Red Ring of Death

[CurdyMilk]

So after multiple trips to different stores for the right size screwdrivers, hooks, nylon washers, Q-tips, toothpicks, and arctic silver thermal compound, I was finally ready to do the work.  (Thanks Cronky!  I was missing the T-8.  I bought one and got nine screws off before the screwdriver broke.  Then I bought another one.  ???)  I took every single piece of the system apart.  Then I cleaned the CPU and GPU with nail polish remover to get the old sticky stuff off.  We didn't have any other alcohol substance around the house so I just used that.  Then I applied the arctic silver and used the nylon washers to elevate the heat sink when it was put back on.  After put everything back together, the Xbox still didn't work.  Then I figured the nylon washers where making the heat sink too high, so I took it apart again and removed them.  I put it back together again.  It didn't work.

So I was running out of options at this point, but there was nothing to lose.  I looked up a video for the towel trick.  I know it isn't good for the XBOX but since it wasn't working anyway, who cares.  So I turned on the system and jammed Q-tips in the back to stop the fans from cooling the system.  Then I wrapped the XBOX in 3 towels to make it get really hot.  After 45 minutes, I now had 2 flashing red lights rather than 1.  It meant that that system was waaayyyy to hot.  Then, I unwrapped the towels and unplugged everything to let it cool for 20 minutes.  And then, the moment of truth.  I pressed the power button and....IT WORKED!  So now it is working after 4+ hours of time.  However, this trick only seems temporary for between a day or week for most.  I am hoping my extra cleaning and fixing make it last longer.  I don't want to do this trick all the time.  Let's cross our fingers. ;)

I will keep you guys updated because I'm sure you are dying to hear.  ;D
Wish me luck!

[frvge]

Heard about baking Xbox for like 20 minutes in 190 degree ovens.

[Succubus Dryad Of The Undying Comet]

Send it in as if you did get the 3 red rings (aka lie) and you'll get it fixed for free. I've done this 3 times. I've never gotten the RROD but, always this error and I always get it fixed for free, no questions.

Just DON'T send in your HDD, ONLY the console.

As I wrote before, it is only the bottom right quadrant that is lit red.  I have taken almost the entire thing apart and pieces are laying all over my floor, but then I came across some odd looking screws that don't fit my screwdrivers.  I need to go buy one before I can finish taking it apart.  So nothing has happened yet with the fixing.  ;)

Yes? And I was telling you how you could've gotten it fixed for free, but you decided to open it.

Well, I would have taken your advice if I had the 3 red rings.  But I am not going to lie about it just to get a new one.  It's not the right thing to do.

But it's Micro$oft... they don't count. They basically stole your money, so it's not wrong to lie and get a working version of what you actually paid for. :)

This.

[CurdyMilk]

Heard about baking Xbox for like 20 minutes in 190 degree ovens.

Haha.  Yeah the point is to fry your XBox to get it to work.  Makes perfect sense.  :o  I bet the first guy who found out about this trick was really mad that his XBox broke.  Then he wanted to fry his console because he was so mad.  Then it ended up fixing his problem.  :)

[frvge]

Actually heating it is a normal way of reflowing some of the tiny canals (if they are scratched or broken or w/e) through which the currents flow.

[Cronky]

Hey! Good work! Glad to here you got it back in working order.

Just out of curiosity, after you cleaned everything and reapplied new thermal compound. Did you let the 360 overheat itself? (Before you did the towel trick) That was the final step for most tutorials.

Either way it seems like the towel trick did that job just fine! I wouldn't doubt that with all fixing you did will indeed help it last longer than simply doing the towel trick by itself.

Indeed keep with the updates. I'm curious as to how long it will last. I am ready to be amazed.

[CurdyMilk]

Hey! Good work! Glad to here you got it back in working order.

Just out of curiosity, after you cleaned everything and reapplied new thermal compound. Did you let the 360 overheat itself? (Before you did the towel trick) That was the final step for most tutorials.

Either way it seems like the towel trick did that job just fine! I wouldn't doubt that with all fixing you did will indeed help it last longer than simply doing the towel trick by itself.

I did not let the XBOX 360 overheat itself after applying the thermal compound.  I probably should have done so without doing the towel trick because it would just heat what needs to be heated rather than everything else too.  If it happens again, I might directly heat my GPU after applying a new thermal compound.  Otherwise everything else might get fried with it and cause different problems.

Indeed keep with the updates. I'm curious as to how long it will last. I am ready to be amazed.

Thanks again.  I will keep you updated, but I hope I don't have to.  ;)

[MulleDK19]

Put it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

[Farley4Fan]

Put it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

I don't think Frvge would approve of an xbox being inside him for 10 minutes.

[CurdyMilk]

Put it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

lol.  Seriously?