When i press start on the main menu it says (Loading settings "settings" from hard drive. Please do not turn off your xbox 360 console...) and it freezes, how can i fix this?

These steps are taken from the support site as always, it's the first website where you should look.

Solution 1: Disconnect and reconnect cables
Here's how:

1. Turn off your Xbox 360 console.
2. Unplug all memory units, controllers, and accessories from your console.
3. Unplug everything from the back of your console, including power and video cables.

Don't remove the hard drive.

1. Reconnect your console's power supply.
2. Reconnect each accessory one at a time, starting with a controller.
3. After you've reconnected every accessory, turn the console on.

Solution 2: Remove the hard drive
To see whether the problem involves the original Xbox 360 Hard Drive, temporarily remove the hard disk drive. Here's how.
Note Not all Xbox 360 consoles include a hard drive. If your Xbox 360 console doesn't have a hard drive, to go Solution 3.

1. Turn off the console.
2. Locate the hard drive on the top of the console (or on the left side, depending on how the console is oriented).

• 
• Press the release button on the hard drive.

• Lift the hard drive away from the console.

If these steps resolve the issue, reattach the hard drive to verify that the error occurs only when your Xbox 360 Hard Drive is connected.

Solution 3: Disconnect memory units or USB flash drives
Here's how:

1. Turn off your Xbox 360 console.
2. Unplug any memory units or USB flash drives attached to your console.
3. Turn on the console.

If these steps resolve the problem, reattach the memory unit or USB flash drive to make sure the error occurs only when it's connected. If this is true, order a replacement memory unit or use another USB flash drive.

Solution 4: Request a repair
If the previous steps don't resolve the single flashing red light issue, there are no additional troubleshooting steps. Your original Xbox 360 console must be repaired at our service center. Start the repair process online.

sir i think the way how you added a hard drive on your xbox 360 is not correctly... try this instruction on how to add a hard drive on your xbox360...

The Xbox comes in two versions, one with a hard drive and one without. Enhance game play and speed by adding a hard drive to cache the game data during play. Adding a hard drive or swapping out the original for a larger drive is easy and gives you as much storage as you could ever want.
Difficulty:Moderately Easy Instructions

1. • 1 Select a hard drive with enough space to hold all of the games and media you wish to carry with you. Look for drives with 7200-RPM specifications for faster speed when loading and caching games.
     
   • 2 Format the hard drive to FAT64 using the Windows format utility. Drives larger than 32 gigs will require third party formatting software although Windows 98 is capable of formatting up to 127 gig drives.
     
   • 3 Turn off the power and remove all cables, including the audio, video and controller cables. Lay the Xbox on its side with the front facing you. Look at the left side and pull the hard drive cover away from the console gently.
     
   • 4 Place the hard drive over the Xbox hard drive bay with the tapered end towards the front of the console and the connector end toward the bottom. Connect the cable carefully and verify no pins have bent.
     
   • 5 Align the hard drive slot with the back of the drive and set it into place until you hear a click. Press the cover on carefully and connect all of the cables. Turn the power on and verify the Xbox powers up properly.
     

Read more: How to Install an Xbox 360 Hard Drive ' eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4392665_install-xbox-360-hard-drive.html#ixzz1OyZkTiai


if you think this help you please rate me sir thank so much...

Your console may be overheating, or you may have a problem with your hard drive or disk reader.
Try turning off the console and waiting for it to cool down.

Follow this instructions please :

a. Remove the hard drive by pressingthe release button between the hard drive and the air vent. Lift the hard driveaway. b. Check the hard drive contacts fordust, dirt or other foreign substances. Clean if necessary. c. Reattach the hard drive by insertingthe back end of the hard drive into the hard drive bay on the Xbox 360. Press thefront end into the Xbox 360 until it clicks. d. Reinsert the power cord and turn onthe Xbox 360. If the Xbox 360 still does not recognize the hard drive, the harddrive or Xbox 360 will need to replaced or repaired.

Hello

The easiest option to update the Xbox 360 hard drive is to connect to Xbox Live. The console will automatically prompt the user to install any available updates. Alternatively, users can download the update files to a USB flash drive to transfer to the Xbox 360 hard drive.

Update via Xbox Live

Open the Xbox 360 dashboard menu. This menu automatically appears when the console is turned on. Press the "Xbox" button, followed by the "Y" button to return to the dashboard menu from a game.

Scroll up to the "My Xbox" tab of the dashboard menu.

Select "System Settings" from the "My Xbox" section of the dashboard. Scroll to the right while the "My Xbox" tab is selected to reach the "System Settings" icon.

Select "Network Settings" from the "System Settings" menu.

Select "Test Xbox Live Connection" from the network settings. A prompt will appear to update the Xbox 360 hard drive if your system is not already updated to the latest version.

Select "Yes, update now" to install the latest updates to your Xbox 360 hard drive.


Updating via USB Flash Drive

Copy the update files onto the root directory of your USB flash drive. You can download the Xbox 360 update files by going to download.microsoft.com/download/1/d/8/1d8c09be-278e-41cd-98be-eb9188128227/$systemupdate9199.zip. You must extract the files from the .zip file before placing them on the USB drive. The update files cannot be placed into a folder or the Xbox 360 system will not recognize them.

Remove the flash drive from your computer.

Insert the flash drive into the USB port on the Xbox 360 console.


Turn on the Xbox 360. An update prompt will appear when the system powers up.

Select "Yes, update now" to update the Xbox 360 hard drive.

If your system has had an internal system error (three lights) and is now having issues recognizing controllers, remotes, and/or personal music player's, the only currently know solution is to rerun initial setup.

Rerun initial setup
Before trying this, it's highly recommend that you remove all hard drive and memory cards. Once you've removed all hard drives and memory cards, navigate to the systems tab in the main menu and select the "Initial Setup" option. Once you select the option, it will ask you if want to run the initial setup that occurred when you first started your console. Say yes and it will do its thing. When it asks for a memory card/hard drive, just decline and it should be done. You should see the default dashboard screen as confirmation that it did, in fact, rerun initial setup.

Resetting to factory defaults / resetting parental locks (unconfirmed)
This was posted on the xbox-scene forums and might work only with older versions of Xbox 360 dashboard.

Press the following key combination

• Left Trigger, Right Trigger, X, Y, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, Up, Left Bumper, Left Bumper, X

This should give you a dialogue asking whether or not you want to reset your system to factory default settings.

Reset Xbox 360 video settings
While the Xbox 360 is starting up, hold Y and Right trigger. This will cause the system to reboot and reset the video settings.

Hello,

If once you put a game in the disc tray but it is does not load, you still have the dashborad on the screen or its just says "Reading" then "Open tray". You'll need to check first that you didn't set your Xbox 360 to boot to the dashboard.
To check this turn on the Xbox 360 with no discs in the disc tray. Go to the System section then Console Settings then Start up make sure it's set to Disc not Dashborad.
If you select disc the Xbox 360 will play the disc when you turn it on. But if you select dashboard the Xbox 360 will stay on the dashboard when you turn it on.

If you did so and still not loading, try another thing. Make sure this issue isn't with this disc only. Try some other discs and DVDs if you have to make sure is it an issue with this disc specifically and by then you'll need to get another disc or it's the console itself.
You'll need also to make sure that your Xbox 360 is not overheating and it's in a well ventilated place.
Check that the date and time are set correctly. To check this go on the System section then Console Settings then Clock then Date and Time. If it's not set to the correct date and time, set them correctly.
The last step to try is to unplug the Hard Drive and try some discs without the Hard Drive attached just to test is it the Hard Drive or the Xbox 360 itself faulty. If you did so and it worked without the Hard Drive, it would be obvious that it is the Hard Drive's issue.

Take care.

There are a number of confirmed reasons as to why the content will fail to load:

1) The disc is scratched
*Solution* - First try putting the game into another person's console to confirm that it is the disc as opposed to your console. If the game doesn't load on another person's console, the game is scratched. You can attempt to take it somewhere for disc repair or you might have to invest in another copy.

2) Corrupted Halo 3 data on your hard drive
*Solution* - If the above test proved that it is your console, try this step next. Clear the cache on your 360. Do this by:
- Scroll to the system tab on the main 360 menu
- Select Storage Devices
- Highlight your hard drive
- Press 'Y' for Drive Options
- Press the following button sequence: X, X, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X, X
- It will ask if you want to preform maintenance on your storage device, select 'Yes'.
- When it's done, restart your console.

*Solution* If you're having trouble with multiplayer maps not loading, delete and reinstall of your Halo 3 DLC.

3) If none of the above solutions work, there is a problem with your console.
*Solution* - Call 1-800-4MY-XBOX and utilize the manufacturer's warranty, and if you lack the warranty, compare the cost of repair to a new Xbox 360 to determine if it's worth it.

first open the "System" blade in the Xbox 360 dashboard, then go to memory, and press Y on the hard drive to open the "Device Options" menu. Then press the following sequence of buttons: X, X, LB, RB, X, X. You will be asked if you want to perform maintenance on your hard drive and delete all patches. Choose yes.Then To reinstall the patch, just sign into Xbox Live again and start the game.
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two work-around methods for those consumers who are experiencing the "freeze" issue: 1) Remove or disable the HDD
or,
2) Load three different Xbox 360 games to the main title screen of each game then load Major League Baseball 2K6 on Xbox 360. All three Xbox 360 games must be completely different before loading Major League Baseball 2K6.