How to fix red ring of death (rrod) on xbox 360, quickly, cheaply and simply

[Techmonkey]

Please note since posting this guide I have found my xbox still is having problems, the red ring issue is gone, but now I have artifacts on the screen and strange colours, which leads me to believe the graphics are still overheating. I will be looking at this further but at the moment there is no info to found other than possibly reseating the x-clamps and adding new thermal paste

As you know from these forums I am not a “rich” man nor am I a patient man, however sometimes in life this can have its plus sides.

So when looking to buy an xbox 360 recently, I was offered one free as long as I could fix the Red Ring of Death (RRoD), and I jumped at it.

I spent a little time researching how to fix the RRoD, which happens due to bad design of the case, which in turn causes the Xbox to over heat.

There were lots of fixes requiring specialist kits and tools, also people offering to fix them for you for a fee, but I was now on a mission to do this as quickly and cheaply as I could.

I then came across a video on YouTube that fitted my needs, cheap and quick, but the video itself was missing some large chunks of the info out, so I decided to create this tutorial in the hope that it may help some with the bits I had problems with.

So lets get started and have a look at the massively expensive tools list you will need: (sorry about the pics quality btw, my proper camera ran out of charge just as I started so these are done on the iphone).

So pictured above you have:

• 8 x 1 pence pieces (any small copper coin will do) - £0.08p
• 1 x Roll of electrical tape £1.99
• 1 x Tube of thermal paste/compound - £2.50
• 1 x T9 torq screw driver - £4.99 (set of 10 drivers)

Total: £9.56

Step 1: Remove the front panel

The front panel simply pops off, with a little bit of pressure. If you can’t get it off with your fingers, use a small flat bladed screw driver to pop it off, don’t use too much pressure as we don’t want to damage it.

Step 2: Remove side panels

Again the side panels simply pop off with a little pressure, they are very flimsy though so careful not to snap them.

Step 3: Remove plastic case from bottom

Slightly more tricky than the front and sides as it is much more firmly held then the other. I found I had more success using a flat bladed screw driver and looking at the xbox from the side, so I could see the plastic catches inside, then pry them apart gently.

I personally did crack mine a little here as it takes quite a bit of persuading, but it all goes back together so don’t worry too much if you do the same to yours.

Step 4: Removing the eject button

The next step is to remove the eject button, which is easily done by simply holding the end of the button and pulling it slowly but firmly towards you. It should pop off without any real trouble.

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Step 5: Removing the top cover

Now you want to flip the xbox over and look for the 6 large silver screws that hold the chassis together. I have highlighted their location in the picture below.

With these removed turn the xbox back over and you should now be able to simply lift the top cover off.

Step 6: Remove the power button and PCB.

The power button is simply held on by 2 plastic clips and the PCB by 3 screws. You will need to unclip the white plastic cover at the top and it will then come off easily.

This will reveal the screws you now need to remove to release the power button PCB.

Step 7: Remove the DVD drive

You should also now be able to easily lift the DVD drive out of the case. There is nothing holding it in as we removed the screws that were doing the job when undoing the top lid.

Just be carefull to unplug the white and black cables to free it completely from the main board.

Step 8: Remove the fans and cooling duct.

You should see when looking in on the xbox a white plastic cover. This is the cooling duct and send air where it is needed for cooling (well not everywhere obviously). This is again simply lifted off, with a small catch at the back near the fans.

Now to remove the fans you need to ever so slightly bend the metal case that sits over the top of them. Not so as it is permanently bent, but just so you can slide the fan out of it’s location.

Also make sure you disconnect the fan from the main board.

Step 9: Removing the main board

Now you have everything taken off or out of the case it is time to free the main board from the housing. Flip the xbox back on it’s top and un-do the rest of the screws from the bottm. Starting with the ones near the X clamps. Make sure you know which screws went where when you come to put it back together. However you can always look at my grainy pic and work it out. (I did )

Step 10: Remove the cheap pink pads

Now that you have the main board removed, if you look at the bottom, you will see the culprit of all your problems. Those 4 little pink pads.
Millions of pounds in R&D for Microsoft and then they opt for using thermal pads instead of any kind of proper air cooling or heat sinks.

Peel these things off and reveal the 4 nice chips under neath.

Step 11: Add the thermal paste

All I had available was Arctic Silver thermal compound, but a silicon based thermal compound is better as it is not conductive.

Whichever you have just put a tiny, tiny dab of it on each chip. Just enough to allow you spread a paper thin layer of it on each chip. If you get any on the main board, wipe it off with a soft cloth.

Step 12: Wrap the pennies

Now take you 8 pennies and put them in 4 piles of 2. Get your electrical tape and carefully wrap each pile so that none of the copper is showing.

When you finished they should look something like:

Step 13: Place the coin “heat sinks” on the 4 chips

Take you new coin heat sinks and place them on the 4 chips where the 4 pink pads were

The coins will be a bit tricky to get to stay in place, but just have some patience and they will stay.

Step 14: Put it back together

Putting the xbox back together is simply a case of following these steps in reverse and is just as simple, with a few things to watch out for:

• With the coins in place getting the metal cage on can be tricky with the pennies moving. I found it easier to balance the main board upside down on one had while persuading the metal case to go back on with another. If the pennies do move you may be able to gently prod them through the case with a screw driver until they are in position.
• Put the top of the plastic case on before the bottom as it has screws that need to be put back.
• Don’t miss out any cables or screws as this can alert MS to you having opened the case when you go back on Xbox Live and get you banned.
• Double check you have everything back in place, I forgot the eject button and had to open it again.

Step 15: The towel trick

Even though you have no fixed the problem with the xbox, if you switch it on now, you will still get 1 or more red flashing lights. This appears to be because the xbox wont come out of error mode until it is been told it has been fixed.

This bit may go against everything you know about computers, heat and not mixing the 2.

What you will need here is 3 or 4 large towels. Plug the xbox in to the power and nothing else, no AV cables, no network.

Turn it on and then begin to wrap it in the towels, nice and tightly trying to leave no gaps.

Once you have it wrapped, leave it for 20 mins. It will get very noisy and it will get hot, but don’t panic.

When you come back to it, you should find it turned off, warm but off. Remove the towels, connect all the cables and switch it back.

Step 16: Green ring of gaming goodness

Now all you need to do is play and have fun

I should point out at this stage, but this guide is meant for educational purposes only. If you damage or break your xbox while following these steps, by all means ask the question on our forums, but we will not be responsible.

[Cadet]

Had a colleague follow this guide over the weekend.

Says it worked a treat, but he had to leave the xbox for 2 hours to cool after its operation. Its been up and running now for over 7hrs with no issues

[Cadet]

we have another at work that has already had an attempted fix.

Not sure if it is 100% dead or not, but i may take it and try to fix

[Techmonkey]

Sweet 2 Hours is a long time, think mine went off after about 5 mins and was playable straight after.

[Techmonkey]

Bumsticks!

It would appear my fix isnt entirely successful

A couple of nights ago it started acting funny, green lines "matrix-style" appeared all over the screen.

Switching off and back on again made it work for a few more hours, then it went again, this time it wouldn't switch back on. Also noticed the light on the power pack was flashing orange (not good).

Left it for a day and then tried again, worked, just got in to a game and back came the Matrix....arse.

I imagine it is still over heating in some way, so will split it open again and see if I can find a problem.

Watch this space :/

[Cadet]

Well i should be seeing you tonight and have a spare power supply

[Neko]

Easy to see if it's heat, surely; leave the case wide open and point a big room fan into it

[Techmonkey]

Thats the plan for tonight Eddie

[dwashi10]

ok I tried the review and like you said it worked. So I played it for 30 mins one morning and then like 30 mins that night and I turned it off both times and it still was working but the next day it said it had the rings of death again. Why is that? I know that I did not even play it alot so why is that happening? Could it be because of pennines sliding or something? What happened?

[dwashi10]

another update on my info, not really sure whats is up with my xbox but I have to keep doing the towel trick for it to work! Maybe because it was already refurbished when I bought it that is why it does not react like a brand new xbox would but someone help me im grasping at air right now plz respond.