Help with Red Ring of Death on xbox 360
Discussion
Does anyone has any success with fixing the RROD on an xbox 360 elite (an older version of an xbox 360). We haven't had any problems with it before, but we just recently bought the Kinnect and got the RROD. I called Microsoft today and they helped me figure it out, but I am scared if I use the Kinnect again, I will get the RROD again, and it won't be fixable. Any help would be appreciated.
This is actually a very easy fix, and one that I performed myself on my own xbox. It requires opening the console up, and the removal of a metal cross that holds the heatsink down over the CPU. The cross will be replaced by spacers in the correct sizes, and after one warm up period it should function again.
The reason this occurs is because as the (insufficiently cooled) xbox heats up, the cross makes the motherboard contract and be in ways its not supposed to, which in combination with brittle, lead solder, allows the CPU to lift up and away from its holdings. the removal of the cross, and a new layer of heatsink gel will allow it to stretch more naturally, without breaking, and could double the life of your console.
Mine lasted well over 6 months, and would have no doubt gone on longer if it hadnt hit the deck one too many times.
All info and required parts can be found here: http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/repair/ring_of_light...
Hope this helps, it certainly did for me. Some people even make quite a business reparing and selling xboxes over ebay...
The reason this occurs is because as the (insufficiently cooled) xbox heats up, the cross makes the motherboard contract and be in ways its not supposed to, which in combination with brittle, lead solder, allows the CPU to lift up and away from its holdings. the removal of the cross, and a new layer of heatsink gel will allow it to stretch more naturally, without breaking, and could double the life of your console.
Mine lasted well over 6 months, and would have no doubt gone on longer if it hadnt hit the deck one too many times.
All info and required parts can be found here: http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/repair/ring_of_light...
Hope this helps, it certainly did for me. Some people even make quite a business reparing and selling xboxes over ebay...
LOL, no thats not it at all. All the fix does is force the cpu down onto the circuit board. The actual fault is dry joints on the CPU and GPU cuased by excessive heat and the use of lead free solder, but because of the type of chip used you cant re solder it due to all of the contacts being underneath. The X clamp is uset to hold the heatsink in position with just enough clamping force to hold it in place, all you are doing with these kits is to use the heatsink as a clamp and try to force the CPU back down hopefully re making the bad solder joints.
The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
Edited by headcase on Saturday 8th January 18:27
headcase said:
LOL, no thats not it at all. All the fix does is force the cpu down onto the circuit board. The actual fault is dry joints on the CPU and GPU cuased by excessive heat and the use of lead free solder, but because of the type of chip used you cant re solder it due to all of the contacts being underneath. The X clamp is uset to hold the heatsink in position with just enough clamping force to hold it in place, all you are doing with these kits is to use the heatsink as a clamp and try to force the CPU back down hopefully re making the bad solder joints.
The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
This, but I couldn't be arsed to correct him, if only it was that simple lol.The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 8th January 18:27
One might notice that I also mentioned lead solder in my post (Was hoping this little display of knowledge might weed out the nay-sayers, those who know 'better', but apparently not...).
Of course there is a professional way to do it, but seeing as how someone with that sort of knowledge probably wouldn't need to bother asking about it on a forum, I thought I would give an alternative, cheap, easy method that is proven to extend the playable life of an xbox.
If it were within warranty of course this wouldn't be the case, but seeing as how Microsoft want quite a sum to repair an unwarrantied product, is this not a reasonable alternative?
Perhaps also if some had bothered to read through the article, they would have seen that this isn't just another 'squeeze, wrap, heat up' jobby, but rather quite an in-depth explanation as to why the machine is acting up, and the why behind what needs to be done to fix it.
Anyway, to the OP, there are many variations of this 'technique' on the internet, and some are just plain silly, but the posted link is about the same method that would be used if taken to a repair shop, with the addition of a revised heat sink for the older models. Anyway, it's not for everybody, and it's certainly not the only alternative, but done properly it is a far cry from the console-murdering back-yard bodge job that some on here have made it out to be.
Happy gaming all.
Of course there is a professional way to do it, but seeing as how someone with that sort of knowledge probably wouldn't need to bother asking about it on a forum, I thought I would give an alternative, cheap, easy method that is proven to extend the playable life of an xbox.
If it were within warranty of course this wouldn't be the case, but seeing as how Microsoft want quite a sum to repair an unwarrantied product, is this not a reasonable alternative?
Perhaps also if some had bothered to read through the article, they would have seen that this isn't just another 'squeeze, wrap, heat up' jobby, but rather quite an in-depth explanation as to why the machine is acting up, and the why behind what needs to be done to fix it.
Anyway, to the OP, there are many variations of this 'technique' on the internet, and some are just plain silly, but the posted link is about the same method that would be used if taken to a repair shop, with the addition of a revised heat sink for the older models. Anyway, it's not for everybody, and it's certainly not the only alternative, but done properly it is a far cry from the console-murdering back-yard bodge job that some on here have made it out to be.
Happy gaming all.
headcase said:
Aplologies for my spelling, i typed that in the dark 
I wasn't knocking your spelling, just agreeing with your post. 
And as for the other poster, if you think dry joints are caused by lead solder and can be repaired by squashing a different clamp down onto the BGA then just lol.
V8TVR1978 said:
Thank you for all your help, but I do not have the skills to take the xbox apart.
Any other suggestiions?
Please and thanks.
When my old white xbox rrod on me i used the towel wrap method. Wrapping the xbox (not hdd) in a towel and leaving it for 30 mins. Let it cool for another 30 and bobs your uncle i was playing again. This was a temporory solution over the weekend while waiting on UPS Any other suggestiions?
Please and thanks.
. Microsoft then sent me a new one back, it was a good result.My advice to you now would be first to go and log your complaint on the xbox forums along with the 100+ others. In the hope that microsoft will fix them for free instead of saying its a coincidence.
Or
If it is working now i would sell it on ebay either as working or as rrod and recoup some cash for a new one.
D3fender said:
I wasn't knocking your spelling, just agreeing with your post.
And as for the other poster, if you think dry joints are caused by lead solder and can be repaired by squashing a different clamp down onto the BGA then just lol.
'Containing-no-lead-hot-metal-stuff-to-fix-things-to-other-things' then, to be honest the correct terminology is not the important thing here.And as for the other poster, if you think dry joints are caused by lead solder and can be repaired by squashing a different clamp down onto the BGA then just lol.
The point is that you are shooting something down when you obviously haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.
I shall repeat, we are all well aware that this not a method you would use if you had the correct tools available, but since, as was already pointed out, this equipment is not something laying around every household, is it so hard to accept that there might be an alternative to shipping it out to Microsoft?
Are you perhaps one of those people who would only ever take their car to the official dealer where it was bought, because they obviously know best, and would only ever create and maintain the best product they can for the customer?
Anybody who has worked on cars themselves would realise that this is simply not the case. Almost all cars these days are built to a budget, with compromises known, yet allowed through anyway. Why can't the same be true of an Xbox?
As for clamping, there is nothing of the sort going with the method in the link I posted. The clamp that is already there is removed and replaced by washers, of the exact same height, providing the exact same pressure as before, using better quality heatsink gel as before. All that is being done is improving on a machine that was built to a budget, with known flaws. Would you discourage someone to upgrade the cooling on their Xbox too? Microsoft would obviously never cheap out on something so important, would they? Or what about the dvd drive? would it be a sin to replace that with a more quietly running model?
It's all part of the same thing, making the product the best you can for yourself. Not to mention the sense of satisfaction from turning what (in the OP's case) is essentially a paperweight, into a functioning console that he can continue to have fun on.
Honestly, I know it's not a shining example of technological acheivement, but I didn't expect people to be sooo closed-minded.
If you don't like my suggestion, thats okay, we are all different, but don't you dare shoot it down just because you don't want to do similar with your 'Box
Rant over
OP. I went down two routes for my XBOX 360's
1st XBOX -Reflowed the BGA (Using a BGA Reflow machine), replaced the clamp with bolts & spacers to ensure just enough pressure on the BGA, hacked around the Xbox many times, in the end a Capacitor Blew, which I need to fix at some point. Lots of work & did run quieter than originally.
2nd Xbox - Just outsdie 3 year warrenty period, sent it back to XBOX paid ~£75 for them to fix it. They sent me a new console which has been faultless since.
In my mind paying £75 was far easier. Get 12 months new warranty & 1 month free xbox live. I would do this.
Although saying that I recently saw a new XBOX at Asda (I Think) for £90.
1st XBOX -Reflowed the BGA (Using a BGA Reflow machine), replaced the clamp with bolts & spacers to ensure just enough pressure on the BGA, hacked around the Xbox many times, in the end a Capacitor Blew, which I need to fix at some point. Lots of work & did run quieter than originally.
2nd Xbox - Just outsdie 3 year warrenty period, sent it back to XBOX paid ~£75 for them to fix it. They sent me a new console which has been faultless since.
In my mind paying £75 was far easier. Get 12 months new warranty & 1 month free xbox live. I would do this.
Although saying that I recently saw a new XBOX at Asda (I Think) for £90.
dase1ats said:
The point is that you are shooting something down when you obviously haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.
How ironic. 1 - lead free solder that was used in manufacturing was crap
2 - the custom chips ran too hot
3 - the chipset wasn't sufficiently cooled
4 - the pcb had too much flex
The only 100% guaranteed way of repairing the dry joints was to take off the cpu/gpu and reball the BGA, something that only a manufacturer or large repair company would be able to do, then fit a better heat sink and better compound.
Clamping the cpu/gpu tighter to the pcb in order to try and bridge the dry joints is at best a bodge, wrapping the console up in a towel and hoping the solder will reflow the cold solder joints is even funnier.
Just because the bodge you performed appeared to work on your console (temporarily) does not mean you are correct in your assumptions.
Now please do not get your knickers twisted any further, it's the internet, so calm down dear.
D3fender said:
dase1ats said:
The point is that you are shooting something down when you obviously haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.
How ironic. ......fit a better heat sink and better compound...
...Clamping the cpu/gpu tighter to the pcb in order to try and bridge the dry joints is at best a bodge, wrapping the console up in a towel and hoping the solder will reflow the cold solder joints...
Now please do not get your knickers twisted any further, it's the internet, so calm down dear.
go on to say something that ultimately only proves your ignorance.
Very simple chain of events here:
1. OP asks for advice
2. I give advice
3. You shoot down advice
4. I back up reassertions, without being rude, that you might want to double check your obvious superiority
5. You insult me
6. My knickers get twisted
So, frankly, I believe I'm quite within my rights to get a little worked up, it's like trying to debate with a brick wall. Except more frustrating.
So what is it exactly that you would have the OP do eh? Throw it away? Pay an extortionate sum of money to Microsoft so they put a plaster over the problem? Pay an independant repair shop a similar amout of money so they can perform the method I described?
Or man up, get your hands dirty, and do something fun and productive that will most certainly extend the playability of an otherwise useless device?
I can't help noticing you don't seem to have any direct argument against what I'm saying, you are simply repeating your gospel over and over again, like some sort of religious nut.
But it's okay, leave the blinkers on eh? The worlds a much safer place that way...
Oh yeah, and the simple fact that you even mentioned a towel just shows that you truly didn't take on board a single word I said... brick wall?
dase1ats said:
D3fender said:
dase1ats said:
The point is that you are shooting something down when you obviously haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.
How ironic. ......fit a better heat sink and better compound...
...Clamping the cpu/gpu tighter to the pcb in order to try and bridge the dry joints is at best a bodge, wrapping the console up in a towel and hoping the solder will reflow the cold solder joints...
Now please do not get your knickers twisted any further, it's the internet, so calm down dear.
go on to say something that ultimately only proves your ignorance.
Very simple chain of events here:
1. OP asks for advice
2. I give advice
3. You shoot down advice
4. I back up reassertions, without being rude, that you might want to double check your obvious superiority
5. You insult me
6. My knickers get twisted
So, frankly, I believe I'm quite within my rights to get a little worked up, it's like trying to debate with a brick wall. Except more frustrating.
So what is it exactly that you would have the OP do eh? Throw it away? Pay an extortionate sum of money to Microsoft so they put a plaster over the problem? Pay an independant repair shop a similar amout of money so they can perform the method I described?
Or man up, get your hands dirty, and do something fun and productive that will most certainly extend the playability of an otherwise useless device?
I can't help noticing you don't seem to have any direct argument against what I'm saying, you are simply repeating your gospel over and over again, like some sort of religious nut.
But it's okay, leave the blinkers on eh? The worlds a much safer place that way...
Oh yeah, and the simple fact that you even mentioned a towel just shows that you truly didn't take on board a single word I said... brick wall?
headcase said:
LOL, no thats not it at all. All the fix does is force the cpu down onto the circuit board. The actual fault is dry joints on the CPU and GPU cuased by excessive heat and the use of lead free solder, but because of the type of chip used you cant re solder it due to all of the contacts being underneath. The X clamp is uset to hold the heatsink in position with just enough clamping force to hold it in place, all you are doing with these kits is to use the heatsink as a clamp and try to force the CPU back down hopefully re making the bad solder joints.
The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
A cheap repair kit will usually extend the life of the console by a few months relatively successfully. I fitted one to my old unit while the Elite was being RMA'd for the same problem. I'm still using the original Xbox quite happily a few months later, the Elite is still in the box.The actual real fix involves removing both chips, re balling and re soldering them but to do it properly you nead the right equipment.
Basically RROD = cream crackered, fleabay it and buy a new one.
Edited by headcase on Saturday 8th January 18:27
I'm under no impression that is a permanent fix, the design of the board dictates that, but it is certainly a viable option for those whose Xbox will not even power up. (As was the case with mine)
God knows what they were using as heatsink solution on the assembly line, it has the consistency of tar and they seem to apply it to every component other than the processor die.
If you do not have the skills to open up your xbox just use the towel wrap method (videos available on you tube) which should extend the life of it for another few months (6 months for me) and then when it finally gives up the ghost, go and buy a new one as they are relatively cheap now or do as I did and after having my 3rd Xbox fail on me, go and buy a PS3. The games are the same on both consoles near enough, the PS3 is infinitely quieter, mine hasn't failed in 3 years and it can be used as a blue ray player.
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