Four Key Practices That Add Years Of Life To Your Xbox 360
Very few people worry or even think about proper usage when they first buy an Xbox. It is the rare person who bothers himself with things like maintenance and upkeep when things are going well.
In order not to become another of the millions of people dealing with the red ring of death, you must make an effort to maintain and properly operate your Xbox. This machine is a complex device that doesn’t tolerate abuse and neglect very well. Here are four tips that you can use to keep your machine in good shape for years to come:
1.) The number one enemy is heat.
The components on the motherboard were not designed to operate in extreme heat. This heat also compromises and weakens the solder joint connections on the motherboard.
Always locate your Xbox in an open and cool area. Failure to do this will overtax the console’s cooling system and will cause overheating.
Avoid lengthy gaming sessions that last longer than two hours. Before powering down your Xbox, allow twenty minutes of idle time first. This should minimize any left over heat in the console when the fans power down.
2.) Dust accumulation inside the console is just as destructive as excessive heat.
Dust disrupts the internal flow patterns of cooling air. Furthermore, it locks in heat because it is an insulator. As the dust builds up, the cooling system becomes less effective at doing it’s job.
3.) Cigarette smoke is not only bad for you, it is also bad for your Xbox.
This is because cigarette smoke has sticky tars in it that coat the motherboard components. This in turn causes dust and dirt to stick more readily to the electronics. No amount vacuuming or blowing of air will remove the glued on dust. This glued on dust acts as an insulator.
4.) Be very cautious when buying an externally mounted cooling fan.
There is no shortage of models and makes of these types of fans. Some of these fans actually work well while others don’t. However, Microsoft does not endorse any of them.
The wrong choice will cause further damage to your console. Only buy fans that have favorable customer reviews. If you don’t have problems with overheating then getting one these fans is completely unnecessary
Although the Xbox is an amazing piece of technology, it can be very temperamental. So treat it right and give it the maintenance it requires.
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