Hardware Rod Repair XBox360

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Introduction

READ BEFORE STARTING:If your console is still under warranty, I strongly advise you to send it to SAV MICROSOFT who will you exchange it for free.

There is also a tutorial on this subject here

Otherwise, if your XBOX 360 is out of warranty, or that you care and want to repair it yourself as a big, then this tutorial is for you. Your Xbox 360 shows 3 red flashing LEDs while you were going to defy the locusts on GEARS of WAR? Or you have purchased a console displaying three red LEDs and you want to repair it yourself?

This tutorial will explain how to fix your console easily and cheaply.

About ROD

The ROD (RED RING of DEATH, translate literally "the red ring of death") is undoubtedly the major problem has met the second MICROSOFT console since its release in 2005, resulting in very high returns and customer service reviews sometimes virulent from some users disappointed to have been a victim of this famous ROD
The problem comes mainly from the ROD cooling system is not efficient enough, but the PCB (Printed Board Chipset, translate printed circuit) that is too soft and expands easily with changes in temperature, causing micro- cracks (invisible to the naked eye) at the memory (RAM) and processor (GPU).

Identify the error code

• Turn on your console and wait until it shows the 3 red leds.
• Press the small button synchronization of wireless controller right the memory unit 2 and to keep supporting it.
• While leaving the finger on the button syncro, press the eject button four times. Note the number of LEDs flashing at each press eject.
  
  
  • A flashing LED -> represents the number 1
  • 2 LEDs Flashing -> represents the number 2
  • 3 flashing LEDs -> represents the number 3
  • 4 LED flashing -> represents the number 0

Very simple, you just insert a small screwdriver with a round tip of preference (a TORX 8 will fit the bill) and push forward at point A (see photo) to release the clips in front. Do the same for point B and voila your cross detached. (He may have to block during disassembly, then start first with the point B to point A and then

WARNING: There are small components in the processors, are very delicate when you cross off your bindings, you may damage it or tear components if you go too fast

Please also be sensitive for the reassembly of cross-fixing, do not force cross, otherwise you risk damaging the connection (welding) between the GPU / CPU and motherboard.

About thermal pads

These pads have been installed at the factory by MICROSOFT to better cool the rams but prove ineffective against the ROD. You can remove and discard or reuse them to better cool the upper rams. Do not use them to exert pressure on the lower rams you get no satisfactory results over the long term, the pads are too soft and originally designed to cool, and not to exert any pressure.

About the thermal paste

If your console is rather "old" (2005/2006) and has never been opened, it will change the thermal paste before starting the repair to avoid problems with iMac's fans noisy thereafter. If instead it is newer or you have bought second hand and it seems to have already been opened, it will check the thermal paste, so be on it will perform its function before going further in this tutorial.

Photo pulp factory installed by Microsoft to be removed:

To remove the old paste on the radiators and processors, you can use cotton swab and alcohol at 90 ° for example, it works very well. The dough is rather dry home, you can remove the largest piece of plastic with a flexible (or pick a guitar pic for example ...) You can replace it with the Artic Silver 5, is excellent thermal paste. There are also other very powerful, a little research on Google dealing with comparisons between them and you find your happiness.

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System Upgrade original fixing

To begin you must remove the cross from GPU mounting the radiator (the radiator as flat) and stick felt pads 4 on the same cross, all well balanced:
Then cut out 15 pieces of double sided tape 20mm in length, and paste in 3 each pad: Then paste 2 small lumps on both sides on each corner of the GPU to do it well by keeping the radiator. Finally, place 4 slices (standard (neither too large nor too thick) steel 10mm diameter, 5mm internal diameter and 1mm thick) between the motherboard and the Cross.

Then store the cross bracket, clip all three pins (it should not normally be a problem. The last pin with cons, will perhaps be a little more difficult to fix, it will be a lever with a small screwdriver Please do not be too abrupt to reassemble the cross!

The principle: prevent the motherboard and do not move too much under the twisting effect of heat and thus prevent the heatsink (maintained by the clamp) does not move away from the motherboard, resulting in uncoupling of the GPU with the motherboard. There are about 1 mm clearance between the motherboard and the clamps that hold the heatsinks on the motherboard and is therefore the space of 1 mm that will reduce / remove and washers! QED

Once the washers and clamps in place, tighten the black screws (by turning a small turn each screw to turn and so on until each screw is tightened (without forcing either). Relighting the console without the fans, and heat for twenty minutes so that, through heat and pressure exerted by the heatsink on the GPU through the washers, the GPU resolidarise with the CM. When it was heated (at that time, the GPU is up again, wait until it cools) Once the console it has cooled, check, possibly, if there still need to screw or not (if it turns, screw - if it does not rotate, it is not worth forcing is that it's already screwed enough). With temperature differences (the GPU and heatsink, and thus the clamps and washers, which are also going well metal heat for 20 minutes!). It is possible that the screws to move a little .

The ideal then would be to optimize the cooling using a fan mounted directly on the GPU heatsink as explained in this tutorial

Repair Errors related to ROST

List of errors repairable with this method:

• 0100, 0101, 0102, 0103, 0110, 0020.0021, 0022, 0023, 0024, 0203.
• E71, E73, E74, E75, E76

001.002, or 003 errors are not repairable with this method refers to errors related to electrical problems that are not covered in this tutorial. The problem of black screen with or without sound and graphics artifacts, freezes (blocking the image), display strange way "16bits" are also repairable with this method.

Little trick-wolf71 to quickly restart a console freshly reached the ROD (a big thank you to him):

• Turn on your console until I get the error or the ROD a red LED.
• Turn off the console, unmount, then remove the GPU heatsink, and then back again, still without GPU cooler to have a break overheating 2 red LEDs.
• Turn back, turn up the GPU heatsink, and normally the console should start.

The other common method is to turn the console with the fan assembly off (ie disconnected) and leave the console itself and then cut to 1 or 2min wait before putting the console off. Of course, it will eventually fix the original problem radically following the method of repair errors related to ROST

To do this, you will need:

• Felt Pads (for bottom of chair legs originally meant) diameter 17mm.
• FYI, a shoe packed with the fingers is approximately 3mm thick.
• I use it, we find everywhere (supermarkets, DIY stores, etc ...):

You do not have to take exactly the same, there are other runners of different sizes, as long as the RAM is covered, it is essential.
Scotch Double Sided foam roller for outdoor use (take out this type of tape above all there is for bonding glass, but much less efficient than that used.)

This material is still easily obtainable, I have taken brand PLASTO but you can take another brand, as long as the same description.

You have the necessary equipment? Okay, so let's begin.
You need four felt pads that you stick on each RAM and two symmetric skates to avoid warping of the motherboard. (See photo below)
Runners are already cut and stickers, which makes it much easier, especially if you're not good handyman.

NOTE: The consistency of skates (crushing strength) can vary from one brand to another, if you have any problems with iMac's fans noisy 4 pieces of double sided (despite change of thermal paste) is that pressure is too high, remove two pieces and put the console off. So you should have the same thing about the picture. Having done that, now you have to ask twice face.Il to glue 12 pieces of double sided total (4 lengths of tracks on each pair of skates), a length of about 50mm.

When you ask your first song on the pad, do not remove the plastic film on both sides, leave it and continue to layer your tracks. You just have to cut and lay in fact, that's all. That is, our skates and pieces of double sided installed, now we must go back the motherboard into the chassis to do this I suggest you keep chassis with one hand, and the motherboard to upside down with one hand, and put everything together for a smooth insertion, avoiding displacement of the pads and / or tape when reassembling.

Tighten the screws first black to hold the motherboard and then screw fasteners motherboard to the chassis. (Tightening "cross" is ideal)

CAUTION: Tighten the screws black as well as fixing the motherboard until it stops, but not pushy, it is useless and you risk damaging the screws! Attention also plugging out the power plug and the iMac's fans put the white tunnel exhaust air.

Once the recovery console, turn on.

It may start right away without displaying three red LEDs, as it can it still shows 3 red LEDs start in any case let the heat through (20-25 minutes) to complete as well requires repair. Complement and ensure long-term fix (optional but recommended). I suggest you add some epoxy on the GPU, as well as superior rams, so that they are unlikely to win the temps.En effect, putting pressure on lower rams, the rams Awards are also under pressure, that we can hang with epoxy, which has the particularity of being very tough, especially with high heat (150 °).

Note: If you decide to apply epoxy glue, made sure that the console is working properly before putting in place (a test of endurance 30/40H game is essential before applying)

Note2: If you have a motherboard version of "Falcon", you probably notice that the epoxy is present around the GPU, obviously it will remove the epoxy glue with a hair dryer (do not overheat) and a piece of thin plastic (especially not screwdriver) before going further.

Take it easy when touching console, especially when removing the cross bracket or bolts On the epoxy glue I use it, it is transparent and multi-materials. I advise you araldite into two separate tubes, glue is very good, do not glue syringe (brand Pattex example), it is often of poor quality.
You will also double side fine, easily findable in the trade.
E epoxy GPU

Before applying epoxy around the GPU, we must protect it against risks from excess epoxy in this, you will cut two strips of double sided with a length of about 50mm (5cm), and a thickness of 2mm (0.2 cm). It is very important to protect the GPU before bonding, if the motherboard will be irreparable (reballing not feasible) in case of persistent ROD.

Note: You can replace the double-sided tape with electrical tape (electrician's tape) if you wish.

Once your two cut strips, cut each strip in half and glue to each corner of the GPU, as on the picture:

With this trick, you can easily remove the epoxy, if you decide to the GPU example.

Once the work is finished, let dry for 12 hours (or one night is fine) and reassemble, you can reset the original fixing cross with four washers between the motherboard and the cross bracket ( follow the first repair method error 0020)
Epoxy rams on higher

Same as for the GPU, but it is not necessary to protect the ram before installing the epoxy. Do not put epoxy on the lower rams, it will not fit in time.

ROD recalcitrant problems

It is possible that despite the different methods of repair work, the console does not want to know anything and still down three red LEDs, or error 74.Ceci often on consoles "hacked" over and over a method fairly simple and can do it again from:

Note: Before starting, it will apply the method of compensation related ROD

Then you should just cut a piece of thin cardboard (cut from a box of cake for example) 100mm (10 cm) long and 30mm (3cm) wide, then insert the piece between the GPU and heatsink tunnel exhaust white plastic. you only have to turn the console and let it warm that way for 6 / 7 min scorching GPU will be cooler, but not to worry, there is no risk at motherboard.

You can repeat step 4 or 5 times if despite that, the console is still in error 3 red LEDs or Type 74, add two pieces of double-sided on the four already installed, and retry the operation (You will still add two pieces of double sided if "freezes" occur later). If the motherboard still does not restart, it's certainly one or more contact points on the side have broken GPU He will replace it and then make a reballing.

Note: Remember to remove the cardboard after the tests!
Of black or red console 2 Leds noisy fans

If you are experiencing these problems is that he has a concern for heat transfer between the (s) radiator (s) and (s) processor (s):

• Check that the original thermal paste has been removed, replaced with fresh, and its quantity is sufficient (not to excess, either).
• Verify that the 8 black screws holding the mounting system GPU / CPU are tight, the fan unit is plugged in, and the tunnel exhaust air is properly set up properly.
• Make sure there is no pressure or too hard or too much on the lower rams.
• Finally, make sure the radiators are positioned in the right direction, and the block fan (two fans who made up) is very functional (though you should try another).

If despite all this, your console continues to cut 2 red LEDs security, there is a problem probably irreversible in the motherboard.
Put a fan directly on the radiators GPU and CPU as a last resort.
Council after repair. Leave your console in a cool (not in a TV stand or on the carpet, for example, is strongly discouraged), you can recycle your skates felt remaining sticking them in place of the small gray skate home stuck in the console, it will effectively raise the XBOX 360 and facilitate the passage of air underneath. You can also create a better GPU cooler to cool your system, see this tutorial for more info.

Conclusion

As you can see, it is very easy to repair itself at a lower cost of its Xbox 360 ROD victim, the gossips will tell you that it is not a reliable solution, I think that otherwise it ' is the best solution that exists today, and that the ROD is not inevitable, far from it!

Good job. Thank you