Xbox RROD blues

[shawnk1994]

I would seriously not try to heat it up although it may work it could do alot of damage i suggest taking the x-clamps off and doing it properly by replacing the heat sink. By heating up the GPU to a level high enough to resloder everything it could also fry the GPU which would really make it useless.

 

[Xtrm2Rick]

this same thing can happen to a ps3 to called ylod ( yellow light of death ) they just make crappy consoles now days.... just remember the NES no loading no overheating lol

Anyway my ps3 got ylod to i also stripped it and cleaned it then heated it up put new thermal grease on it put it back together and it worked again

 

[shawnk1994]

Big difference between the xbox and ps3 console designs and software.

 

[Xplorer877]

I would seriously not try to heat it up although it may work it could do alot of damage i suggest taking the x-clamps off and doing it properly by replacing the heat sink. By heating up the GPU to a level high enough to resloder everything it could also fry the GPU which would really make it useless.

What are you say then? It's not an over heating issue. Like I said it froze within 2 seconds. It must be a bad connection. I'm not going to heat it up with a heat gun, no I don't feel comfortable doing that, nor do I have a heat gun or want to buy one. What the tutorial say to do is to replace the x-clamps with screws and washers. That basically seats the heatsinks to the chips a little better and presses the chips firmer against the motherboard. Then you let the fans cool the CPU but not the GPU. If the CPU overheats the the system will shutdown. The GPU will resolder itself by it's own generated heat.

You're right the process is kinda sketchy but what else can I do? As it stands it doesn't work. I'd be open to other suggestions but I don't see what else might work.

-Tony

 

[shawnk1994]

Ok that will work i though you were saying you were going to use a heat gun yes that method should work if its over heating. Ive done that on multiple systems and its worked without a sketch. The only problem i see in your plan is the heatsink needs to be cleaned off and replaced.

 

[ndrew2505]

so these are imaginary i guess..?

--==SECONDARY ERROR CODES==-
The specific type of hardware failure can be determined by a "hidden" error code

* Turn the xbox 360 on, and wait till the 3 red lights are flashing.
* Press and hold the sync up button (the small white one), while holding that button press the eject button.
* The LEDs will now blink the first number in the code (as described below).
* Release the eject button and press it again.
* The LEDs will now blink the second number of the code.
* Release the eject button and press it again.
* The LEDs will now blink the third number of the code.
* Release the eject button and press it again.
* The LEDs will now blink the forth number of the code.
* Release the eject button and press it again.
* The LEDs will go back to the 3 red flashing lights.

You should be able to determine the difference between the 3 flashing lights and the error code lights by the rate in which they flash.

Here is how you interpret the LEDs to get the code number:

* All four lights flashing - 0
* One light flashing - 1
* Two Lights flashing - 2
* Three lights flashing - 3


0001 See Error E01
0002 See Error E02
0003 See Error E03
0010 See Error E04
0011 See Error E05
0012 See Error E06
0013 See Error E07
0020 See Error E08
0021 See Error E09
0022 See Error E10
0023 (not yet known)
0030 See Error E12
0031 See Error E13
0032 (not yet known)
0033 (not yet known)
0100 See Error E16
0101 (not yet known)
0102 See Error E18
0103 See Error E19
0110 See Error E20
...
0200 (not yet known)
0201 (not yet known)
0202 (not yet known)
0203 See Error E35
...
1000 See Error E64
1001 See Error E65
1002 See Error E66
1003 See Error E67
1010 See Error E68
1011 See Error E69
1012 See Error E70
1013 See Error E71
1020 See Error E72
1021 See Error E73
1022 See Error E74
1023 See Error E75
1030 See Error E76
1031 See Error E77
1032 See Error E78
1033 See Error E79
1100 See Error E80
...
1444 and up There is no "4" in the error codes. Four lights is a "0" go back and check your code again.



im not rude im blunt.

 

[Xplorer877]

Ok that will work i though you were saying you were going to use a heat gun yes that method should work if its over heating. Ive done that on multiple systems and its worked without a sketch. The only problem i see in your plan is the heatsink needs to be cleaned off and replaced.

OK cool. How long should I overheat the GPU? The tutorial says 30 minutes! I'm thinking that might be too long. I think the GPU should reach thermal equilibriul in about 10 minutes. Meaning it'll get as hot as it's going to get in 10 minutes. So the solder should bind by then. Shouldn't it? How long did you over heat the system when you tried it?

-Tony

 

[ndrew2505]

OK cool. How long should I overheat the GPU? The tutorial says 30 minutes! I'm thinking that might be too long. I think the GPU should reach thermal equilibriul in about 10 minutes. Meaning it'll get as hot as it's going to get in 10 minutes. So the solder should bind by then. Shouldn't it? How long did you over heat the system when you tried it?

-Tony

overheating the gpu is just like doing the "towel trick" its not recommended. if you have a small toaster oven with quartz elements i would try reflowing it in there.

4 min @ 200 deg
2 min @ 325 deg
30sec + @ 450 deg

pay attention to the capacitors while you do it. the caps are electrolytic and if they pop youll have to replace them. i usually do 3min, 1-1/2 min and ~30sec to make sure the caps dont pop

 

[Xplorer877]

overheating the gpu is just like doing the "towel trick" its not recommended. if you have a small toaster oven with quartz elements i would try reflowing it in there.

4 min @ 200 deg
2 min @ 325 deg
30sec + @ 450 deg

That's true but the curcial point is to replace the x-clamps. Supposedly they bend the PCB board and that stresses the solder joints. By directly bolting down the heatsinks without the x-clamps you can press the chip against the motherboard a little better.

I'd feel more comfortable just over heating the GPU, not the entire thing. There are plastic transistors and capacitors that will get torched if they're put in the oven.

-Tony

 

[ndrew2505]

ive done it at least 20 times so far..

http://xbox-experts.com/tutorial/team-hybrids-ultimate-xclamp-fix-released/

heres some links for you...

http://hackaday.com/tag/reflow/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4aJOieXDeE

 

[Xplorer877]

Well I'm overheating the GPU right now. I'll let it go for 30 minutes. I have fans over the CPU so the system doesn't shut down. I've replaced the x-clamps and just bolted the heatsinks to the board with moderate pressure.

Although I don't have high hopes at this point. I'm not getting any red rings or green rings.

We'll see...

-Tony

 

[Xplorer877]

SUCCESS!!!

:san::san::san:

I let it overheat for only 10 minutes because it abruptly shut down for whatever reason. Then I let it cool and powered it up and it worked!!! I plugged in the HD and put in a game and so far it's working as good as ever.

I'm playing Forza Motorsport 3 for about 10 minutes so far with no problems what so ever!

Thank you Crazy Jay for the link you provided, that method works for sure. Thanks to everyone else too for the advice.
I hope the fix lasts.

-Tony

 

[Gryphon]

SWEET! Nice job fixing your Xbox, i've had mine for years now without a problem and i'm hoping it stays that way

 

[ndrew2505]

SUCCESS!!!

:san::san::san:

I let it overheat for only 10 minutes because it abruptly shut down for whatever reason. Then I let it cool and powered it up and it worked!!! I plugged in the HD and put in a game and so far it's working as good as ever.

I'm playing Forza Motorsport 3 for about 10 minutes so far with no problems what so ever!

Thank you Crazy Jay for the link you provided, that method works for sure. Thanks to everyone else too for the advice.
I hope the fix lasts.

-Tony

since you have it opened already you should put in something like a 40mm fan or buy a nyko intercooler. once it has gotten the RRoD it will comeback. its just a matter of time. adding extra cooling features may make it last longer though. ive done the xclamp fix as well as other fixes and had boxes last anywhere from a month to 2 years(and still going). my xbox had a 40mm fan that blew straight down onto the extension piece for the GPU sink. it was an 11/07 model xbox and never had any rrod problems except for once it popped up e68 error code. never popped up again though..

p.s. if you want to add a 40mm fan or similar use a wall wart plug to power it if you play online. xbox servers can detect the extra power drain and your console may get banned.

 

[shawnk1994]

For mine i turned it on and ran it without fans untell it flashes two red lights at you (about 5-10 minutes). Then you turn it off and put it all back together it should run fine then.

 

[Xplorer877]

since you have it opened already you should put in something like a 40mm fan or buy a nyko intercooler. once it has gotten the RRoD it will comeback. its just a matter of time. adding extra cooling features may make it last longer though. ive done the xclamp fix as well as other fixes and had boxes last anywhere from a month to 2 years(and still going). my xbox had a 40mm fan that blew straight down onto the extension piece for the GPU sink. it was an 11/07 model xbox and never had any rrod problems except for once it popped up e68 error code. never popped up again though..

p.s. if you want to add a 40mm fan or similar use a wall wart plug to power it if you play online. xbox servers can detect the extra power drain and your console may get banned.

K thanks for the tip, but aren't their aftermarket fans available that draw upon console power? Getting banned would suck. They'll ban you if you power up the unit with out a drive connected too.

I have a couple of big AC computer fans that I'll position behind the Xbox from now on. I have them on my desk next to my Xbox intending to use them but I didn't use them all the time.

You can see em in this pic.

-Tony