Xbox 360 Red Ring Of Death

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Well my xbox survived all the abuses of college gaming life, but finally succumbed to the abuses of children and minecraft. Maybe it took itself out because of that dreadful music?

Any fixes? I see lots of suggestions for patch jobs online, but do they work? Better off to just replace it?

stomachmonkey · 02-26-2016, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Well my xbox survived all the abuses of college gaming life, but finally succumbed to the abuses of children and minecraft. Maybe it took itself out because of that dreadful music?

Any fixes? I see lots of suggestions for patch jobs online, but do they work? Better off to just replace it?

You can get used 360's all day on craigslist for $75.00

Gamestop will have them as well starting around $90.00 which is how I'd go as there is at least a little warranty period.

Sometimes red ring is not hardware but a corrupt download / update. That was the problem with one of my 3. I used to use them around the house as media extenders.

TIP: If you get another one stand it up, they stay cooler that way.

Heat cycling is the problem, the solder on the GPU develops hairline cracks.

If you are ready to pitch it then you have nothing to lose by pulling it apart and trying one of the fixes you find on youtube.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Well I opened the case and the MB has water damage on the bottom. Can't find where the water came from but I'd say this ones toast!

cashman · 02-26-2016, 10:26 AM

If it's the heat sink issue, the solution is to remove the heat sink and replace the "silver paste", I think that's what it is called. This worked for me for about 6 months. Since you're this far you may as well try it.

Another trick I saw and did if you didn't take it apart: Take a Qtip and jam the cooling fans in the back. Turn the unit on, in about 5 minutes it goes into another failure mode (I forget, it might be blinking lights). Power down and restart the machine. It actually works. I think it puts the unit into a overload reset mode. However, this doesn't actually fix the heat sink issue. I got 6 months out of doing it this way too. Found it on youtube by some 10 year old twerp.

Arizona_928 · 02-26-2016, 10:44 AM

00 buckshot?!

WolfeMacleod · 02-26-2016, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Heat cycling is the problem, the solder on the GPU develops hairline cracks.

If you are ready to pitch it then you have nothing to lose by pulling it apart and trying one of the fixes you find on youtube.

I'm sure they're ROHS compliant, too. Lead free solder sucks.

A930Rocket · 08:59 AM

My son's had the same problem. The round magnet needed to be glued back on the hard drive IIRC.

willtel · 02-26-2016, 03:18 PM

I've got one in a box I can send you.

ledhedsymbols · 02-26-2016, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

I'm sure they're ROHS compliant, too. Lead free solder sucks.

True Dat! I bought a case of Kester eutectic 63/37 in case I can't buy it anymore.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I'm going to try the heat sink fix but looking at the bottom of that board I suspect the whole thing is toast. Was talking over the cost of used vs new, vs Xbox one with the tweeze and she is thinking about upgrading them to the new one. Just need to make sure their precious minecraft is available for the new one.

LeeH · 02-26-2016, 08:28 PM

I have two of them with bad drives. Everything else works. Have some games, too. You can have both of them for $40.

2 Xbox 360 consoles, controller, 7 games, 20gb hd. Needs DVD drive

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I'll have to take you up on that Lee... Let me figure out when I get over to your side of town. I've got stuff your wife left in the van last week anyways!

Hopefully the drive in mine is still good, and we will be back in business!

pavulon · 02-26-2016, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Just need to make sure their precious minecraft is available for the new one.

It is available and as mindless as before.

onewhippedpuppy · 02-27-2016, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavulon

It is available and as mindless as before.

Compared to most of the video games I played as a kid, Minecraft is downright cerebral. I don't get it, but they could certainly be playing worse stuff.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

True, at least they aren't blowing each other's brains out on halo like I was at that age. It does get them thinking creatively which is nice. I just don't get how they don't get bored! And the worst is the music! I wouldn't care if it didn't have that annoying ass music!

pavulon · 02-27-2016, 06:39 PM

That music can't be an accident. It had to have been picked to keep kids in the trance of the squares.

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

True, at least they aren't blowing each other's brains out on halo like I was at that age. It does get them thinking creatively which is nice. I just don't get how they don't get bored! And the worst is the music! I wouldn't care if it didn't have that annoying ass music!

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Well Damn... Picked up those two 360s from Lee H, and as he said they've got smoked dvd drives. thought I could just swap them around, but it turns out my xbox is about 2 years older so they won't swap.

Anybody need any xbox parts? Going to have to part these two out!

Looks like its back to the plan to buy a used one from Clist that works!

stomachmonkey · 03-07-2016, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Well Damn... Picked up those two 360s from Lee H, and as he said they've got smoked dvd drives. thought I could just swap them around, but it turns out my xbox is about 2 years older so they won't swap.

Anybody need any xbox parts? Going to have to part these two out!

Looks like its back to the plan to buy a used one from Clist that works!

Drives (components) are tied to the motherboard via hardware ID.

Part of the reason for doing that is to prevent end user servicing.