Overheating is a common problem with the Xbox 360. When this happens, it usually comes about gradually. Often it will take several hours of intense gaming before the problem shows up. In the more severe cases the console can heat up in a matter of minutes. But it's not that unusual to get overheating or the two red light error within of seconds of starting up.
For those unfamiliar with the behavior of electronics, they may begin to think that the two red light error they are getting means something else other than overheating. But if this happens to you within a few seconds of turning on your console, you could very well be having problems with bad thermal compound. Thermal compound or thermal paste is used where the GPU or CPU connects with it's heat sink. It's purpose is to increase heat conduction from the GPU (where the heat gets generated) to the heat sink which has fins that dissipate the heat.
Without thermal compound, heat won't be able to get across the gap where the heat sink mates with the GPU. Although these mating surfaces appear to be very smooth, they are still too rough for heat to get across efficiently from the GPU to its heat sink.
An enormous amount of power gets consumed by the GPU which in turn creates a lot of heat. Because the GPU is small in size, it gets hot very fast when exposed to this heat. Small things get hot rapidly compared to larger objects. This can be observed when holding the tip of a needle to a flame. It will become red hot in seconds. If you expose an anvil to the same flame, it will never get red hot no matter how long it's exposed.
So if bad thermal paste is preventing proper cooling of the GPU, it will heat up very fast. A few seconds is all the time it needs to do this. This will trigger an immediate shutdown of the console and set off the 2 red light error. The GPU gets hot so fast that there is little time for the rest of the console to warm up. This is what baffles most people, because to them, the console still seems cool. But if they were able to touch the GPU at the moment of shutdown, they would find it very hot.
When your Xbox exhibits this instant two red light error, the thermal compound will have to be replaced. This can't be done without opening the console so you will have to use your warranty if you have one or you will have to do the job yourself.
For those unfamiliar with the behavior of electronics, they may begin to think that the two red light error they are getting means something else other than overheating. But if this happens to you within a few seconds of turning on your console, you could very well be having problems with bad thermal compound. Thermal compound or thermal paste is used where the GPU or CPU connects with it's heat sink. It's purpose is to increase heat conduction from the GPU (where the heat gets generated) to the heat sink which has fins that dissipate the heat.
Without thermal compound, heat won't be able to get across the gap where the heat sink mates with the GPU. Although these mating surfaces appear to be very smooth, they are still too rough for heat to get across efficiently from the GPU to its heat sink.
An enormous amount of power gets consumed by the GPU which in turn creates a lot of heat. Because the GPU is small in size, it gets hot very fast when exposed to this heat. Small things get hot rapidly compared to larger objects. This can be observed when holding the tip of a needle to a flame. It will become red hot in seconds. If you expose an anvil to the same flame, it will never get red hot no matter how long it's exposed.
So if bad thermal paste is preventing proper cooling of the GPU, it will heat up very fast. A few seconds is all the time it needs to do this. This will trigger an immediate shutdown of the console and set off the 2 red light error. The GPU gets hot so fast that there is little time for the rest of the console to warm up. This is what baffles most people, because to them, the console still seems cool. But if they were able to touch the GPU at the moment of shutdown, they would find it very hot.
When your Xbox exhibits this instant two red light error, the thermal compound will have to be replaced. This can't be done without opening the console so you will have to use your warranty if you have one or you will have to do the job yourself.
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Does your Xbox overheat? Get more troubleshooting information about repairing the 3 Red Lights Error.
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