xbox 360 apart safely, perform the "fix" and and put it all back together. Home repairs are safe and easy, and they are developed by technicians with many years of experiences in the electronics and video game repair industry.
Within 2 Hours, your Xbox will be up and running again and the red ring of death problem will be a distant memory, so you can enjoy gaming again without fear of freezing.
