8th November 2009

To Shoot or Troubleshoot Your Xbox 360

There can’t be anything worse than having your favorite recreational activity taken away from you when you are in the middle of doing it. My parents did this to me a lot when I was a kid, but that’s another story… What I’m talking about here is the red ring of death.

As you probably know, the red ring of death refers to those three red lights that form a three quarter ring at the power button of your Xbox 360 when it stops working. You can discover below, why this happens, what you should do before getting your console fixed, and lastly how you can fix your Xbox yourself and whether you should.

Something You Need to Know Before Proceeding Further: OPENING UP YOUR CONSOLE WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY.  If your warranty has expired or if you’ve already worked inside of your console then there’s no problem. Otherwise you ought to really think about this first.

So Why Does the three Red Ring of Death Happen in the First Place?

Causes for the Red Ring of Death, well it seems that Microsoft's 'get the product to market first, deal with the bugs till later' approach has left the consumer with a product full of design mistakes. These bugs can either act alone or work together to shut your Xbox down.

Six of these are explained below.

1. Heat

Xbox 360 heat is very high. The Xbox 360 is jammed with many high powered components filling a small space. These high powered components are putting out a tremendous amount of heat. This heat is dissipated within the console with vents, heat sinks, and fans. It is borderline cooling capacity causes this system to overheat if the airflow into the Xbox 360 is obstructed. The red ring of death occurs when various design flaws act up because of the rising heat levels.

2. Lead free solder

Xbox 360 solder is brittle.  In order to avoid using lead in products used by children, Microsoft made the Xbox 360 with lead free solder. Lead free solder tends to be more brittle. To make matters worse, the wrong type of lead free solder was used by Microsoft, one that gets really brittle with heat exposure over long periods. If you stress this brittle solder, tiny hair-line cracks will develop. The cracks can obstruct the flow of electrical current and also result in a weak solder joint that easily breaks.

3. Flawed heat sink clamp design

Xbox 360 heat sink causes motherboard to flex.  The X clamp is not a good design because it clamps down with an uneven force. This uneven pressure intensifies when the CPU and GPU get hot, causing the motherboard to flex and warp. Solder joints made of brittle lead free solder are stressed with the flexing action of the motherboard. With time and heat the solder joints snap.

4. Left over foil on the heat sink

Xbox 360 heat sink has foil attached. On a number of it’s units, Microsoft failed to remove some foil on the heat sink. Several “ring of death” failures can be attributed to this. The thermal compound must be reapplied if you decide to remove the foil.

5. Deficient Manufacturing Process: Soldering Temperature Was Too Low

Xbox solder process was sub-optimal.The soldering process during production was done at too low a temperature. When lead free solder is under heated, the resulting solder joint is full of voids and other defects. These weak joints won’t hold up for long even under normal circumstances. If you include the other Xbox faults such as running too hot and warping of the motherboard, you’ve got the perfect formula for failure.

6. The Graphics Chip Puts Out Too Much Heat

Graphics Chip Was Designed on the Cheap by Microsoft. Instead of going to an experienced vendor for its chip design (ASIC vendor), Microsoft designed the graphics chip in house, in other words, on it’s own. They did this in order to save some tens of millions of dollars in the cost of the design. Although Microsoft has some experience here, it doesn’t come close to the level of expertise of the ASIC vendors. As a result, their graphics chip is inefficient in that it dissipates too much waste heat.

This problem dovetails in with the weak cooling system in the console.  Microsoft has gone to an ASIC vendor in the US and had the graphics chip redesigned. This move goes a long way tofixing the overheating problem. However, there are lots of Xbox units in use that still have the old graphics chip. These will continue to be susceptible to excessive heating problems.

Troubleshooting Tips for the Red Ring of Death

Xbox troubleshooting before you do repair. Before opening up your Xbox 360 or sending it away for repair, you should consider these suggestions first. With luck, your Xbox has not sustained any heat damage yet. So keep your fingers crossed.

Troubleshooting tips in order from the simple to the most complex:

Xbox trouble shooting procedure

1. Restart or reboot the console.

2. If this did not work, there could be a loose cord or cable. First, any cables and power cords that can be removed should be disconnected. Unplug the power cable from the wall plug. Firmly reattach all cables and cords back into the console. Now connect up the power and turn on the console.

3. If the above step didn’t work, then try turning off the console, unplugging the power and then disconnecting the hard drive. Now plug into the power and turn the console back on. If console does not show the three red lights problem, turn it off and disconnect the power cord from the wall. Finally, reconnect the hard drive, plug in the power, and turn on the console.

4. If you are using a defective surge protector, plug strip, or extension cord, your xbox may not be getting adequate power. Try plugging the power brick directly into the wall. This sort of thing happens more often than you might think. My DSL connection used to be very unreliable until I bypassed my electrical surge protector and plugged my modem directly into the wall. I should have done this in the first place rather than making a lot of angry (and useless) phone calls to my internet service provider.

5. If you think that your machine has overheated, then turn it off and let it cool down. Ensure that the cooling vents are not blocked in any way and keep your Xbox 360 in a ventilated and open area.

Do not place near it any sources of heat. There are obvious sources like heaters and radiators and such. But less obvious sources include the electrical devices that are sitting on top or beneath your Xbox. Try removing any dust buildup inside the machine. Cool off your console with a small fan. Tip the console on its side so that more surface area is exposed to the surrounding air. Don’t forget to keep the power brick cool, so keep it off of shaggy carpeting. Better still; place it on an elevated surface. You can even hang the power brick by its cord off of a hook.

Keep the rear of the console clear. Don’t push it up against a wall and keep any debris away. This includes not allowing any cords and cables to get all bunched up in this area. Do not do any all day gaming marathons. Reduce your gaming to just a few hours, then turn it off and let it cool down for a while. The warmer the temperature is the shorter your playing time should be.

XBox 360 Cooling Systems

If the above cooling suggestions weren’t enough, there are plenty of external cooling devices designed for the Xbox 360 being sold on Ebay. Click the thumbnail image to the left or here for an itemized list.

The Xbox 360 Three Red Lights Fix

If you’re still having problems after trying the above suggestions, getting your machine repaired is the next step. All Xboxes experiencing the ring of death have had their warranties extended for three years beyond the purchase date. If you have opened up your console this warranty is void.

If you’re not used to working with your hands, then sending your Xbox back to Microsoft is the safest way to go. But expect up to to many weeks of delay before your repaired Xbox gets back to you. It doesn’t make sense to do otherwise unless you’re feeling comfortable about doing the repair yourself.

A more pricy but quicker option is to send your console to a repair shop.

For those who are inclined to take matters into their own hands, the quickest and cheapest way is to repair it you are using this guide. If you can follow directions, it’s fairly simple to do. My sister recently repaired her kid’s Xbox.

Fix Your Xbox Yourself.

This guide will fix these problems: if you experience any of the following, Freeze ups Distorted Graphics, 2 red lights error, 3 red lights error (ring of death), 4 Red Lights, and E74 Error – this is the error where you get text on the screen saying E74 then you can repair the Xbox yourself.  The fix will take you 1 to 2 hours to do and can be done with some common household items and tools.

The 3 Red Light Fix manual is designed for anyone to use with even the simplest knowledge of electrics, in fact you do not need any at all. If you are planning on repairing your own console we only recommend using this 3 Red Light Fix.

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8th November 2009

Nintendo DS Lite: Gaming On The Go

Appearances are often deceiving!  The Nintendo DS Lite may look tiny but it is unquestionably power packed. It is stuffed with features that are much enhanced from its predecessor, the Nintendo DS. Firstly, it brings together a twin screen with interactive facilities. Using this combination, players can take part in multi player games with their buddies. The wireless communication technology makes room for 16 gamers to get in contact through the local network. There is a microphone integrated which permits you to maintain touch with your co-players, and at the same time involves you in a revolutionary videogaming experience! In addition to these are the dual LCD screens and power speakers which lift you to a different level of videogaming. It’s as if you become a natural part of the title you are playing! 

Look at the diverse advantages that the Nintendo DS Lite includes :

I.  Truly small and portable, way more than the first, so you can take it wherever you go. It’s simple to handle and addictive to play. Even if you are going for the office, you can just start off with Nintendo DS Lite on your commute and get hooked straight away! 

II.  Recreation can boost spirits more than you may think; if you are feeling down and blue, all that you need to do is trust in your Nintendo DS Lite and it is certain to help you chirpy straight away! 

III.  Select from a veritable fountain of games to choose from with this release of Nintendo’s gaming machine. A few of these are Super Mario Brothers, Mario Kart, Flash School Musical and Big Brain Academy. Different genres of Nintendo games join together in the Nintendo DS Lite arena.

IV.  This gadget gives you the opportunity to spend time with your youngsters. In your fast life you may not be getting sufficient time with your own loved ones. The Nintendo DS Lite will offer you the chance to play with your children as the games could interest the kids as well . 

V.  The Nintendo DS Lite keeps your youngsters busy and lets you chill out. But make sure your kids don’t get hooked as it has the capability to keep them fixed all day! 

And there you go- Nintendo DS Lite will offer you a whole new experience of gaming and help you stay in contact with your friends and families!

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8th November 2009

Get The Finest Benefits Of Using The R4 Cards

One of the most in style, fascinating and thrilling game is Nintendo. This includes many motion sensor games like action games, line of attack games, sports games, etc. many deem games to be an addiction and time abusing, but now the Gen next games which are based on fundamental motion sensors allows you to work out while playing. Games are dear goods for many gaming fiends.

They are a good resource of diversion and a pass time for many jaded souls like home makers, old and retired people, kids on trip etc. they even act as a strain buster as many feeling and suppressed energy is escaped out while playing these exciting games.  Most of the gamers keep searching out ways and various add on garnishing to make their fundamental chum all the more opportune and to preserve them. Sports games are like an running off to authenticity. Sports games like tennis, table tennis, surfing, and etc coax you to play and sweat like the one you do in genuine life while playing these sports. Thus these games are not time wasting but helpful and beneficial too. They serve manifold purposes of enjoyable you, making you sweat and exercise thus toning your body and making you healthy, and pretty your skills in your favourite sports like swimming, tennis, cricket, soccer, etc. These games are very steep and are a swish pursuit for those who can present them. Due to their cost, all gamers try their unsurpassed to keep them safe and to protect them to the maximum.

To safeguard their pricey and dear possession many gamers copy their unique games, to protect them from core that can harm them like dust particles, breakage, scratches, etc. that is the reason why most of the big gaming companies have come out with R4 adapters. In count, there are many other stirring gaming add on available to increase the experience of exciting and thrilling games. These are R4 cards.  These cards are above all meant for all Nintendo gaming devices like Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS lite, etc. These cards are also available in unlike types, which you can want according to your needs, requirements, compatibility, and etc. these cards available are: R4 revolution, R4 ds card, R4 card, etc. these cards allows you to play a variety of games, music, videos, read books, and many other worthy of note things.

These cards are to be placed in inside your gaming devices and for every gaming device a exacting type of card is to be used, like for r4 Nintendo DS device you need a R4 Nintendo ds cards. They are of same size as the regular gaming cartridges and are to be introduced in the space provided at the back of the devise for A Micro SD card. You can download and relocation as many enjoyable things in these cards, like music, videos, games, etc, which you would like to be present in your gaming devise. These cards makes it more remarkable and exhilarating to play games and also allows you the freedom to do much more with your gaming devices than what you could imagine before.

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8th November 2009

Free Mafia Wars Cheats

Mafia Wars Cheats

Mafia Wars is a hugely popular social network game that is played by over 4 million people around the globe. Commonly played on platforms such as MySpace, Facebook, Yahoo and now even iPhones, this is a highly competitive and fun game to play.

This is where thousands of people are looking for Mafia Wars cheats or some kind of tips, techniques and strategies. In recent months we have seen the growth of Mafia Wars guides revealing some of the best underground strategies and techniques dominating this game.

I’m sorry to say that many of the cheats are not what we would normally associate with computer games. When we initially think of a cheat, we think of some type of code that we tap into our computer or keyboard that will give us unlimited points, energy or lives.

But, the creators of Mafia Wars have been very careful to ensure that this is not possible. Therefore the only Mafia Wars cheats that are available are strategic. Nevertheless, they are incredibly effective and have been tried and tested by some of the most successful players and families in the game.

Popular strategies that are employed could be things like how to gain more Godfather points, how to invest your money well, how to prevent losing money when being robbed or even knowing which weapons are best to defend yourself in a fight.

One of my most favourite tips is how to very sneakily annihilate your opposition. This can be done by hiring a hitman to take out a specific and personal target. Although this may cost a point, it will save you a lot of time and a lot of energy points. It will also earn you a fierce reputation and your hitmen will know how strong you are and never come after you.

If you want good Mafia Wars cheats then there is one guide you need to check out. This is jampacked with cheats and strategies that will have you dominating the game quickly. Learn more by clicking here – Mafia Wars cheats.

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8th November 2009

Online Gaming – Find Your Favorite

Online gaming has rapidly grown in popularity for people looking for a bit of harmless recreation in their spare time.  It allows them to take a break from a work day for a moment and enter the world of the game.  Sometimes the online gaming is very simple, where games range from word games such as crosswords, to the complex where the player is drawn into a rich fantasy with otherworldly creatures, mythical characters and complex plots.  Some sites require some sort of access fee, usually in terms of a monthly fee, for which they need a credit card in order to allow the person to participate in the game. The are even loads of gaming sites where players can register to play for free at their leisure.  Examples of this include even include games on social networking sites such as Mafia Wars.

You may find that games such as Mafia Wars are so competitive that people soon find a way to cheat. Mafia Wars cheats can involve anything from strategies that take advantage of loopholes in the game to specially designed programs that login as you and automatically advance you through the various levels.

Games such as Mafia Wars have even got so prolific you can actually purchase a Mafia Wars guide to assist you to conquer the game..

Types of Games:

As mentioned there are many types of games that can be found in online gaming.  Games can be based on various sports, allowing users to pretend they are football, basketball or baseball players.  They run the games just like the games are run in real life so that the players can pretend that they are professionals in the sport of their choice.

There are other online gaming sites that have the oldies but goodies in the arcade gaming world.  Claasics such as Pacman and Super Mario Bros are a firm favorite to this day. 

You can even find bingo games on social networking sites that simulate the feel of being in a bingo hall.

There are even online games that imitate Vegas.  There are versions where you will actually gamble real cash but there are others that allow you to bet without actually paying.  As a result there is a positive aspect to allow people to have the thrill of gambling but not actually being subject to losing real money.

There are many online games out there. Find the types that suit you and you’ll be sure to have endless fun.

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8th November 2009

Searching for Free Online Games

Today, there are a number of options that offer free online gaming in a mixture of unique formats.  For example, there are free online games for the younger generation that permit them to play various timeless games, simulation games and educational games, for example.  Also available are other free online games that are created more for adults, since the puzzles set out in in the games are of greater complexity meaning kids would soon get frustrated trying to play them.  Another popular choice are casino gaming sites that allow people to play poker where they don’t have to use their own money to play them.  That being said there are genuine casino games which insist on your own money to be able to play and betting is authentic. There are plenty of other ones that allow users to play without risking their house or retirement in the process of having fun.

My vote for the best online game out there today would have to go to Mafia Wars. It’s available for people to play through social networking sites and the game now has millions of players. Visit here for a Mafia Wars stategy guide if you want the best tips.

There is a huge variety to choose from.  A great favorite among men are football games, – we know how much men love their sports.  Part of the appeal is that the players are in charge of the strategy of the game, becoming one of the players in the game, and a lot of the time giving the option to play online against other real people also playing the game instead of just having to play against the computer.  This is one if the beauties of online gaming in that it gives you more choice, thus making the games more interesting to play.  The sports games come in a variety of options, and include football, baseball and cricket to name a few.

Another popular choice are those site geared towards fashion.  Users are able to design their own clothes and deck the characters out in the latest fashions.  There are also some simulation games that allow players to build their own homes, designing them from the ground up.  Players can design the floor layout, choose the tile or other flooring materials, design the landscape garden and many other things.  When the house has been constructed you can then go onto the next step of creating characters to live in your design, some games even allow you to choose cats and dogs as options.  These games are great if you have a creative personality and also teach some real world skills in design. 

Defintely go for Mafia Wars if you’re looking for an addictive online game. Make sure you check out everything you can on the Mafia Wars Godfather before you start though.

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8th November 2009

The cheapest Place To Buy Wii Online

By now wii online has become popular among gamers and consider it as the best option to enjoy. Just like searching other items on the internet, in the same way gamers can apply on how to find the cheapest wii as well. The price may vary depending on the source, but basically the wii price is a round $ 250.

What is the most excellent way to purchase wii online? Know these three places where you can get wii console at the best deal. You can search for wii console any time you wish but you need to be aware of few things before buying the console online.

Remember this; the first place you should consider is to visit the most popular online auctions on the internet. It is a trend today in which people globally can be participants of selling new and used wii from the merchandise 24 hours a day. The only thing is required from you is, do some diligent works to search on various websites and you will find a great deal on almost anything including Nintendo wii video game. For this step you should make use of your search engine to search for all the auctions that are closing soon. You will not waste your time if you follow this best suggestion.

The second place to be considered is to purchase the wii console from the biggest super online stores or marketplaces. You can actually spot such online stores when you search diligently, although the prices might not be the same as from the auctions. Nonetheless you can still find used wii there with an offer 50% off of retail. Such kind of wii console is definitely not a brad new item. It migh have some screaches, wear and tear somewhere on the console. As long as the console still functions well, you will get it with a best price.

Now, the last place is again using your search engines with the right keyword and look at the results that come up. Those websites might not be a super store online, yet you can still get new or used wii video games there. Be diligent to look up all result pages of that search at least scrolling down two or three pages of result pages and you may encounter a great deal of wii you like.

In addition to the above places you may consider also the online classifieds. When you follow this suggestion you can actually have a talk with eager sellers in order to get the wii at the best price. Be diligent to search for what you are looking for.

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