With the new Xbox 360 interface, the how-to below is not working anymore! You can do the following to reset your console:
To reset the display settings of the Xbox 360 console to the default settings, follow these steps:
- 1. Remove any discs from the disc tray.
- 2. Turn the console off.
- 3. Turn the console on.
Note If you are using an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, turn the console on by using the Xbox Guide button on the controller.
Note Make sure that you use the player 1 controller when you do this. The player 1 controller is the controller where the upper-left quadrant light is on.
- 4. As the console starts, press and hold the Y button, and then pull the right trigger at the same time. This causes the Xbox Dashboard to reset the display settings to the default settings and then automatically restarts the console. So it’s OK when the Xbox 360 console restarts.
Source: microsoft.com
Original Post:
I had a problem today. Somehow the resolution of my Xbox 360 console changed and my HDTV said: Unsupported mode. So, what to do? Right, I googled and came across the website of Charles Cox (http://www.the-agent.net/blog/2006/11/resetting-vga-resolution-and-screen.html). He has a god step-by-step howto on resetting your resolution. But that was not enough for me. I wanted to know where I am and so I wrote this dumb-easy howto.
Howto reset your Xbox360 resolutions
First
Boot up your console and wait till it is fully loaded (to go sure, wait at least 10 seconds).
Second
After the boot up process, press the left stick (color blue) for 3 seconds to the RIGHT
You are now in the “System” menu:
Third
Click on the A-Button once.
You have now selected the point “Console Settings” and you inside the console settings and the highlight is on “Display”.
Fourth
Now press your left stick (color blue) UP (3 or 4 times, just to go sure).
Next you press again the A-Button once.
Fifth
In this menu, press the left stick up at least four times and click the A-Button.
Sixth
You should now see this message and you can confirm it with “Yes, keep these settings”.
You have now resetted the consoles resolution to the minimun. The next step is to reset the resolution to the right one.
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Geek. Projects. Software. 
Woah, cool! Nice guide! Glad my post was useful.
You save me! Microsoft could not even help!
Wow thats really helpfull…
i was wondering if you could help me as my xbox keeps coming up with a please insert this disk in an xbox 360 game consol i have changed the dvd rom to a new one but its still coming up with the same msg….
thanx a bunch, guy. i was stuck with a black screen for a couple hours…and i just got halo 3…and i also just got my box back from the repair center. what a glorious day.
on second though…..im extremely pissed.
i sent my box in for repair because it had 3 flashing rlod and they sent me back a different xbox 360 with the same problem.
im going to go postal, folks…well, maybe not postal but…ahhhh damnt im pissed.
I needed to do the same thing, so above will work but this is better:
1. Remove any discs from the disc tray.
2. Turn the console off.
3. Turn the console on.
Note If you are using an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, turn the console on by using the Xbox Guide button on the controller. Make sure that you use the player 1 controller when you do this. The player 1 controller will have the upper-left quadrant light illuminated.
4. As the console starts, press and hold the Y button, and then pull the right trigger at the same time.
5. The Xbox Dashboard resets the display settings to the default settings, and then automatically restarts the console.
From:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911059/
Thanks so much for seemingly being the only source of this covert info. Cheers and many thanks – may your beer always be cold
Thank you very much for this article. I will try it tonight after work and pray that it works. I’ve read a lot about this issue w/ vga cables but mine is with component. Also, thanks Phill for that info.
Yeah non of those things worked at all, i played it on a hd tv at my friends house and now i want to play it on my normal tv and nothing is working , please help
awesome….works like a charm!!!!
The best way to do this is if you have black srceen and no sound like me plug in the sound cables into some speakers not the tv’s and turn on your xbox with vga cable in tv and follow the above
I follow this correctly, but don’t work… I have sound but no image. I tested each resolutions but nothing works…I think the only solution will be Microsoft
what is the use of this, is your resolution is wrong just switch the connector to tv, your 360 reboots, with tv minimum settings. no need to go through these steps!
@jb
possible, I haven’t had any problem since I wrote this post. Maybe Microsoft updated the Dashboard and added this nice little trick.
Thanks!
please help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
It’s much simpler this way:
1. Hold down ‘Y’ and the Right Trigger.
2. Press the XBOX button to start the XBOX360.
3. Wait approximately 10 seconds. The XBOX360 will reboot and reset the video settings.
i tried all this but it didn’t work !
and the xbox don’t display any flashing lights … can anyone help ?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAWESOME!!!!!!!!Cheers dude it worked!I changed my 360 seconds to 1080p and the screen went black and couldnt get it to work tried for hours too…followed the instructions and BAM! it worked, love u man
But those 1080p are scaled not native, the only one with 1080p native is ps3
Dude this just got me out of a major bind! Major props etc!
dude..thank you so much..guide worked like a charm..i was in a bind for hours.
had just gotten xbox back from microsoft and i was NOT about to send it to them again..
thanks again
Whewww!…I thought Microsoft was going to get their dirty mitts on my xbox again. I’m glad I got to keep it. Thanks, man. It worked perfectly.
great works for me…but my hdmi goes blurry
@ismael
is it the original cable?
PHILL YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER…my dumbass kept effing up the combo to get to the menu and your quick fix saved my ass thank you soo soo soo…id like to give you a handjob no homo lol jkjk but seriously thanks dood info much needed
you are a god amongst men, THANKYOU!
I have tried both methods, and it still doesnt work.
the hold Y + right trigger does reset it, but still just a black screen.
the change resolution menu I can follow and it all matches up, but all the resolutions still dont show anything
anyone figure out a fix for this? I always play HDMI at home, but im visiting for Xmas and this damn VGA will not show up no matter what I try
I have updated the post above. Now you can reset the resolution by starting your console, pressing Y and the right trigger the same time. After that, the console restarts and you can change the resolution again in the settings.
Fantastic find, my good TV died on me so I had to move back to a crappy little 19″. 100 Thanks for the info.