General Hardware Failure
"When a failure of one or more hardware components occurs, Q1, Q3 & Q4 flash red. Unlike the one light error, there is no error code displayed on the connected display."

This rather terse description in Microsoft's documentation was of little comfort to those who experienced what came to be known as the 'Red Ring Of Death' on the original Xbox 360. For many, it was pretty much game over for their consoles, which had to be professionally serviced and repaired, or simply replaced.

It was a chapter that undoubtedly dinged Xbox's reputation, although the fact that the Xbox 360 recently celebrated its 26th consecutive month as the world's best selling console certainly indicates that gamers don't hold a grudge over it. All is forgiven, it seems, but perhaps not forgotten, as Microsoft's Phil Spencer this week referred back to the Red Ring Of Death to reassure gamers that it's learnt valuable lessons since then.

Speaking with Edge Online, the head of Microsoft Studios said that the company learned a lot from the Red Ring Of Death, and is "confident" that the new Xbox One, announced earlier this week, won't face the same hardware woes as its predecessor.

"The last Xbox was Trinity [the Xbox 360 S] and our success rate on Trinity was very high," Spencer said. "We learned a ton from the 360 launch and we took care of our customers with the extended warranty, but I think Trinity is telling." He added: "Xbox One is built by the same Trinity team with the same learning that went from the Xbox 360 into Trinity, and I'm confident in the quality of the new box."

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/no-red-ring-of-death-style-disasters-for-xbox-one-says-microsoft