When using your Xbox 360 console, your console turns off unexpectedly

When you are using the Xbox 360 console, the console automatically turns off, but you do not receive an error message. Two red indicator lights flash on the Ring of Light, or no lights flash on the Ring of Light.

This may happen in the following situations:

• The auto-off setting is turned on, and the console has been inactive for six hours.
• The console is too hot.
• There is a problem with the power supply.

To identify and fix the problem, follow these steps:

1. To begin troubleshooting this problem, check whether the auto-off feature is turned on. To check whether the auto-off feature is turned on, follow these steps:
   1. Start the Xbox 360 console without a disc in the disc tray.
   2. In the System section of the Xbox 360 Dashboard, select Console Settings.
   3. In the Console Settings area, select Shutdown.
   4. Examine the option to see whether it set for auto-off. If it is set for auto-off, change your selection.
2. If the auto-off feature is not turned on, and if this is the first time the Xbox 360 console has turned off unexpectedly, we can do a simple test before we continue troubleshooting.
   
   To do this test, turn the Xbox 360 off for about 10 minutes. Then turn the console on and to see whether the problem occurs again. If the Xbox 360 console turns off unexpectedly again, make a note about how long the Xbox 360 console is on before the console turns off automatically.
3. If the auto-off feature is turned off but the problem happens again, check the appearance of the Ring of Light to determine what to do next.
   • The two lights in the left quadrant of the Ring of Light flash red: The internal temperature of the Xbox 360 console may be too high. In this case, turn off the Xbox 360 console, and let it cool down. It may take several hours for the console to cool enough.
     
     Also, make sure that the ventilation openings on the console are not blocked. (For example, the ventilation openings may be blocked if you place the Xbox 360 console on a soft surface, like a bed or a sofa.) Also make sure that the console is not located in a poorly-ventilated place, such as an enclosed bookcase or stereo cabinet. For more information about what to do if the two red lights in the left quadrant on the Ring of Light flash red, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
     907533  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907533/ ) Two lights flash red on the front of your Xbox 360 console
   • No lights are flashing on the Ring of Light: In this case, we should check the lights on the Xbox 360 power supply for hints on how to fix the problem. A green light indicates that the power supply is correctly functioning.
     
     For more information about the power supply light, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
     906103  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906103/ ) Troubleshoot your Xbox 360 Power Supply when the power supply light is not illuminated
     906102  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906102/ ) Troubleshoot your Xbox 360 Power Supply when the power supply light is orange
     906101  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906101/ ) Troubleshoot your Xbox 360 Power Supply when the power supply light is red

Additional support

If the steps in the previous section did not resolve your issue, your console may have to be repaired. For more information about how to start the online repair process, please visit one of the following Web Page links: For more information about how to contact Xbox Customer Support directly, please visit the following Microsoft Web site: