Saturday, June 20, 2009

Xbox 360 Maintenance Tips

By Larry Moon

Even before we spend any money on games and accessories for the Xbox 360, it is already a substantial expense. Fortunately though, once we start becoming heavily involved in all our favorite games, most of us forget all about the initial cost, at least until such time that something goes wrong with the system and it breaks down. If it's still under warranty then of course we can at least return it to the supplier for repairs. Even so, when one considers just how long such repairs can take, a break down of your system could spell disaster for your gaming inexperience. Of course, if you still have to fork out money for the repairs then the situation is even worse.

One fundamental difference between the Xbox 360 and regular gaming desktops is that the Xbox 360 doesn't have as many cooling systems. In fact, with regards to the Xbox 360, heat is probably enemy number one, and believe it or not, but heat is produced relatively quickly when you play games for hours on end. However, by following the tips provided in this article you certainly can prolong the life of your Xbox 360.

Of course, one of the best ways to ensure your system doesn't overheat is to regulate your gaming hours. Those of you who play the Xbox Live Arcade games need not be overly concerned with regards to the system overeating, as those games are not particularly demanding. On the other hand 3D high definition games take full advantage of the Xbox 360's power. Those who play these games should always take short breaks, even if only for 30 minutes.



If taking breaks is too difficult for you, at least play in a cooler environment so your Xbox 360 doesn't heat up as much. Full air-conditioning is the way to go, but if you can't install one, at least keep an electric fan point towards your system to ensure that the sensitive components don't get much heat exposure.

Even if your system is turned off and resting, you should make sure that your Xbox 360 is stored safely away from direct sunlight and dusty areas so that the next time you play, you are less likely to be nagged with red ring errors and decreased gaming performance. It is no good to turn on an Xbox 360 that is already warm due to the heat around the room.

As you may well already know there are numerous third party accessories which are said to have the ability of fixing heating problems. The downside to these accessories is that they draw all their power directly from the Xbox 360 system. As a result excessive use of these accessories can also result in further red ring errors. Unless an accessory is licensed by Microsoft, or it uses an independent power supply, it should be avoided.

While many people are wary of taking a gaming system with them when they travel, it can be done providing you exercise a certain amount of caution. For example, unless you use a proper Xbox 360 carry case, your console should not be carried in an upright position so as to avoid any damaging collisions. If you do use a proper case then of course you should always ensure that the case is adequately secured before you head out.

The latest Xbox 360 systems are less likely to cause red ring errors because of their updated motherboards, but you should still take good care of your system nevertheless. This will let you game whenever you need to without interruptions.

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