The Microsoft Xbox 360 is a great console system with a large range of games and some seriously innovative ideas like Xbox live and the achievement points system. However nothing in life is perfect and problems do arise and need repairing. Here are some of the commonly asked questions and some possible answers and fixes for these issues.

Q. My Xbox is not working and is showing 3 red lights!
This is of course the most common issue, the dreaded 3 red lights on the Xbox that means something is wrong. This does not have a single answer however as it could mean a few different things but should the 3 red lights show this means your X box has suffered an issue that could be fixable. Read on for more.

Q. 3 red lights are showing and my Xbox is very hot.
This could mean your Xbox 360 is overheating. The Xbox is a powerful device, much more powerful than previous console systems and because of this is can output a lot of heat which can inhibit its workings. The most common mistake is that people put it into small confined spaces to save room which does not allow heat to escape; this in turn reheats it to levels it cannot sustain. The best solution to this is to put the Xbox in a much cooler position which allows it to cool down by venting heat into open spaces. Take it out of its hidey hole and leave it for a good 10-20 minute to allow it to cool and try again.

Q. The 3 red lights are on but it is not overheating!
This can often be a very simple fix, check your cables! Often when installing your Xbox or if you move it a bit the cables in the back can wiggle loose, this throws up an error that your game system gives you with the 3 red lights. If the box is cool then recheck your power cables and make sure they are all firmly plugged in. Make sure you turn the power off before you do this then turn it back on and try again. If a cable was loose it could start up without error.

Q. The 3 red lights are on and I have tried everything else and it still wont work!

If you really cannot see any problem with overheating or cables and it still will not work this can be a serious problem. Sometimes you can be lucky and can fix this by turning the Xbox off for a period of time then trying again. If it has an internal error sometimes turning it off like this and then back on will simply allow the console to try again starting up and not generate a random error. If this does not work then it may need more technical expertise.

Q. My Xbox randomly errors when playing!
Again if this continues beyond all measure previously mentioned this is an internal hardware error that may lead you to the Xbox 360 repair centers that will take a lot of time and money to fix.

The 3 red light error is defiantly an unhelpful device as it cannot pinpoint the exact problem with your Xbox 360 but I hope this guide has helped somewhat in being able to stir your favorite game system back to life!