Authored by Kumara Velu in Game Console 
Published on 03-04-2009

Does you Xbox act up when you’re playing your favourite game? Does your screen return some gibberish characters? Does it go fuzzy or blank for no reason? Do you see the flashing of three red rings commonly referred to as the `three rings of death’? Chances are your Xbox is experiencing a freeze.

Overheating

One reason may be that the Xbox is facing an overheating problem. The fact is Xbox’s GPU and CPU toil away to process your games. As a result, they generate quite a lot of heat.

When you turn the unit off after a long gaming session, it cools down fast. This puts unnecessary strain on the motherboard. Over time the motherboard bends slightly causing soldered joints to loosen. This could freeze your Xbox when you turn it on or in the middle of a gaming session.

Scratched Disc

A scratched disc may be the culprit. Xbox’s inability to read the disc may cause it to freeze. Remove the disc and insert a disc free from scratches to see if the problem goes away. If so, you may want to repair the scratched disc and retry.

Lack of Updates

This could be another reason for your Xbox freezing up. Have you updated the firmware to the latest version? Have you also made the necessary software updates required to make your Xbox work optimally? Visit Xbox forums to check out discussions on the latest firmware and software updates.

Cache Overload

Check to see if your cache is full. If it is, it could be the cause of your Xbox freezing up. Try emptying the cache and see if there’s an improvement.

Xbox Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some pointers on how you could go about fixing your Xbox freeze problem.

You will need:

• a flat tip screwdriver
• a Torx 10 screwdriver
• arctic silver thermal compound
• nylon washers

Follow the steps below:

1. Turn off Your Xbox and remove all cables plugged into it.
2. Use the flat tip screwdriver to open up the console and detach the latches and faceplate.
3. Unscrew the metal case beneath the plastic one with your Torx 10 screwdriver.
4. Unplug the cables connecting to your DVD drive and remove the unit.
5. You’re now ready to remove the fan and motherboard.
6. Using the flat tip screwdriver, remove the heatsink clamps.
7. Once you’ve unscrewed the heatsink, you’ll see the unit’s GPU and CPU.
8. Clean the GPU and CPU.
9. Apply arctic silver thermal compound over the CPU and GPU. Be careful not to apply more than necessary.
10. Leave them to dry for about ten minutes.
11. Put two nylon washers on each heatsink screw.
12. Replace the heatsink and give a firm push so that it sits well on the CPU and GPU.
13. Screw all the other parts together. Switch on the Xbox.

Chances are you would have fixed your Xbox freeze problem.