Xbox has RROD - Help???

[scabzzzz]

Hai gaiz


Ive been doing some research online on how to fix an xbox that will not boot up due to the Red Ring of Death. Of course when I google search, I get 50 bajillion bullshit links that all just want to sell me something. I'm not on any good gamers forums, or xbox forums, or no nerdy shit like that. Anyone out there fixed theirs?
From what I've read and understand, its due to heat in or around the central processing unit. Also heard that reseating the CPU with new thermal compound works as well.
Anyone have any good links, or resource info for me? I'm about to tear this bitch down here at work and see what if I can figure it out. Cant take not having an xbox any longer.....

Ps - I'm a Microsoft guy with certs yada yada, so nerd talk is allowed. I'll understand what's going on.
Thanks!

[daniel]

first, see if your xbox is still in warranty. they extended the normal warranty to 3 years to cover the RRoD. you can check this on xbox.com when you type in the serial number in the "support and service" section (i think thats what its called... you'll find it).

if you are out of warranty, the "towel trick" has been known to work. google it. basically you wrap your xbox in a towel, turn it on, let it get really hot, and supposedly some of the connections "melt" back together and your xbox will work again, at least for a few days.

[Kruzen]

What daniel said pretty much. Chances are your box is still under warranty, if it's not the towel trick seems to work pretty well

[Desaevious]

I got a 360 with RROD for free from a friend who just got a new one instead of dealing with it (also out of warranty). I went ahead and did the "penny method" and now it works for 20 minutes before over heating. I'm tempted to take the 360 parts and throw it into a mini ATX tower with a few 120mm case fans blowing right into it. Of course that means I'll need to not only turn the 360 on but turn on a power supply....but hey...for a free 360 and parts I have laying around the house I think I just might.

[scabzzzz]

first, see if your xbox is still in warranty. they extended the normal warranty to 3 years to cover the RRoD. you can check this on xbox.com when you type in the serial number in the "support and service" section (i think thats what its called... you'll find it).

if you are out of warranty, the "towel trick" has been known to work. google it. basically you wrap your xbox in a towel, turn it on, let it get really hot, and supposedly some of the connections "melt" back together and your xbox will work again, at least for a few days.

Thanks for the sincere post. Much appreciated.

The towel trick will give me a temporary lease on life, but will create potential perminant damage. Its pretty much retarded that anyone ever tried that to begin with.

My box is a 5/29/06 model, so its right outside of the Sept deadline. Sucks 4 me! :(

I found this video:

Anyone tried this?

Have also seen the one with Pennies too

[318isbmw]

Towel trick worked for a few friends of mine, all are heavy gamers who haven't had any issues since.

[Holland]

That sucks, I'm on my 3rd one because of that.

[Desaevious]

I've seen that video and even tracked down all those parts at my local Lowe's. I've been thinking about it but I just hadn't done it yet...perhaps that is a project I'll start on as soon as I can.

[scabzzzz]

Towel trick worked for a few friends of mine, all are heavy gamers who haven't had any issues since.

I just dont see how that shit would work.
I mean its not magic. Its making the xbox purposely overheat some more, to fix the fact that it was overheated before?
Wtf?
The logic is missing.

[s0urce]

Fucking solder points melted on you.

[s0urce]

I just dont see how that shit would work.
I mean its not magic. Its making the xbox purposely overheat some more, to fix the fact that it was overheated before?
Wtf?
The logic is missing.

Actually the logic behind it is to re-heat up the solder points on the mainboard. This will likely not remedy the problem in the long term. Unless you're skilled with a soldering iron, I'd suggest sending it back to Xbox.

Otherwise, get out your solder and go nuts:

“Generally, the 3rrod error is caused by a solder problem, where points on the GPU/CPU have worked loose – or a temperature problem causing the same result. Following this guide, you should be able to fix these joints, quickly and easily! We have used this process to repair over 10 Xbox360s successfully.”

http://www.thinktechno.com/2008/05/12/tutorial-to-fix-your-xbox-360-rrod-using-soldering-kit/

[Desaevious]

I just dont see how that shit would work.
I mean its not magic. Its making the xbox purposely overheat some more, to fix the fact that it was overheated before?
Wtf?
The logic is missing.

It supposedly heats up the soldering and when it cools down the solder rebridges the connections or something. It makes sense to an extent but I find it crazy that the inside of the case can get so hot without damaging other components. That's one of the reasons there is a "disclaimer" upon doing the towel trick because if you heat the 360 up so much that the soldering melts where does it stand that the soldering on your mobo won't as well? Just as any breadboard (motherboard) there are other resistors/capacitors/transistors that are soldered on for a reason.

[scabzzzz]

I have a full ring. Make any difference?

And no, I wont be soldering shit. Wires and solder hate me.

[Desaevious]

Um...I thought all 4 meant it was an AV problem...let me look up some links for you.

Edit: it took 10 seconds to get some links off google. I've used these before as a reference:

http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/repair/Xbox-360-error-codes.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_technical_problems

That seems to indicate its just your AV cable...and maybe you need a new one? If you have a friend who has a cable you can borrow, try that...if that's all your problem is you're one lucky son of a bitch.

[scabzzzz]

I looked these codes up before. Confirmed it wasnt the A/V cable.
I had 2 Xbox's sitting side by side. Used my friends A/V cable that is known good and my xbox still wouldnt do it.
The rings went in cycles before I arrived at no-worky-status. First started with 1, then 2, then 3. All would recover from cooling down and rebooting.
Unfortunately I had a moron stoner loser fucking roommate that would leave the xbox on all night for days at a time when I would be out of town so I'm positive its from heat.

What about this video: This bitch seems legit. Though not very hawt.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1271373/360_three_rings_of_death_fix_real/