I bet it’s happened to you too, right? Almost every Xbox 360 owner sooner or later experiences the three red lights and the other issues that are common to the popular console. Some owners are desperate enough to fix their units and try such absurd repair myths as the towel trick, where you wrap a towel around the console. If you’re wondering if they work, don’t try to do it on your own consoles, they don’t work.

When your console suddenly stops or malfunctions in the middle of a game, the safest move would be to find out where the problem started. This may have been caused by improper cable or connection placement, or more likely this is due to too much gaming and the console overheating.

When a game freezes or crashes, it usually means a red lights error and a hardware problem. Frostbite is one of the most common consequences of overheating. To prevent this from happening to your console, here are some basics to remember.

Carpets are a no-no. Dust is a common culprit in the failure of most appliances, including computers and game consoles, and carpets are the best dust absorbers. Therefore, never place your console on top of them to prevent dust and other undesirable small particles from settling on your consoles.

Dust and carpet together are a magnet for static electricity and this may not cause instant failure of your console, but it can significantly shorten the life of many components.

Put it where it can breathe. The Xbox console is a small and sensitive unit and must be well ventilated as it quickly overheats. It would be preferable to place it on top of a wooden table, seat or shelf that has doors or holes. Keep your console away from a heat source and never place it on top of your televisions or other appliances that may conduct unnecessary heat into the console.

Give him a little rest. If you love your consoles, then you have to remember to let it rest from time to time. Continuous non-stop playback forces heat to build up inside and no matter how well ventilated the console can only remove a limited amount of heat and this inevitably causes the console to suddenly stop or freeze. Let it cool down when needed.

These tips will be beneficial in protecting your console from overheating and experiencing the red lights error.