Xbox graphics messed up; is my console dying?

For some reason the colors on my Xbox 360 are suddenly all messed up. It boots up fine, but after a few minutes, the color blotches and it looks like I'm in "safe mode" in the PC, with only 64 colors or something. I tried changing my HDMI connection to Component, and I get the same problem. It's not just the dashboard, but it affects the color in all games too.

I don't have any error messages popping up, and I don't have any red rings. I have one of the "Falcon" Elietes, with the 65nm chip and lower watage power suppply. It's run like a rock for almost a year (even when it was on for almost 10 hours in a row for a Halo LAN party). Is the GPU chip failing?

I've had something similar happen to my PC before and it turned out the problem was the graphics card fan had stopped working, so the card kept overheating after a couple of minutes. It was doing what sounds like the same sort of "VGA graphics" corruption for a while before it gave out entirely.

Possibly might be something along the same lines happening here?

My system did that right before I got the three red rings and had to send it in.

I would say that you are about to get the dreaded Red Ring of Death. If you don't have a warranty on it that would be the best thing to happen right now. I'd say keep messing with it until it doesn't work at all (if you have no warranty on it), and it may give you the red ring of death and you can send it in for free to be repaired.

This JUST happened to me Wednesday night. I also had a Falcon core, bought last Christmas. So much for solving their HW problems. I got a series of odd-colored squares (like some weird dither effect) mucking up the screen.

A few minutes later, I shut it off and, when I went to turn it back on, got a red ring and an error code. SOunded like one of the fans was laboring pretty hard, so I chalked it up to fan failure and overheating.

You might as well start filling out the Xbox.com report request. Oh, how long those 3 weeks shall feel.

This JUST happened to me Wednesday night.

Ditto. Red ringed soon after this started.

Yep. When this started on me it preceded a total console freeze. It wasn't even gracious enough to give me the red rings. It's likely due to overheating, as it's the same kind of distortion you get when overclocking a video card too high.

Yep, the freaky colors soon were followed by Red Rings of Death for me as well.

Damn, this is BS. I WAITED for so long to dip into the Xbox 360 waters because I wanted one of the "fixed" consoles, and now I'm screwed anyway. And right before Dead Space too! Do I need to send in my HDD with the console when it gets fixed? I have over 30 demos downloaded on that thing.

Draco wrote:

Damn, this is BS. I WAITED for so long to dip into the Xbox 360 waters because I wanted one of the "fixed" consoles, and now I'm screwed anyway. And right before Dead Space too! Do I need to send in my HDD with the console when it gets fixed? I have over 30 demos downloaded on that thing.

No, in fact they ask you to take it out before sending it. It sucks, but it really is much less painful than you think it will be.

Dammit, I just got this visual distortion effect last night, coincidentally, while playing Dead Space.

Today I turn on the console, and I get one red light and "Error Code E74".

I hope some warranty covers this error. If not, I'll be very pissed.

Make sure you hold out for some reimbursement for your Live Gold account. My roommate managed to convince some guy on the phone to give him six free months, despite the fact that the Xbox was only out for service for two.

Vrioniavas wrote:

Dammit, I just got this visual distortion effect last night, coincidentally, while playing Dead Space.

Today I turn on the console, and I get one red light and "Error Code E74".

I hope some warranty covers this error. If not, I'll be very pissed.

Mine just did this yesterday, too. I don't get an error code though, I get a black screen with little white dots now.

Vrioniavas wrote:

Dammit, I just got this visual distortion effect last night, coincidentally, while playing Dead Space.

Today I turn on the console, and I get one red light and "Error Code E74".

I hope some warranty covers this error. If not, I'll be very pissed.

The regular one year warranty does. The extended Three Year Warranty doesn't, that's only for RROD.

But if you go online and request an RROD box, and report the problem as "Three Red Lights" instead of an E74, you'll get a replacement unit for free. Whether you are in warranty or not. Or just smother the f*cker until it RRODs

From my experience, Microsoft will not screw you around. They have a real vested interest in making it a pain free to get aq replacement as possible. Despite the massive amount of dead 360s, look at the positive manner in which we talk about our 360 experiences. Microsoft cannot afford to sell these consoles that weren't ready for market, and piss us off. Microsoft gambled that they needed a year head start on Sony to win this round, and they were absolutely right. waiting a year probably would have helped them sell a more stable console, but I doubt they dominate Sony the way have had they waited.

So Microsoft is just considering this the cost of business, and trying desperately to keep us. So whether you think it is within warranty, or what the actual error is, call Microsoft up. They really do want to make good on everyone's purchase. If they don't, people will move over to Sony if they have to lay out more cash.

Woops, chalk me up with the same "windows safe mode" graphics situation...I fear brickage follows shortly.

...Ah well, I needed an excuse to go grab one with an HDMI port anyway. Good job Friday is payday!

Oh sadness! My 360 (despite its protective frog guardian) began doing the fun-filled blocks/color loss effect that others have mentioned. Then it started red ring of death-ing; however, I've found that if I power cycle it several times, it will often boot normally. Strangely, if I *do* luck out and get it to boot, it will generally run fine. Thankfully it hung in there long enough for my girlfriend and I to finish Alice: Madness Returns.

Is there still a replacement policy for RROD errors, or is that a thing of the past now? I purchased my console (Arcade edition) in February, 2008.

I think the warranty was a 3 year one, so you might be out of luck there. Not sure though. The process of finding out on MS's site is painless, so I'd say give it a try.

You may also be able to find a local fix (via Craigslist, eyc) that can revive it for a smallish fee. May go that route if a new Xbox is not affordable.