With the Xbox 360, you can enjoy countless hours of high definition gaming with some of the best-selling games. But the Xbox 360 is not without its flaws and these flaws come in the form of annoying and mysterious errors where flashing red lights are the only clues that indicate what the exact problems are.
If multiple lights are flashing around the power ring, the problem is quite specific and can be easily seen by visiting Microsoft’s Xbox Support website.
Xbox 360 errors
The dreaded “Red Ring of Death” which is symbolized by three flashing lights is the worst of the bugs and luckily this particular bug to be covered is not that bad but still needs attention because it happens quite often in overused systems .
Xbox 360 errors are a bit more descriptive if only the bottom light on the power ring is flashing. When the ring part is flashing, an error code should be displayed on the screen with an “E” and a two-digit number with the first digit, either a 7 or an 8.
Causes of error E74
Each error code highlights a specific problem in different hardware, such as the DVD drive or the hard drive. The E74 error is a bit more common than the rest of the single light errors because it occurs when there are problems with the GPU or cable, which is pretty much what gets abused during long gameplay.
Microsoft’s support website describes the E74 as a general hardware failure, but in reality, the problem is more like a larger version of the 2 blinker error, which is caused by overheating.
What makes the E74 different is that the thermal glue used to hold the GPU in place expands due to exposure to heat. This allows the GPU to move freely during processing, allowing it to break its connection to the motherboard.
The GPU is responsible for those realistic graphics and visuals and without it the only thing shown is the E74.
If the GPU is fine, there could be a small possibility that the problem is with the AV cable that transmits the graphics to the display. This is unlikely, but possible, especially if the Xbox 360 is not used very often.
How to fix
Microsoft recently extended the 3-year extended warranty to cover the E74 error in addition to the Xbox 3 red lights error. So if your system is still under warranty, you can send it to Microsoft to fix it.
However, if you have no warranty, you can correct the error yourself. There are many repair guides that give you step-by-step instructions on how to fix the E74 error. Make sure to choose a guide with clear videos and simple repair methods.
After you’ve fixed the problem, be thankful you didn’t have to buy a new console like others have. Next time, try to keep the 24-hour gaming marathons to a minimum. After all, everyone needs sleep, even hardcore gamers.