Omg it worked!

Sephis · Mar 11, 2007

Ok, my roommates and I bought a complete but broken (three red lights) 360 premium system with hd cables, controllers, headset, hdd, everything. Got it for 250 bucks. We figured it was the gpu ball sauter problem. We planned on taking a heat gun to it to remelt the sauter, as has been done many times. However, just for fun we wrapped the 360 in towels and sweaters and let it run for about 20 minutes. After turning it off and letting it cool for a while. We pushed the power button and it works perfectly. I never in my wildest dreams figured it would actually work, but it did. A completely working xbox 360 premium for 250 bucks.

Now we have to tear it apart to get some better cooling. I am cutting a 120mm fan hole for a yate loon in the top and we are moving the dvd drive outside the case. I'm also removing pretty much every obstruction to airflow. Maybe a little paint as well. After mod pics will come soon.

1cem4n · Mar 12, 2007

haha nice find. and great way to melt the solder.

inkfx · Mar 12, 2007

What a great pickup. What a random way for it to start working again. If anything, I thought that would kill it.

Sephis · Mar 12, 2007

I kinda figured it would kill it as well. The thing got extremely hot. The case was hot to the touch, and the heatsinks were untouchable.

jcw122 · Mar 12, 2007

Wow, sweet deal man! That's pretty awesome! Congrats!

funnyperson1 · Mar 12, 2007

Of course that fix isn't permanent, but from my understanding, neither is the heat gun method.

Here is an interesting analysis of the problem:
http://www.consolerealm.com/Tech/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=57&mode=&order=0&thold=0

Of course some people have refuted what that other guy said with success stories of desoldering, reballing, and resoldering GPU/CPU working:
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=579364&st=75

Sephis · Mar 12, 2007

Heres some pics of the cooling mods and the super crappy paint job.
Gonna make up a longer power cable and use a longer sata cable to mount the drive on top.

Sephis · Mar 12, 2007

Funnyperson, I've read all of that info before. it is my beleif that the reason the fix isn't permanent is because people allow their xboxes to overheat again and cause the same problem as before. I am hoping the cooling mods will keep the problem from occurring again. BTW, I also lapped the heatsinks and used as5 when i put them back on.

inkfx · Mar 12, 2007

There is always a ghetto side to a mod. Oh and watch your fingers.

funnyperson1 · Mar 12, 2007

From my understanding of the problem it seems like something that could change based even upon the standard heating/cooling cycles that even a well cooled Xbox would endure. I do wish you the best of luck, keep us updated!

Mu||et · Mar 12, 2007

I don't know anything about the XBOX360 but is it possible to just take all of the components and mod them into a fragbox or a shuttle case with way better cooling?

Goshawk · Mar 12, 2007

LOL sweet

Makes me want to cruise craigs list for a b0rkend 360. Cool mod job so far btw :beer:

with those fans, you prolly made the poor thing quieter than they were/are stock

~ Gos

Sephis · Mar 12, 2007

Well, I had planned on making the power cable extensions for the dvd drive today, but I've been pretty busy. I'll go home and get the sata cable this weekend. I'll prolly end up making the power cable then too. The paint job is just till the end of the semester, hopefully. I still need to lay some color on the faceplate. After we get the dvd drive moved up top, the end caps will go back on and the hard drive will be mounted in its normal position. The fans will stay ungrilled. They look cooler that way. I thought about building a custom case from some uv reactive acrylic I have lying around, but I don't currently have the time for such a project. The loudest thing by far is the dvd drive. Other than that, the thing is really quiet.

ThePCGuy · Mar 12, 2007

Is this problem not covered under the Sony warranty? Seems odd to me.

- Jim

Vaio · Mar 12, 2007

After all the issues they have had with it, Sony has stopped including a warranty with the XBox 360.

Nice mod! I see a 360 in my future now

Neuromancer · Mar 13, 2007

Vaio said:
After all the issues they have had with it, Sony has stopped including a warranty with the XBox 360.

ROFL

funnyperson1 · Mar 13, 2007

Mu||et said:
I don't know anything about the XBOX360 but is it possible to just take all of the components and mod them into a fragbox or a shuttle case with way better cooling?

A shuttle would probably be too small, however a case replacement could probably do the 360 some good. Actually I am pretty sure that the mounting holes for the GPU and CPU match up with Socket 478 heatsink mounting holes, so there are plenty of great heatsinks out there that would beat the crud out of the stock ones.

[OC]Lucifer · Mar 13, 2007

call me crazy, but..

It looks like its missing some parts. Were those missing when you got it, or did you remove them in order to do your mods and testing? Also, maybe you could take it out of the case, mount it on a piece of wood and run it naked. That would keep it cool.

freakdiablo · Mar 13, 2007

ThePCGuy said:
Is this problem not covered under the Sony warranty? Seems odd to me.

- Jim

Sony? xbox360? well, I think sony stopped with the 360 right after they launched vista.

Nice, think you need more fans though.

Shelnutt2 · Mar 13, 2007

freakdiablo said:
Sony? xbox360? well, I think sony stopped with the 360 right after they launched vista.

Nice, think you need more fans though.

ROFL, thats what I was thinking. Sony?? 360?? :beer:

Omg it worked!

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