Microsoft SUCK ROD

[newkillergenius]

I could fix that in like 10 min

Well if you need anything as well, PM me an address if you're up to trying to fix it.  My copy of SF4 has been opened once.   Wouldn't mind trying again.

I was wondering when Justin would come in here bitchin'

Seriously dude.  These things can blow me.  

[Ginsu Victim]

So far, so good on my new slim 250 GB. Hopefully it will continue this way.

[newkillergenius]

So far, so good on my new slim 250 GB. Hopefully it will continue this way.

Hope so man.  You might have to stop by with it and play a few rounds. 

[Cakemeister]

I revisited my 360 repair from last month. I did indeed have too little thermal paste. I cleaned and reapplied paste and all looks well now. The fan seems to run loud though. Too much paste=bad, too little paste=bad, right amount of paste=just right.

[HaRuMaN]

right amount of paste=just right.

OK, Goldilocks...   

[Malenko]

its better to have more then less, but this doesnt mean you should slather it on like shaving cream, lol

[RandyT]

its better to have more then less...

Generally, but there actually is a "just right" amount of thermal compound.  The compound is nothing more than a thermal "gasket" which ensures proper transference of heat from the processor to the heat sink.  The heatsink is what gets rid of the heat, and the goop doesn't conduct heat as well as the heatsink does.  So even a little too much goop starts to drop the transfer efficiency, as it starts to act as an insulator.

If you have enough to create a good, gap-less seal between the processor and the heatsink, you have plenty.

[Malenko]

oh I completely agree its better to have the right amount. but with 360s its better to err on the side of caution; I've fixed well over 100 xbox 360s.

[RandyT]

oh I completely agree its better to have the right amount. but with 360s its better to err on the side of caution; I've fixed well over 100 xbox 360s.

I hope you aren't doing it for a living, or at least have good tools for getting that %$&*& case apart.  As luck would have it, and probably as a direct result of me posting in this thread, my son-in-law's 3-year old unit RROD'd on him.  Being the family "electronics fixit guy" I ended up with the job.  It was time consuming, as I didn't have the proper tools and hardware on hand and had to find my security bit set in the middle of the teardown, as it was the only set to have a T8 in it. The case slowed me down big time.

To anyone considering fixing your own, it's not that bad.  If you can fix an overheating PC, you can fix an RROD'd 360.  Here's some notes that will hopefully save some folks some of the problems I ran into;

1:  Get the kit.  The real one with the unlock tool.  You can get by without it, but your case will never be the same unless you have 4 small flatheads and an extra set of hands.

2:  Watch this video a few times.

3:  Use the right hardware.  If you have the real kit, then you should have it already.  I didn't and needed to modify the fins on the big heatsink to accommodate the extra length of the screws I had on hand (joystick mounting kit screws fit the threads on the heatsinks. )  I also needed to drill out the only nylon washers I had that were close to the correct size.

4:  BE CAREFUL PRYING OFF THE X-CLAMPS!!!  If you slip and gouge the board, U R SCREWED!  Take your time!

5:  Make sure the top surface of the chip and the associated area on the heatsink are spotless.  The paste used by MS gets to be the consistency of baked on chewing gum, and it's hard to get off.  If the kit you buy comes with cleaner that works well, so much the better.  But I ended up using brake cleaner, after alcohol, contact cleaner and acetone failed to cut it.  

6:  Don't even think about starting the job without that T8 bit.  Big Lots sells a security bit set for $3.  Get one.

7:  Take your time and make sure you have plenty of room to work.  I don't usually work on these types of things and had XBOX 360 all over the place .  

8:  Make sure you remember to plug in the DVD unit at the testing phase.  I think they left that out of the video and it fooled me into thinking that the repair had failed.

9:  Don't even think about re-using the "X-clamp" thing.  You went through all the work of getting to the board, just fix it properly while you are there.


When I was done, I played a CODWAW demo for about a half hour and it was pumping some serious heat and never glitched, nor do I think it ever will again.  All in all, it's not difficult if you have the right materials and it's better than buying a new one or waiting a month for a unit that will probably just do it again.  

[Malenko]

I use a 3mm flat headed screw driver, not the opening tool. after you've done it a million times the flat head is just as good =) You shouldn't need security bits, just torx head bits (the only screws that should need a security bit are the ones in the controller). I have a torx bit that fits both the long silver screws and the tiny blacks ones; its nice to not worry about changing them mid job.  As for getting the Xclamps off, I turn a screw driver in between the part of the X clamp that hooks back and the metal stud.  I was SUPER nervous about gauging the motherboard but luckily (jinx!) I havent killed one yet.

[RandyT]

I use a 3mm flat headed screw driver, not the opening tool. after you've done it a million times the flat head is just as good =) You shouldn't need security bits, just torx head bits (the only screws that should need a security bit are the ones in the controller). I have a torx bit that fits both the long silver screws and the tiny blacks ones; its nice to not worry about changing them mid job.  As for getting the Xclamps off, I turn a screw driver in between the part of the X clamp that hooks back and the metal stud.  I was SUPER nervous about gauging the motherboard but luckily (jinx!) I havent killed one yet.

I probably could do it without the tool as well...now.  But it really takes seeing one fully disassembled to understand the locking mechanism, and most will only see that once...after they break it apart

I only mentioned the security bits because that little bit is not easy to find in others sets.  And everyone should have a security bit set.  You must have found a T9 or something, because none of the T10's I had were even close to going in that T8 screw head.

And that is definitely the best way to release those clamps.  Certainly better than prying from the top.

Lighter fluid will take that old heat sink compound right off, btw.  That's the only thing I use to clean circuit boards anymore.

Yeah, Naptha sounds like a good solution.  Just didn't have any around.

[Bootay]

I use a 3mm flat headed screw driver, not the opening tool. after you've done it a million times the flat head is just as good =) You shouldn't need security bits, just torx head bits (the only screws that should need a security bit are the ones in the controller). I have a torx bit that fits both the long silver screws and the tiny blacks ones; its nice to not worry about changing them mid job.  As for getting the Xclamps off, I turn a screw driver in between the part of the X clamp that hooks back and the metal stud.  I was SUPER nervous about gauging the motherboard but luckily (jinx!) I havent killed one yet.

Same here Malenko, I use flatheads and torx to open the case. I don't use a kit, I have a list of the correct sized bolts and washers and it costs a total of $3. I use a flathead to remove the x-clamp as well in the same fashion. I use Goo Gone to clean the crap off the gpu/cpu and follow that with alcohol to clean the Goo Gone (because it leaves an oily residue), and when complete I do the fan mod for good measure because without it they sometimes tend to RRoD again a few months later. I have had nothing but success for the last 2 years using these methods.