360 red lights/Possible fixes?

Scott9027 · 06-15-08, 06:10 PM

I have an early-gen Xbox360 manufacture date sometime in the summer after launch. Recently it has shown the 3 red lights that indicate general hardware failure. Since it's 2 years old I don't have any warranty options available. Would it be worth it to attempt to open it up and replace some TIM on the CPU/GPU? I don't have any laying around so I'll have to buy it to attempt it, but if there's a fairly good chance that it could be resurrected it'd be worthwhile...thoughts/comments?

ghost_recon88 · 06-15-08, 06:12 PM

Didn't they upgrade the warranties on all Xbox 360s to 3 years?

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/sy...antyupdate.htm

cabose1227 · 06-15-08, 06:16 PM

cover it in towels and run it for 20 mins then let cool and it should work.

Scott9027 · 06-15-08, 10:29 PM

Well, I don't have any documentation from when I bought it anyway -- and I opened up the case once like a year ago so there's no sticker inside anymore.
Anyways...
Is the towel trick just a temporary solution or could it legitimately make a difference?

OldSkool · 06-15-08, 10:32 PM

1. You don't need any documentation.

2. The red ring problem is covered unconditionally.

3. Towel is a temporary trick, yes. It melts the solders and reseats the components.

Just call 1.800.MYXBOX and they'll ask you the serial number and let you know your ontions. Basically they send you a box and packing material and you send it in(no cost to you). In about 2-3 weeks, BAM a red ring free XBOX.

Edit - The serial number is on the back of the XBox.

thideras · 06-15-08, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott9027

Is the towel trick just a temporary solution or could it legitimately make a difference?

I believe it is temporary since it doesn't fix the issue. The actual mounting of the heatsink and the heat created by the components break the contacts.

What I would suggest doing since you already voided the warranty is to upgrade the cooling so it doesn't overheat, fix the mounting issue (guides on the internet) and THEN do the towel trick to fix it.

OldSkool · 06-15-08, 10:35 PM

Warranty is not yet voided. DO NOT OPEN IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! That WILL void even RRoD coverage.

I just went through this with Xbox, trust me. Mine was bought used and was fixed.

thideras · 06-15-08, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSkool

Warranty is not yet voided. DO NOT OPEN IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! That WILL void even RRoD coverage.

I just went through this with Xbox, trust me. Mine was bought used and was fixed.

Did you miss his post?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott9027

and I opened up the case once like a year ago so there's no sticker inside anymore.

OldSkool · 06-15-08, 10:42 PM

Oh jeez, I re-read the original, sorry. Yeah basically your SoL. The towel trick will work for a bit but eventually, you'll need to replace the system. I tried upgraded cooling and it didn't help. Once the rings are there, it's a matter of time.

Sorry Thiddy, and thank you for pointing that out.

thideras · 06-15-08, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSkool

Sorry Thiddy, and thank you for pointing that out.

No problem, wasn't sure if they took it back even after you opened it

OldSkool · 06-15-08, 10:44 PM

I'm pretty sure they don't as they cannot determine if the failure was user related or not.

SolidxSnake · 06-15-08, 10:48 PM

I think they still take it back... I popped open a friends 360 after it RRoD'd and they accepted it... he hasn't gotten it back yet I don't believe so I dunno if they're fixing it or just gonna send back his old one, but they sent him a box and he sent it out. Fairly certain they are repairing it.

ghost_recon88 · 06-16-08, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolidxSnake

I think they still take it back... I popped open a friends 360 after it RRoD'd and they accepted it... he hasn't gotten it back yet I don't believe so I dunno if they're fixing it or just gonna send back his old one, but they sent him a box and he sent it out. Fairly certain they are repairing it.

Yea, and at this point, you really don't have anything to lose and everything to gain.

06-15-08, 06:10 PM	Thread Starter #1
Scott9027 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NC	360 red lights/Possible fixes? I have an early-gen Xbox360 manufacture date sometime in the summer after launch. Recently it has shown the 3 red lights that indicate general hardware failure. Since it's 2 years old I don't have any warranty options available. Would it be worth it to attempt to open it up and replace some TIM on the CPU/GPU? I don't have any laying around so I'll have to buy it to attempt it, but if there's a fairly good chance that it could be resurrected it'd be worthwhile...thoughts/comments? __________________ Rig In Transit:-> ASUS M4A78-E AMD PII 945 OCZ Platinum 4GB XFX HD-4890 Patriot Warp 32GB CORSAIR 550VX Antec 300 Acer X233
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06-15-08, 06:12 PM	#2
ghost_recon88 Senior Jedi Master Premium Member #9 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan	Didn't they upgrade the warranties on all Xbox 360s to 3 years? http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/sy...antyupdate.htm __________________ The will to live will always outweigh the ability to die
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06-15-08, 06:16 PM	#3
cabose1227 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: California 805 ftw	cover it in towels and run it for 20 mins then let cool and it should work. __________________ \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ New Rig : D, thanks to all the people in the classifieds hooking it up with the good parts! Silverstone FT03 Titanium ASUS Maximus V Gene Intel i5 3570k @4.8 ghz/ s1283 ATI HD 5970 Corsair Dominator Platinum 2x8 1600 Antec 650W 80 plus Platinum OCZ Vertex 4 120gb WD Re4 500gig WD Veloci Raptor 300gb HEAT : caboose1227
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06-15-08, 10:29 PM	Thread Starter #4
Scott9027 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NC	Well, I don't have any documentation from when I bought it anyway -- and I opened up the case once like a year ago so there's no sticker inside anymore. Anyways... Is the towel trick just a temporary solution or could it legitimately make a difference? __________________ Rig In Transit:-> ASUS M4A78-E AMD PII 945 OCZ Platinum 4GB XFX HD-4890 Patriot Warp 32GB CORSAIR 550VX Antec 300 Acer X233
	QUOTE Thanks

06-15-08, 10:32 PM	#5
OldSkool Rest In Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lewisville, TX	1. You don't need any documentation. 2. The red ring problem is covered unconditionally. 3. Towel is a temporary trick, yes. It melts the solders and reseats the components. Just call 1.800.MYXBOX and they'll ask you the serial number and let you know your ontions. Basically they send you a box and packing material and you send it in(no cost to you). In about 2-3 weeks, BAM a red ring free XBOX. Edit - The serial number is on the back of the XBox. __________________ No Rig currently :( New Rig to be built in coming months......i7? Maybe :) "I Reject Your Reality, and Substitute My Own" E8400(CO) @ 4.2Ghz with 1.312v/4.5Ghz with 1.38v - Retired Heatware[/SIZE]
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06-15-08, 10:35 PM	#7
OldSkool Rest In Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lewisville, TX	Warranty is not yet voided. DO NOT OPEN IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! That WILL void even RRoD coverage. I just went through this with Xbox, trust me. Mine was bought used and was fixed. __________________ No Rig currently :( New Rig to be built in coming months......i7? Maybe :) "I Reject Your Reality, and Substitute My Own" E8400(CO) @ 4.2Ghz with 1.312v/4.5Ghz with 1.38v - Retired Heatware[/SIZE]
	QUOTE Thanks

06-15-08, 10:42 PM	#9
OldSkool Rest In Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lewisville, TX	Oh jeez, I re-read the original, sorry. Yeah basically your SoL. The towel trick will work for a bit but eventually, you'll need to replace the system. I tried upgraded cooling and it didn't help. Once the rings are there, it's a matter of time. Sorry Thiddy, and thank you for pointing that out. __________________ No Rig currently :( New Rig to be built in coming months......i7? Maybe :) "I Reject Your Reality, and Substitute My Own" E8400(CO) @ 4.2Ghz with 1.312v/4.5Ghz with 1.38v - Retired Heatware[/SIZE]
	QUOTE Thanks

06-15-08, 10:44 PM	#11
OldSkool Rest In Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lewisville, TX	I'm pretty sure they don't as they cannot determine if the failure was user related or not. __________________ No Rig currently :( New Rig to be built in coming months......i7? Maybe :) "I Reject Your Reality, and Substitute My Own" E8400(CO) @ 4.2Ghz with 1.312v/4.5Ghz with 1.38v - Retired Heatware[/SIZE]
	QUOTE Thanks

06-15-08, 10:48 PM	#12
SolidxSnake Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Massachusetts, USA	I think they still take it back... I popped open a friends 360 after it RRoD'd and they accepted it... he hasn't gotten it back yet I don't believe so I dunno if they're fixing it or just gonna send back his old one, but they sent him a box and he sent it out. Fairly certain they are repairing it. __________________ Too funny. When I logon to Windows, I press Ctrl+Alt+ELITE i7-2600 4001MHz @ 39x102.6~ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Professional~MSI N580GTX Lightning 1536MB @ 1000//2400 @ 1.149v~8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24~256GB Samsung 830 SSD and 60GB OCZ Vertex~2x Western Digital Caviar Green 1TBs in RAID1 ~BFG ES-800 PSU Custom Watercooling Loop \| Apogee GT, MCW82, MCP35x + Res, Thermochill PA120.2 and 120.3 (both rev1) w/ Gentle Typhoon AP-15s pull, 7/16"x5/8" MasterKleer, 100% Distilled Water with Iodine ---All encased in a Silverstone TJ07B-W Join in on the fun! Heatware OCForums Metal Club member #13224
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