Hard drive has red ring can we replace with any hard drive?

The "red ring of death" is really just an error code meaning that the console doesn't know exactly what's not working, but it knows it's broken.

If it's the hard drive itself that's broken, then any console that you plug the hard drive into will show the same error.

If you want to be sure, try taking a working hard drive and plug it into the Xbox -- if it's working, then it's just the hard drive that's screwed up.

its called the ring of death.get.grab some towlels remove your hard drive. DO NOT UNPLUG YOUR CORDS!wrap the xbox 360 with your towlel with two towlels and wrap it tight.keep it in there on for 20min then you bring it out then it should be trun off because it over heated then you want to cool it down saw 20min again then put back your hard drive.

This is a hard drive or DVD error. Try removing your HDD and starting it up. Does it work? If not, try replacing the optical drive.. see if you can salvage one from RROD'd 360 (i.e., 3 red rings, usually their GPUs died and their DVD drives are still OK). Replacing the optical drive is pretty simple once you determine this.

What you need to do is try using the console without the hard drive or with a different hard drive, one red ring means a hardware failure, and the error code e68 is in relation to the hard drive. If using the console with a different hard drive, or none at all doesnt work, ensure that the fans are working as they often also cause the e68 error and a single flashing red light.
I hope this helps. Good luck.

The error code E71 with one red light flashing on the Ring of Light means that the console is having trouble accessing the memory device which is the hard drive. what you can do is to remove the hard drive and power on your console, if it starts up fine it means you need to replace the hard drive. If it does the same thing without the hard drive, well your console is having hardware failure inside and needs technical repairs, you contact Microsoft and have it fixed for free if it is in-warranty.

The single red light on the Xbox shows that there is a hardware failure.
The E68 error is linked to a problem with the Xbox 360 Hard drive. Try removing the hard drive from the Xbox and attempt to use the Xbox again.
If the error does not occur when the hard drive is not connected then you will need to replace the hard drive.
If the error still occurs then the console will need to be repaired.

i'm going thru this same problem right now...remove the harddrive then reboot the console...if it boots up properly then your hard drive is shot...that was what was wrong with mine..i bought a new hard drive and it work great again

Games freeze for two reasons. Overheating and the hard drive locking up. If you have your games installed, you most likely eliminated the overheating problem.

Since you are not getting Red Ring, it probably isn't overheating. That leaves the hard drive. Turn of the console and unplug it. Remove the hard drive. Now is a good time to clean any dust from the connectors or vents. Reattach and play. Some games like Fable 2, Fallout 3, and others are more prone to freezing when accessing the hard drive that others. If it is freezing more times than not, you have an issue with the hard drive.

If you have 3 red lights on the ring you have what they call RROD or red ring of death. Bottom right would be hardware failure.

DVD Drive failure most common problem, this ranges from dirty disk error (DDE) message to inoperable drive door, skipping in movies, slow load time or no load or the call customer service errors 10, 11, and 12. To replace the drive it will have to be reflashed.

that means there hardware failure or the hard drive try putting a different hard drive in there if there is still 2 red lights there some hard ware problems and may need repair