Repairing an Xbox 360

[AnAngelsDeath]

I was wondering if anyone has used this kit before http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-XCLAMP-Repair-Kit/dp/B001HVU8JO/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1310622138&sr=1-4 to repair an xbox 360, I have the E74 Error, and this is supposed to fix it. Replaces the X-Clamp hardware, and comes with the stuff to clean the CPU/GPU and some arctic silver thermal paste to put on em. I've heard some good things, that it works, from reviews, but i wanted to see if any [H]'rs have used it or something similar.

 

[theNoid]

I need to get this to repair a 360 my brother in law gave me! thanks for the link

 

[Godmachine]

The honest truth is that kit is a temporary solution to a problem that happened during your 360's assembly. The issue is the solder they used which had a lower melting point than the solder they use in current generation Jasper systems that has a higher melting point.

No matter the amount of "towel tricks" or "heatsink mods" you attempt your system will ultimately die if you even once see an error code then its marked for death and its completely from the solder being unable to deal with the lower melting point. Take it from someone that has gone through 6 (not joking.. wish i was) 360's since 2005 its better to get it repaired or replaced with a new one ..or to sell it off on ebay.

I realize this isn't what you wanted to hear but trust me you will save yourself the hassle of taking it apart , installing the kit and having it die a few days , weeks or if you get extremely lucky months later. You could be shady about it and install the kit so it functions long enough for Gamestop to take it for trade in value but that's kind of a dick move..

 

[450]

Gamestop won't take it because they check for an intact seal.

 

[Godmachine]

Gamestop won't take it because they check for an intact seal.

Good point.

Edit : Nevermind what I said before I'm not trying to encourage fraud , was simply stating a well known method. If you plan to open your Xbox 360 then just break the seal and deal with it like a man.

 

[hhara]

Good point. But you can easily remove it with a hair dryer and a small thin sharp knife and put it back on without them knowing since modders do this all the time.

Or buy a new one from ebay and put it on there.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

just buy a new base model and call it a day. your current hdd will fit in there with no problem. I did that with the kid's xbox and held the drive in with a peice of packing foam and cut a notch into it hold the drive.

 

[theNoid]

Good point. But you can easily remove it with a hair dryer and a small thin sharp knife and put it back on without them knowing since modders do this all the time.

You mean commit fraud and break the law? Super awesome advice!

 

[Godmachine]

You mean commit fraud and break the law? Super awesome advice!

Please its only demonstrated in thousands of Youtube videos and a simple Google search away. Get off your sanctimonious horse

Also its legal to modify your own system , just not circumventing the software to run pirated games .. its completely legal to physical modify the hardware. Do you honestly think Amazon would be allowed to legally sell kits that are aimed fixing the overheating problems with Xbox 360's? All you face is voiding the warranty.

I'm not recommending he actually do this but that its possible. In fact if you bothered to read my previous posts you'll see that In fact I recommend he buy a new console or send it in for repairs.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

Please its only demonstrated in thousands of Youtube videos and a simple Google search away. Get off your sanctimonious horse

Also its legal to modify your own system , just not circumventing the software to run pirated games .. its completely legal to physical modify the hardware. Do you honestly think Amazon would be allowed to legally sell kits that are aimed fixing the overheating problems with Xbox 360's? All you face is voiding the warranty.

I'm not recommending he actually do this but that its possible. In fact if you bothered to read my previous posts you'll see that In fact I recommend he buy a new console or send it in for repairs.

i guess reading the post he was referring to was beyond your level of intelligence....oh wait it was you that he was referring to... :ugh

But you can easily remove it with a hair dryer and a small thin sharp knife and put it back on without them knowing

Thus, you are advocating commiting fraud against another person or entity......GTFO out of here with that crap...

 

[magoo]

Those errors on the older XBoxes do signal eventual death.

I've had 4 XBox 360s. Right now our primary box is an Elite model I bought on EBay, I have fortunately had excellent luck with it, for the last 18 months.

If I was you, I would save the money and buy a new model, whichever you decide on.

I did take one of my first XBoxes that I got back from RMA and install a 250 GB HDD, and then an XSPC waterblock, and also modified it to use a PC PSU.....all in a Lian-Li XBox case...........the thing has run like a champ ever since.....it was fun doing it.

Here's the link: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1449696

 

[Godmachine]

*Barf my useless point*

Nice of you to stop by and add nothing to the thread. Thanks for that irrelevant post and assuming I'm telling him to commit some kind of fraud when in fact I told him to buy a new console or get his console repaired professionally.

Take it easy now!

 

[AnAngelsDeath]

The honest truth is that kit is a temporary solution to a problem that happened during your 360's assembly. The issue is the solder they used which had a lower melting point than the solder they use in current generation Jasper systems that has a higher melting point..

yea i know all about that. thats why you use screws/washers to secure the heatsink/x-clamps instead of solder. Thats how i fixed the last one i had, when i had the same error. Just used screws instead, and its been working fine for the last 3yrs now. I just wanted to know if anyone had used this kit before is all

 

[kumquatsrus]

yea i know all about that. thats why you use screws/washers to secure the heatsink/x-clamps instead of solder. Thats how i fixed the last one i had, when i had the same error. Just used screws instead, and its been working fine for the last 3yrs now. I just wanted to know if anyone had used this kit before is all

tried to fix 2 different rrod 360s with the x clamp kit: a xenon and a falcon; both worked for a while but both still ended up rroding again within a month's time. otoh, ymmv. doesn't hurt to try, but i would just get a jasper on ebay or a slim for better reliability; or just go with ps3 and/or pc instead of spending your time worrying when your 360 will die again .

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

Nice of you to stop by and add nothing to the thread. Thanks for that irrelevant post and assuming I'm telling him to commit some kind of fraud when in fact I told him to buy a new console or get his console repaired professionally.

Take it easy now!

i guess reading is not your strong point.......

But you can easily remove it with a hair dryer and a small thin sharp knife and put it back on without them knowing

btw nice try to go back and change your stance after you got slapped like a read headed step child

 

[deathhorse]

I have a 2008 hdmi Xbox 360 going on there or forth E-74 error one red light. I paid for it to be proffesionally repaired and it went well for about 3-4months. I bought a smiliar x-clamp kit and that also failed. The E-74 error is associated with the scaler chip on the AV. This error will keep showing up until you do a re-flow, which is a rip off IMHO go buy a new refurb that has a 90day warranty through MFG.

 

[Godmachine]

I have a 2008 hdmi Xbox 360 going on there or forth E-74 error one red light. I paid for it to be proffesionally repaired and it went well for about 3-4months. I bought a smiliar x-clamp kit and that also failed. The E-74 error is associated with the scaler chip on the AV. This error will keep showing up until you do a re-flow, which is a rip off IMHO go buy a new refurb that has a 90day warranty through MFG.

Yea its a completely random fix , some people have systems that have been repaired and continue to work just fine. While others like you and me simply had to buy new/refurbed systems outright.

 

[deathhorse]

i plan on buying the slim kinect combo soon, hopefully i don't have problems with that unit.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

^ we have one that gets used every single day for HOURS AND HOURS on end and it has been running just fine.....

 

[simonizor]

I know I've learned my lesson about buying launch consoles.

I got my first 360 on launch day, and it RRODed 3 days later. My second one lasted until a bit after the 90 day warranty was up and RRODed again. I had to wait probably 4 months before they changed their warranty to 3 years for RRODs before getting another replacement. I had that one for a couple of months and got another RROD. My forth RRODed about a year after that. I had the 5th one until it got stolen. I decided that I just wasn't going to risk it with the 360 anymore and got the slim PS3 shortly after it came out. I sold that probably a year later for $250 after I realized that I really don't care for console gaming, and I really only had one because none of my friends played PC games.

If I do decide to get a next gen console, I'm definitely waiting at least a year after release before I pick one up.

 

[polive]

Yes I believe that was the kit I used to repair someone's XBOX and got $100 for the repair. Make sure you do it right, and test, test, test before you give it back to the customer. If it's for yourself it's a good fix. The customer I repaired for has been over a year with no complaints.

Watch Youtube vids, etc before doing it. Read other online guides. You'll be able to do it in a few hours if it's the first time you've tried this type of fix.

EDIT: I still don't know how MS messed this up so BADLY.

Also watch videos first and see what kit they used. This isn't quite the kit I had. The "tool" it comes with is useless. Wish I'd taken pics during the process...

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

Yes I believe that was the kit I used to repair someone's XBOX and got $100 for the repair. Make sure you do it right, and test, test, test before you give it back to the customer. If it's for yourself it's a good fix. The customer I repaired for has been over a year with no complaints.

Watch Youtube vids, etc before doing it. Read other online guides. You'll be able to do it in a few hours if it's the first time you've tried this type of fix.

EDIT: I still don't know how MS messed this up so BADLY.

Also watch videos first and see what kit they used. This isn't quite the kit I had. The "tool" it comes with is useless. Wish I'd taken pics during the process...

chip was missing a metal layer in the chip design and they used the wrong solder type