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MY version of fixing an Xbox360 with a CPU/GPU problem :).

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LAN_403

Arcstarter

Mon Apr 06 2009, 05:35PM

Registered Member #1225 Joined: Sat Jan 12 2008, 01:24AM
Location: Beaumont, Texas, USA
Posts: 2253

One day my friend was playing a game, and the screen started having green spots. We turned the system off, and restarted and it would not even try to start. This was the first time we had a problem with the system, other than the DVD drive that was broken by my brothers friends -.- Anyway, here is how i found out how to do it. It turns out there are tutorials on how to do this, but i did mine a bit differently with different stuff. Also perhaps mine might be a bit easier to understand?

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 power supply problem
0002 Network Interface problem
0003 Power problem could be the PSU could be the GPU/CPU, somehow the console isn't getting clean power from the power supply.
0010 over heating
0011 over heating - If you are receiving this error after disassembling your console make sure to all 8 of the heatsync screws are tightened securely to the board/heatsink holes.
0012 over heating
0013 over heating
0020 (Not yet known, possibly overheating)
0021 DVD Drive Time out - Can be caused by problems with a firmware flash. This is also speculated to sometime be caused by a problem with the southbridge chipset on the motherboard.
0022 GPU Error / GPU Overheating
0103 CPU Error/ CPU Overheating - see solution for error 0102
0110 Memory Error / Memory Overheating - see solution for error 0102
1003 Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it

1010 Hard Drive Error, Can be caused buy a corrupt or missing eProm.
1022 AV cable error... There is a problem with the AV cable, try using a different AV cable. (could also be a problem with the encoder chip)

1023 DVD drive not connected, connect DVD drive to boot
1444 and up There is no "4" in the error codes four lights is a "0" go back and check your code again.

(taken from

Check your error code, if it has something to do with the GPU or CPU, you might want to try this. If you are experiencing overheating, this might help that also.

Ok, so what i first did was look up how to take the Xbox360 apart. I used this website

the first time to take it apart, and the second and third from memory (first time was to replace the dvd drive, second was to do this mod, and third was to torque the screws)

After you have the Xbox360 completely opened up, disconnect the DVD drive cables FROM THE BACK OF THE DRIVE (it is harder or impossible to take off of board without breaking it!) and set the drive to the side, or perhaps even clean it since it is out. They get dirty fast, and a clean never hurt anything. Alright, now you can take out the white fan shroud (on the inside, 'connecting' the fan to the two heatsinks). Now the two heatsinks should be sitting right there, easy to see. You also need to unplug the fan, and take it out. All you have to do is pull up or slightly pry up the metal piece that goes above the fan, and then pull the fans out toward the front of the system.

Now it is time to CAREFULLY so as not to chip or crack the processors, take the heatsinks and their clamps off. This requires a T8 'star' bit. Take out the 8 black screws from the bottom of the metal casing. Now you want to take the rest of the motherboard out, by taking the t10 'star' screws off, and carefully lifting the whole board up, the heatsinks will still be attached. After the board is succesfully out, you might want to go ahead and clean all the dust and other dirt out with canned compressed air or something similar. I just used an air compressor with a regulator to blow at around 20 or so PSI.

Now you take the heatsink clamps off. They are the 'X' shaped pieces of metal (one per heatsink) That look like the left one on this pic:

I am not sure what the hell happened to the right one XD. You now need a flat head screw driver or some other tool. There is a small piece of metal that those X clamps hook onto. Put a flat head screw driver in between that piece of metal and the hole in the clamp, and very carefully pry the clamp until the metal piece is out of the clamp. There is no way to thoroughly explain this, it is a part you just have to sort of guess at.

The heatsinks will fall off after all of the clamps are removed, so be ready for this. Now, you should have two heatsinks with a kind of screw hardware 'thing' that used to be held in by the clamp. Take some type of pliers, what ever you prefer and take the nuts off of the heatsink. Put all of this hardware aside, you might have problems and have to put it all back in if you do this mod incorrectly. Now the heatsinks should have 4 threaded holes each, in which screws can fit in

.

Now you need a drill bit, some screws, a bunch of small washers, and 16 soft washers, to help prevent cutting the fragile traces (i just used small pieces of diet coke box with a hole in the middle). The screw needs to fit perfectly in the threaded holes on the heatsink. They should be around .5-.75 inches long from the head to the bottom.The washers should fit loosely on the screws, and be small in diameter, otherwise the two heatsinks where screwed in will have overlapping washers, which is BAD. If you are like me and want to use screws you have sitting around, just cut them with an angle grinder or bench grinder, and smooth the cut edge with a grinder or file. You could even scrape it on the cement for a bit XD.

Now, it is time for the hard part (not physically hard, just makes me very nervous). The 8 holes on the bottom of the metal piece need to be drilled a bit bigger to fit the new screws. Don't try to do this part fast, just take your time and make nice even holes. Make SURE there is no loose metal that could get in the Xbox some day and short stuff!

Insert the 8 screws with the Xbox facing down. Now make them stay that way without falling with some tape or something. Turn the metal case back upright and depending on your washer thickness put about 3 washers on each screw (this is alot, yes. But hundreds for an Xbox costs alot too!). After these washers, put a soft washer or cut out from a coke box

. Now, you very very carefully put the motherboard back in the metal case. Make SURE the screws do not scratch the motherboard, and make sure they go through the holes instead on the screws falling out and the washers going everywhere. Now you put MORE washers on the screws above the circuit board. First goes a soft washer (see where i am going with this now?) to protect the board, and then the metal washers. I used one washer, the same as the kind below the circuit board. After this, you prepare the heatsink and processors.

Take the heatsinks and clean the flat surface of all dirt and stuff like that. I got a razor blade and carefully took the old heatsink compound off. Clean with some rubbing alcohol if you have it. The reason to use this is because it is a great cleaner, and it evaporates quickly so it does not damage components. I also cleaned the processors with a Q-tip SOAKED in alcohol. I ended up pouring alcohol on a few places, and just dried with a towel and let it evaporate for a few minutes. This is not suggested UNLESS you are not going to blame me if something goes wrong! XD

After the shiny tops of the processors are clean and all shiny, take some heatsink compound and put just a bit on the top of the processors (there are three, one on the heatsink with the copper pipe going through it, and two on the other) making sure you don't get it on any other surface. I just used radioshack heatsink compound, the white stuff. This is the step that could improve cooling, by making better thermal contact. Also the new screws will help, you will see why in a bit.

You also need to make sure the heatsink with the copper pipe in it is in good condition. The two metal pieces that connect it with the screws can't be bend. If they are, just bend then back in place with your fingers or some pliers. If they are very bad or broke or bend very bad, you can unscrew them and look for somewhere that sells them.

Now you are ready to screw the heatsinks in

. Basically, you place the heatsinks on the screws and tighten each 1/4 or 1/2 a turn each at a time to try to ensure the heatsink is level. Just tighten them until it starts getting hard enough that you cant easily go any further. Should look like this

Where the heatsinks meet the board, it should look like this

After you are sure you have everything right with the last steps, you can put everything back together. Screw the motherboard down first. After this, put the fans back in and replug them, put the white fan shroud back in, and plug the DVD drive in and set it where it should go. It should now look like this

Now, hook the power cord, and the audio/video cables back up, and turn it on and try it out. If it worked, you should look like this

Wish you good luck!

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