Do you have a problem with your screen freezing up while waiting for your Xbox 360 to start or while playing a game? Are you getting absolutely no hints as to why this is happening? That is, do you get absolutely no error messages or flashing red lights on the front of the console?

Assuming that you have already tried turning the unit off and then back on again, try these troubleshooting tips:

1.) Is an accessory causing the difficulty? Detach every one of the accessories. This includes the consoles hard drive. If the freeze up persists after removing the accessories, then you will have to look elsewhere for the problem.

If the problem gets resolved after removal of the accessories, reattach each accessory one at a time until the freezing occurs again. This will identify which accessory is causing the freeze ups.

If the hard drive is causing the problem, clear the hard drive cache. Check out http: // support.microsoft.com/kb/971755/ for further information.

2.) Do you use scratched and dirty discs, or perhaps you use a game disc with well known issues? Clean the disc with a cloth made of a nonabrasive material. Never use paper towels.

Paper has abrasives and can scratch your disc. Scratches are detected by holding the disc at an angle next to a light source.

3.) Does your console run too warm? Excessive heat can cause many problems including screen freeze ups. Operate your Xbox in a room that is cool and is not too humid.

The room should have plenty of ventilation. It goes without saying that the console shouldn’t be used in a closed off area.

Don’t allow the cooling vents to get clogged with dust, grit, or dirt. Know where each cooling vent is located and make sure there is nothing (and I mean nothing) blocking the vents. Don’t place your Xbox on soft surfaces as this can cause a reduction of the vents air intake. Also make sure that the power brick is not placed on any surface that is soft or shaggy.

Don’t place your Xbox near heat sources. One such source is exposure to direct sunlight. Keeping your Xbox cool is a must. At best, the cooling system is marginal so very little is needed to make the Xbox overheat.

Try to limit the number of hours of continuous gaming. Restrict your game sessions to three hours. The warmer the operational environment is, the shorter the game session should be.

Marc Sandford is a gaming enthusiast and writer. Get Xbox trouble shooting advice about fixing the Red Ring of Death.

Tags: computer games, computers, games, gaming, home entertainment, How to fix a Xbox, technology, video games, video gaming, xbox, xbox 360, xbox game system, xbox problems, Xbox Repair, xbox troubleshooting