I have had my 360 for about 8 months. I have gotten the 3-red rings multiple times, the first being before MS extended the warranty so I had already fixed it with the Heat Gun Fix. I feel as though my box is dieing!

I cannot play any game for more than a minute or two and the graphics just freeze and the system becomes unresponsive.

I CAN play HDDVD's full length with no problems, which is great btw!

Any ideas on why this is happening. My only guess is that the HDDVD is not taxing the GPU so the lockup does not occur??

i'd say you're right, the gpu isnt being used as much as during games, and this is why you cant play games.


or, from what i've read, many ppl think the gpu is the prob, when it's actually the cpu. maybe with games both the cpu and gpu are taxed, and with hddvd most of the processing is done with the gpu, and not the cpu. it's hard to say, either way you need to send your box to MS.


i honestly dont understand this, because i've logged close to 150 hours on my launch 360 in 130+ weather in iraq.

Mine has never overheated as its been well ventilated and my original error code was unknown 0102 or whatever. If I remember correctly the gpu problem occurs due to bad/cheap solder that breaks down with many heat cycles and the hot air gun re-flows it so it work again temporarily. I think I've reached the end of its effectiveness :rolleyes:

new "research" into this has led more to the CPU for error 0102, even though heat on the GPU has provided temporary fixes.

but you have to realize when you take a heat gun to the board, you're not just heating solder, you're also heating boards and surrounding components, boards are flexing and warping, even at levels that arent visible to the naked eye.

there have been many tests lately, microscopic and x-ray checks....

either way a fix will be temp. hell even most of MS's fixes seem to be temp, so i dont think there will be a sure homebrew fix soon, if at all.





i think different production date 360's use different solder compounds or were assembled in a different plant, or something. because mine has been operated really hot for many many hours in 130+ degrees in iraq, and it's a launch console. never had an error, redlight, or heat related lockup.