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Xbox 360 weak points

By on February 2, 2011

Ever since the console first entered the market, the Xbox 360 has been plagued by equipment failure problems. Overall, Microsoft decided to rush the production of the Xbox 360 console because it wanted to be Sony and Nintendo to the punch in opening up the 7th generation of video game consoles. Also, because of the rushed production, it was not able to smooth out all the kinks in production so as a result, the console had an unusually high failure rate especially back in the early days of its lifespan. Here are a few things to watch out for with the Xbox 360 console if you have an older model (they fixed a lot of problems for the newer versions).

Overheating

Overheating is the main problem of the console. Its not that hard of an issue to explain really; too much heat and not enough vents. You can rectify the problem a little by sitting the console down or getting a cooling fan base for it. Also, if you have any video game skins on your console, make sure they do not cover up any of the ventilation holes. Also, make sure to clean your system with an air canister often because as dust accumulates in it, it will act as a insulator and trap all that heat ensuring one day you will see the dreaded red ring of death.

DVD Drive

Another potential issue is with the DVD drive itself. It is one of the only moving parts of your machine and without proper care, it can become damaged. If your Xbox can’t play discs then the system is pretty much useless unless you only enjoy arcade games and Netflix… (that sounded worse in my head) Make sure to never move your console while the drive is spinning or you risk scratching your disk and breaking the drive itself in which you will have to get a replacement Xbox 360 DVD drive or spend even more money on fixing it through an official party like Microsoft.

File corruption

I only say this last one because the other day, while playing FIFA 10, I noticed that my account will not let me play multiplayer with the same console. Therefore, if I have a friend over, I have to sign out of my gamertag in order to play. I only say this because it is a pain in the ass so make sure you are up to date with firmware and game upgrades!

About David Scarpitta

I am a critical guy, and love to review and give my professional opinion on just about anything. Though have a love for tech/gaming and music alongside the cinema. You can catch me consulting and developing the net any day of the week.