If you own an Xbox 360 then the chances are that you have heard of the red rings of death. Hopefully you have not had them as they are really frustrating. Being aware of the causes of the rrod may help to prevent it happening to you and saving you the disappointment of being without your console for any period of time. There are 5 main causes for the infamous error, and below are some detailed explanations of what they are and how to prevent them.

1. Power brick problems will result in the red rings of death. To ensure that your power adaptor is in good shape and doesn't overheat it is important that it is kept in a place where air can flow freely around it. A flat table is far better than a fluffy carpet as the latter will only trap heat and cause you power brick problems.

2. If your audio video cable is loose or disconnected then you can receive the rrod. It is important that you check your cable for signs of wear and tear also. Make sure that it is safely tucked out of the way so nobody can trip over it, if somebody does this could pull the cables out or worse pull your console onto the floor.

3. Overheating is the major cause of the red rings of death and as such it is imperative that you have sufficient space for the air to flow around your console. Storing it in an entertainment unit whilst playing will not be good for your console. If you do keep it in one it is a good idea to leave the doors open whilst playing. You may even decide to purchase an external fan to attach to your Xbox 360 that will help it keep cool during the longest sessions of call of duty.

4. Hardware failures will result in the red rings of death. When you receive this particular malfunction it will be accompanied by an error code on the attached display. It is this code that will let you know what exactly is wrong with the console.

5. If your console is displaying the dreaded three red lights then your machine is suffering from a general hardware failure. There is no error code with this RROD. This is when you decide if you want to send your console back to Microsoft to be fixed, or you may want to fix it yourself. It is a simple fix as long as you follow a repair guide. The plus points to this are you do not have to send your console off and you will save your $150 so you can buy yourself a couple of new games.