V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 (edited) (Note: My Xbox had the RROD immediately as I turned it on, this is a permanent fix) Hell yes.. I added some ingenuity when I opened up my xbox and flipped to the backside of the mainboard, Microsoft didn't even bother to stick on thermal pads on the DRAM. So what I did was I added 8 pennies 2x wrapped around in electrical tape on both sides get nice and even squares then I applied some arctic silver 5 thermal paste, just enough to get it to stick to the "electrolincolns" put it back together and boom. Back to action. I'm gonna play my happy ass some ODST Campaign. I thought I'd never get to finish it. EXCELLENT!! Edited October 5, 2009 by V-99 ODST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Good job with that completely improvised fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambroos Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Might want to add more clearly that it was dead before you did this. And oh, good job fixing it ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted October 5, 2009 Global Moderator Share Posted October 5, 2009 I have to wonder, did they forget to add that to the design or was that somehow missed in the process of making that unit? It could be a QC slip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMELTN Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Awesome job mate!! I hope it lasts a while for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Thanks guys much appreciated. I don't know if it'd be too much to ask but this is like a permanent solution to fix the RROD, and it's really inexpensive. I think it should be stickied. It's great for people who have their warranties expired or if MS have told others after time w/ many replacements "good luck". This being a Zephyr Revision it should have came w/ thermal pads, The guys who assembled these machines must of been in a rush and didn't follow policy procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophism Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 While its a neat fix, we dont know if this actually solved it or if it was something else. Have you tried pulling the pennies back off and seeing if it still has the RROD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 While its a neat fix, we dont know if this actually solved it or if it was something else. Have you tried pulling the pennies back off and seeing if it still has the RROD? The pennies themselves are designed to absorb the heat from the DRAM, Microsoft was suppose to put on thermal pads for this reason but they didn't. I also noticed the fans on my 360 run at full blast now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 This fix has been around for quite some time in various forms and yes, it has worked for many but it's not 100% certain to work in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophism Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 but in theory, wouldnt it have had the RROD since it was first turned on it was produced without the Heaksinks? Unless you have it in a small cabinet now or its extremely hot in the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 but in theory, wouldnt it have had the RROD since it was first turned on it was produced without the Heaksinks?Unless you have it in a small cabinet now or its extremely hot in the room. Well my situation is quite different from everyone else's surprisingly My Xbox last summer would RROD every 2-3 hours from the summer heat; this probably happened about 11 times. Later during August, September, I would turn it on I'd get the RROD immediately, I'd turn it off and turn it back on again it would work just fine. It wasn't till the last 2 days it would just RROD and not boot up. Most of the heat happens to be produced on the bottom of the motherboard where the DRAM is located not on top where you see all the heat sinks and fans. This fix has been around for quite some time in various forms and yes, it has worked for many but it's not 100% certain to work in the long run. I'll hold you up to that claim Negrodamous ;) If heat is the problem which it is for all RRODs then copper absorbs heat, and the electrical tape w/ the adhesive will absorb all the heat produced by the DRAM from the Xbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draken Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Congrats! welcome to the xbox afterlife club, but yes, it will RRoD again, open it up, x-clamp fix it and connect fans to 12V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Congrats! welcome to the xbox afterlife club, but yes, it will RRoD again, open it up, x-clamp fix it and connect fans to 12V I've cheated death(RROD) too many times to count, who knows what will happen. :) Only thing I can do is what I do best. Game on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phemo Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 (edited) Thanks guys much appreciated.I don't know if it'd be too much to ask but this is like a permanent solution to fix the RROD, and it's really inexpensive. I think it should be stickied. This being a Zephyr Revision it should have came w/ thermal pads, The guys who assembled these machines must of been in a rush and didn't follow policy procedure. It's not a permanent solution at all. The only reason it works is because it applies pressure to the underside of the board which just about reconnects the broken BGA solder joints under the GPU. Make the most of it, and I hope it lasts you at least a few months, but it will die again. Also MS seem to have stopped putting the thermal pads on these days. They were a quick band-aid that MS attempted a few years back, presumably to apply pressure also, but obviously with them just being foam pads they don't apply as much pressure as the pennies do. They don't do a whole lot anyway - even brand new Jaspers don't have them. If heat is the problem which it is for all RRODs then copper absorbs heat, and the electrical tape w/ the adhesive will absorb all the heat produced by the DRAM from the Xbox. Heat is not the cause of the RROD. The motherboard warping and causing broken solder joints under the GPU is. It's also worth noting that you're using insulating tape over your copper pennies. It will of course still transfer some heat, but it's hardly as effective as it could be. Anyway as I said, this temp fix is working because of board pressure, not heat transfer. Edited October 5, 2009 by Phemo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 ^ If that's the case, then you're right I'll enjoy it while it lasts. But I stopped putting the system unit on the carpet, it's on a nice flat surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashing Pumpkin Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I had a weird thought t'other day. Did MS purposfully design the 360 badly to ensure people arnt tempted to flash/mod them. Cause obviously modding gets rid of your warranty so if you put the RROD out there, it scares people into not opening their 360 up. Probs BS but a weird thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I had a weird thought t'other day. Did MS purposfully design the 360 badly to ensure people arnt tempted to flash/mod them. Cause obviously modding gets rid of your warranty so if you put the RROD out there, it scares people into not opening their 360 up.Probs BS but a weird thought. Nah, that's in the conspiracy pile. From what I've read and heard, the plant spitting out the main badge of 360's worked off a flawed design plan / document, so it was an oversight already in the design phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashing Pumpkin Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Nah, that's in the conspiracy pile. From what I've read and heard, the plant spitting out the main badge of 360's worked off a flawed design plan / document, so it was an oversight already in the design phase. Haha darnit, well at least I covered myself by admitting it was probably BS :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Haha darnit, well at least I covered myself by admitting it was probably BS :p We all try don't we? :p Personally it's like the worst thing that could happen to a console that will be remembered in people's minds. In all my consoles I've owned (Genesis, N64, Dreamcast, Gamecube) non of them gave me problems. This sweet Xbox though has been loud and troublesome the only game console to give me headaches but w. those cons comes great success. It's sad to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashing Pumpkin Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 With great power, comes a great failure rate... 'cept if you're a ps3, or a pc, then you're usually fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 With great power, comes a great failure rate...'cept if you're a ps3, or a pc, then you're usually fine. Haha Uncle Ben's last words of wisdom. I'm really surprised the way Sony has fallen from its crown during this console war. But they seem to making up for it. If it weren't for Halo I would have bought the PS3 (since it was reliable and had blu ray) and I'm not even a hardcore Halo fan, I'm just really interested in playing it not so much as winning it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted October 6, 2009 Global Moderator Share Posted October 6, 2009 If it was a slip up with the design and bad QC, which I think it was, then that pretty much explains how the RRoD rate has nose dived now that they've worked that out. But this is to be expected when you don't own the factories/fabs and are basically outsourcing all the work. On the Nintendo and Sony side, they own the production lines they use, aside from the parts they get from AMD/ATi and nVidia, though those are all fabbed by the same plants that put the finished PS3 and Wii's together I bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 If it was a slip up with the design and bad QC, which I think it was, then that pretty much explains how the RRoD rate has nose dived now that they've worked that out. But this is to be expected when you don't own the factories/fabs and are basically outsourcing all the work.On the Nintendo and Sony side, they own the production lines they use, aside from the parts they get from AMD/ATi and nVidia, though those are all fabbed by the same plants that put the finished PS3 and Wii's together I bet. I almost forgot how Microsoft outsourced manufacturing on the 360. Was the first Xbox outsourced too or did they own any manufacturing lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draken Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I almost forgot how Microsoft outsourced manufacturing on the 360.Was the first Xbox outsourced too or did they own any manufacturing lines? nahh was outsourced too, like the 360 "foxconn" could be read everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V-99 ODST Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 nahh was outsourced too, like the 360 "foxconn" could be read everywhere. Back in those days it didn't take much to cool a mobile pentium 3 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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