* Flashing red lights.



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Welcome to the Flashing Red Lights Solution!

Do you have flashing red lights on your Xbox 360 console?


If so let's get started! How many lights flash red on your console?

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If you have one red flashing light

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Do you have an error message? If you don't, your television screen or monitor may be blank

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If you Get this:

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Your console needs service
Unfortunately, there are no troubleshooting steps for the E74 error. You will need to send your Xbox 360 console for repair.

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If you get this:

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Disconnect your power supply cords

If your power supply cords are not plugged in securely, you may see one flashing red light when you turn on your Xbox 360 console.

* Disconnect and reconnect your power supply
* Turn off your console.
* Disconnect the power cord from the back of your console. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet and the power supply unit.

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Reconnect all three connections making sure they are secure.

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Turn your console back on.

If this solution worked, your power button should look like this:

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If you get 2 flashing red lights:

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Check your console environment

Two flashing red lights can occur if your console is not cooling down properly.

That's right. Your Xbox 360 console might be too hot. Let's examine your console environment.

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If your console is clean ie:

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Cool down your console

If your Xbox 360 console is already in a clean and well-ventilated area but is flashing two red lights, let your console cool down.

Let your console cool

Turn off your console.
Let your console cool for one hour.
Turn your console back on.

If the solution worked, your power button should look like this:

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To make sure that we've solved the two flashing red lights problem, load your favorite game and play for a couple hours.

If your Xbox 360 console feels cool to the touch and you do not have two flashing red lights, the solution worked.

If your console feels too hot again and you have two flashing red lights, you may be experiencing a hardware problem.

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Or if you console is Cluttered ie:

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Clean your console environment

It's important to keep the area around your Xbox 360 console clean and well-ventilated. A console surrounded by clutter has a greater chance of overheating.

Common ways to prevent overheating

Don't block any ventilation openings on the console or power supply.

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* Don't place the console or power supply on a soft surface, such as a carpet, bed, or sofa.
* Place the console and power supply on a hard, dust- and debris-free surface.
* The console should not be placed in a confined space that lacks proper circulation.

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The console should be placed far away from any heat source, such as a radiator, stove, or amplifier.

Go ahead and create better surroundings for your console. Ideally, the environment should look like this:

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Let your console cool
Now that your console is in a good environment, you'll need to let it cool.

If your console flashes two red lights, you may continue to hear the fan after shutting down. This is normal and helps to cool the console more quickly.

Keep your console turned off until it is no longer hot. This may take several hours. Don't worry. We'll still be here.

Turn your console back on when you are sure that it has cooled.

If you get three flashing lights:

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Check your power supply light

Three flashing lights means that your power supply or Xbox 360 console is experiencing a hardware failure.

Don't worry. There are a few steps you can take to diagnose the cause of three flashing red lights.

Let's look at your power supply
Turn on your console.
Confirm that you still see three flashing red lights.
Check the light on your power supply.

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If you get:

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Your console needs service
Unfortunately, You will need to send in your console for repair.

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If you get:

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Check your power supply cables

Your power supply cables may not be fully secured.

Unplug and reconnect your power supply
Disconnect the power cord from the back of your console. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet and the power supply unit.

Reconnect the power cord to the console. Then plug the power cord back into the wall outlet and the power supply unit.

Make sure that all three connections are firmly secured.
Turn your console back on.

Check the light on the power supply. If this solution worked, your power supply light will be green.

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If you get:

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Use the same step as red.

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If you get:

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Use the same Step as red also.

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Now if you get four red rings

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Disconnect the A/V cable

If your Xbox 360 console has four flashing red lights, you might have a problem with your A/V cable. The A/V cable connects your console to your television. A faulty connection or cable can interrupt your experience.

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Let's check your A/V cable connection
Turn your console and television off.
Disconnect the cable from the A/V port on your console.

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Unplug the A/V connectors from your television.

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Reconnect the cable to the A/V port on your console.

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Note The A/V cable will meet some resistance before it is completely connected. Make sure that the cable is fully inserted.

Plug in the A/V connectors to your television. The A/V connectors match the colors of the component video, the composite video, and audio ports on your television.

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Turn your television and console back on.

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Did this NOT work TRY:

Try a different A/V cable
Do you have another A/V cable you can try? If so, try connecting your console to your TV using a different A/V cable.

Trying another A/V cable is the best way to figure out if the problem is with the cable or the console.

Here are a few ways that you can get another A/V cable:

Buy a new Xbox 360 A/V cable from a local Xbox 360 retailer

Borrow a friend's working A/V cable

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--==ERROR Codes==--

If there is a problem with the Xbox360 The LEDs in the ring of light will flash in a particular pattern. The pattern itself leads some insight to the problem. Certain patterns will lead to numbered error codes which will provide further insight to the problem. The numbered error codes are described below their corrosponding LED code.

Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 are flashing red
- The AV cable cannot be detected
/ \
\ /
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Sections 1, 3, and 4 are flashing red
- General Hardware Failure
/ \
\ /

Check the secondary Error Code per the instructions

Sections 1, and 3 are flashing red
- Overheating
/ \
\ /

Here is how you interpret the LEDs to get the code number:

All four lights flashing - 0
One light flashing - 1
Two Lights flashing - 2
Three lights flashing - 3

--==Console Reset Codes==--

Clear All Installed Game Updates and Console Cache
Go to the "system" blade
Select "memory"
Press Y on the HD symbol
Press X,X, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X,X
A message will appear saying: "Do you want to perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage devices?"
Select Yes

Hope this has helped the community and a big thanks to Portland for the Sticky and the secondary information