[SaitanMar]

Hello There,

I'm at a bit of a loss, I have a original launch European Xbox 360 that as only a few days ago suffered from the Red Ring of Death. Sadly my warranty is void so I can't take it back and I'm not paying Microsoft to fix a problem they created in the first place. I have tried the following fix:
(YouTube - Fix an xbox 360 with Red Ring Of Death ~ e74 ~1 red light -- PART 1
But I have had no luck and continue to suffer RROD when I start up my system once it as cooled down. I have also done a few things different to the man in that video as I have cleaned both chips with rubbing alcohol and of course put a new set of thermal paste on both but sadly still it does not work.

I heated it up for about 40 Minutes this morning and let it cool for an hour. No difference so I am at a bit of a loss and in need of some advice. I'm starting to think the RROD is caused by something totally different or that my 360 is now officially dead. I have found it odd how so many have fixed the problem so quickly so I do wonder now if it's some other issue I must fix that is causing the RROD on my system, though what I can not tell.

From what I can tell the X-Clamp fix is the best but it's not working for me. I have been looking for some direct help (as in my current situation) rather then some guide and I ran into this site so I was hoping some folks could offer some tips or advice on what could be causing this issue despite me doing the X-Clamp fix.

As I said, I'm at a total loss at the moment. Part of me knows my system is now officially dead but I still want to give it a last go Any advice or help would be appriated! Cause I need the help! Please!

Another quick question, I have noticed on a lot of videos concerning this matter that many Xbox 360 motherboards have cooling pads of sorts on chips on the other side of the board. Now I have no such cooling pads on mine so was wondering if this might have anything to do with the issue. Though I have had my Xbox 360 for a long long while now and this is the first issue I have ever had with it so I suspect that probably isn't the main problem. But it's still odd, I'm guessing that most later 360's have these cooling pads but launch consoles do not.

[astroturf]

By cooling pads do you mean the heatsinks on top of the chips?

[SaitanMar]

Originally Posted by astaroth rp

By cooling pads do you mean the heatsinks on top of the chips?

No, on the actual other side of the motherboard (opposite to the heatsinks). I have seen on a number of videos folks have small square pads on chips to keep them cool. Apparently they were put on by Microsoft so I'd though folks would know about them.

[Nick Pavey]

The original's didnt have them, they came with the Falcons. They do little difference to a bad design to be honest.

I'll be back in a mo to see if i can help, have to make dinner

[Nick Pavey]

In the meantime, turn it on, hold sync, and press eject 4 times. How many lights each press?

[Nick Pavey]

No disrespect dude, but half way through that video i turned it off. Electrical components can't be fixed with paste.

Ignore it, and you seem to know what your doing, and have the confidence.

Have a look at this thread, particuarly post 6.

Screw and washer sizes for rrod

Apologies if i seem short, got the killer flu. Considering putting my head under a lorry at the moment

[SaitanMar]

Originally Posted by Nick pavey

No disrespect dude, but half way through that video i turned it off. Electrical components can't be fixed with paste.

Ignore it, and you seem to know what your doing, and have the confidence.

Have a look at this thread, particuarly post 6.

Screw and washer sizes for rrod

Apologies if i seem short, got the killer flu. Considering putting my head under a lorry at the moment

Hello There,

Sorry to hear about your flu

Sadly not having any great success with it now, starting to suffer from the felling that something more serious is hurting my console right now, rather then it just being a temperature or heatsink issue.

Well I have actually got it working, it started with green lights and all but within seconds the fans speed up super fast and it cuts out to two lights (which means it's overheating) but how I don't simply know because it's only turned on for less then 5 seconds.... weird!

I have cleaned it out of dust or muck and checked everything with no look. Either it does the fan speed up and two red lights process (upon startup) or continues to show the red ring of death. I have been asking about but I'm finding it hard to get answers. Plus there seem to be so many different methods of fixing it that I'm at a bit of a loss. I know the X-Clamp fix is by far the best for success rate but there different methods of doing that with so many videos showing different methods.

I'll rethink what I'm doing here and thanks for the information on screws, sadly that as been one area which as caused me some issue though I thought I'd found the correct ones. I've been kind of surprised how many videos don't explain which screws are best.

Anyway, thanks for the help and I'll update if I get anywhere!

[Nick Pavey]

When you get the two reds instantly it means something is not sitting quite right.

How many washers have you got above the motherboard for the heatsinks to sit on? Should be two 1mm's.

When you get 3 reds, get the secondary error code. Hold sync, press eject 4 times. Record how many red lights each press.

[SaitanMar]

Originally Posted by Nick pavey

When you get the two reds instantly it means something is not sitting quite right.

How many washers have you got above the motherboard for the heatsinks to sit on? Should be two 1mm's.

When you get 3 reds, get the secondary error code. Hold sync, press eject 4 times. Record how many red lights each press.

Well I have a issue with the washers that I wasn't exactly expecting (but should have seen it coming), simply fact is that on the bigger heatsink I have the screw, with a metal washer then a rubber washer on the bottom of the motherboard and on the same screw (of course) I have another rubber and metal washer on the top. Trouble is I wanted to do this for the other smaller heatsink but the washers I currently have are a little to big and because the screw gaps are so close together near both heatsinks then I can't put two sets of washers on the one side of the smaller heatsink.

Basically it overlaps the other washers so it's unable to sit on the motherboard right. This meant that I went to trying just the one rubber heatsink on the smaller heatsink which I suspected is causing the problems I'm having now. Basically I need to pick up some better suited washers that won't get in the way of each other.

[Nick Pavey]

You need m5 1mm washers. If you wanted to give it a once and for all fix you'll need 40, 24 below the motherboard, and 16 above.

That must of been your problem, an irregular heatsink height, the machine thinking one wasnt on there and instant two red lights.

Once the machine is fixed, turn it on with your hand on a heatsink and see how quick they heat up, pretty scary.

[Nick Pavey]

Homebase is the best for the washers, 89p for 50, and B&Q for the bolts. 20mm M5's. (£2.87)

[SaitanMar]

ok,

I have done the secondary error attempt and it's appeared as the two top lights (top left, top right) as blinking red while the bottom two are clear.

Hope this helps!

[Nick Pavey]

You need 4 digits, so hold the sync button, and press eject 4 times while still holding sync.

[SaitanMar]

Originally Posted by Nick pavey

You need 4 digits, so hold the sync button, and press eject 4 times while still holding sync.

oh you mean on the screen! silly me! my fault thought it would be something to do with the LED lights. Bear with me a second then:
*Walks away embarrased*


Nothing seems to be happening, just keeps coming up with those two top red lights and there's nothing on the screen or am I again looking in the wrong place?

[Johnny-h]

Help! iv'e fitted the x-clamp fix to my xbox EXACTLY as it says to do it, but when i get to the part where you overheat the console my fans dont spin and my console doesnt get even slightly hot? can anyone help please?!

[Nick Pavey]

Does it boot up at all? You press the on button and you get no lights?

[Johnny-h]

i get the usual 3 flashing lights RROD, nothing on the screen =/ the fans spin when i start the console, but they stop? =[

[Nick Pavey]

When they stop like that it generally means you have over tightened the bolts. Does it shut itself down?

[Johnny-h]

Nope, it just stays on RROD, also, when i do the `syncronise+eject` buttons 4 times, i get 4 lights 3 times and then 2lights once (which is code 0002) apparently this code is a network interface error? :S

[Nick Pavey]

It's a cold solder joint under the cpu, meaning you have to heatgun the motherboard.

To be honest mate if you want to fix it properly and keep it going then have a look at this -

Screw and washer sizes for rrod

I can talk you through it all if you want to try it.

[Johnny-h]

yeah that would be good, i wont do it tonight but ill try it tomorrow how risky is it?

[Nick Pavey]

Risky as in the heatgunning part? It's not really if you have a directional heatgun, properly isolate the caps and keep the gun moving. 4 minutes on both sides.

You'll want to do a minute on the gpu, a minute on the cpu and the remaining time on the remainder.

In that guide it says to use plastic, regular tin foil is better, 3 layers sellotaped down.

[Johnny-h]

how many layers of tin foil do i need? and how much plastic wrapping underneath it?

[Nick Pavey]

3 layers, just the tin foil. No plastic wrapping at all.

You can use the Tesco value stuff, works fine.

[Johnny-h]

cool i just heat gun the shiny chips for a few minutes? how will i know when theyre done? :S

[Nick Pavey]

You won't until you turn it on. Minute on each, 2 mins on the rest.

There is a small chance you can f*** it up though mate, so i would say if you are not sure don't try it. Just my disclaimer

[Johnny-h]

2mins on `the rest` whats the rest? =/
well, is there any other way of fixing it?

[Nick Pavey]

See this picture here -

http://xbox-experts.com/e/pics/pic02783.jpg

1 minute each on the two biggest chips, then 2 minutes on everything else (the 4 ram chips, the scaler etc..)

Your other option is get someone to do it for you really.

[Johnny-h]

someone like a shop? &when i do it the plastic will melt yeahh? thanks

[Nick Pavey]

Yep, where do you live? I don't mind heating your board if you can do the rest.