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As you are reading this article then there is a good chance that you have come across the red ring of death on your XBox 360, which is indicated by 3 red lights displaying on your gaming machine XBox's ring of light.

There is a also a good possibility that you have searched the internet for ways to fix this error and come across a method of repairing your XBox 360 called the towel fix or towel trick.

This seems like a quick and easy way of getting your XBox 360 back up and running, but you need to be aware of the drawbacks of using this method.

* What is the towel fix?

Basically the towel fix involves wrapping a towel around your XBox 360. In short the fix goes as follows:

1. Wrap a towel around your Xbox 360.

2. Switch your XBox 360 on for around 10-15 minutes.

3. Turn off your XBox; remove the towel and leave to cool down.

4. Switch your XBox back on.

If this doesn't resolve your problem then try again.

* Why is the towel fix supposed to work?

The 3 red lights on your XBox 30 error is caused by overheating which makes the solder connections inside your machine to loosen and crack. Supposedly the towel fix raises the temperature inside your XBox to such a degree that the solder softens and causes the connections to re-join.

* Why shouldn't I try the towel fix?

Because it is only a temporary fix. Those who have tried the towel fix and got it to work have also reported that their XBox 360 was repaired for only a short while. In some cases it has a caused their XBox to work for a few weeks, but in most cases it has only worked for a day or two.

Also, the 3 red lights on your xBox 360 is an overheating error, think about it, how can wrapping a towel around your XBox 360, consequently covering all vents and causing your XBox to overheat even more be a permanent fix.

There is a potential for bringing the temperature inside your XBox to such a high degree that it can start a fire which could transfer to the towel and possibly your home.

* So what can I do?

1. Get in touch with Microsoft support and send it away for repair. The main drawback with this option is that it could cost you around $150 if your XBox is no longer covered by its warranty and it could take between 1 and 2 months to be repaired and returned to you.

2. Buy a new XBox 360. Some people with this error (especially if it is out of warranty) have simply decided to purchase a brand new to enable them to get back to gaming as quickly as possible. In some cases they have sold their faulty XBox 360 on eBay in order to cover some of the cost of their new purchase. Many people who know how to fix the red ring of death buy faulty XBox 360's in order to fix and resell them. Of course there is a potential for your XBox to either not sell or only sell for a few dollars.

3. Your third choice is to fix the XBox 360 red ring of death yourself. This is not as hard as you may think, there are many guides to fixing the Xbox 360 red ring of death which you can get for much less than the price of a new XBox 360 or the cost of sending it back for repair to Microsoft.

These Xbox 360 repair guides give you full instructions, many with instructional videos, to enable you to fix the 3 red lights on your XBox 360 error yourself, with tools you probably already have in your home, in around 1 - 2 hours.

At the end of the day it's up to you if you want to take a chance and try the towel fix, but you do so at your own risk. Just be sure you have taken into account all the points and options raised in this article and make sure you do not leave your Xbox 360 unattended.