Topic: Red Lights = Design Flaw (Read 799 times)

brywalker · « **Reply #45 on:** March 15, 2007, 08:49:00 AM »

QUOTE(mattygabe @ Mar 15 2007, 03:13 PM)

Yeah I really think Microsoft went about it a bad way in responding to the first Xbox's criticisms. One was that the box was too bulky and ugly looking, and the other was that it was too loud and got very warm. Well, they must've thought that since the first console didn't have any heating issues, they could easily address the other two - the ugly appearance and the loud fans.

Well the ironic thing was that one of the main problems with the XBOX 1 was that Japan had a real hard time with it asthetically. It was big and ugly. So what did they do? Hire a Japanese artist to help with the design? The outcome? A system that overheats, Japan still complains about look the system (now it's the power brick) and the PS3 is a BOHEMOTH and no one in Japan cares because it's Sony.

Lesson learned. Don't design your stuff around a culture that you will never penetrate.

steddyman · « **Reply #46 on:** March 15, 2007, 12:44:00 PM »

QUOTE(RBJTech @ Mar 14 2007, 05:02 PM)

Guys - I seriously don't recommend cutting the GPU heatsink (maybe a bit late ..) - it's insufficient as it is - much better to just thermally attach the RAM to the GPU heatsink as follows -

RAM/GPU Heatsink ...

Yep, just a little late for me

However, installing the heatsinks on the memory didn't make things worse for me.

My console was hanging every couple of minutes. I cut the heatsink and installed passive coolers on the memory and it started to last about an hour, sometimes less, sometimes more.

Since the GPU is hotter than the CPU and the CPU heatsink has much more mass, it seems a shame there isn't a way to link the GPU heatsink to the CPU sink.

Or how about putting thermal pads above the GPU to attach it to the underside of the DVD-ROM drive and let the case cool it?

I have just ordered an inexpensive rework station so I am going to try and fix this once and for all this weekend.

Steddyman

dokworm · « **Reply #47 on:** March 17, 2007, 12:17:00 AM »

My ones don't seem to get as hot now anyway, but if someone made a replacement GPU heatsink from coppoer I'd buy one in a minute.

steddyman · « **Reply #48 on:** March 17, 2007, 03:02:00 PM »

QUOTE(dokworm @ Mar 14 2007, 04:04 AM)

If putting pegs under the four mount points of the heatsink then I screw in from the top.

How do you do this for the GPU heatsink? The extisting pegs screw out, but the top of the holes are covered by the fins on the heatsink. The CPU doesn't have this problem.

Are you drilling out the hole on the GPU heatsink?

ferrari_rulz_02 · « **Reply #49 on:** March 17, 2007, 03:42:00 PM »

QUOTE(dokworm @ Mar 17 2007, 04:48 PM)

My ones don't seem to get as hot now anyway, but if someone made a replacement GPU heatsink from coppoer I'd buy one in a minute.

i think that there is a fair market for a "plug 'n' play" heatsink for the 360

brywalker · « **Reply #50 on:** March 19, 2007, 09:19:00 PM »

I just wanted to bump this up. It seems that we are getting a lot of failures lately and a lot of new posts are being made. The solution is in this thread. I am still waiting for my thermal pads, but I may build without them for now so I can make a tutorial.

Well I just found out it will be about 2 weeks before my pads show up. I will put this thing together Wed and start a new thread with screenshots. I have a fantastic fix, I will try to get all of the specs worked out to make it as easy as possible.

dokworm · « **Reply #51 on:** March 19, 2007, 09:16:00 PM »

QUOTE(steddyman @ Mar 17 2007, 10:09 PM)

How do you do this for the GPU heatsink? The extisting pegs screw out, but the top of the holes are covered by the fins on the heatsink. The CPU doesn't have this problem.

Are you drilling out the hole on the GPU heatsink?

I just remove the piece of the fin that is above each hole.

QUOTE(brywalker @ Mar 20 2007, 03:50 AM)

I just wanted to bump this up. It seems that we are getting a lot of failures lately and a lot of new posts are being made. The solution is in this thread. I am still waiting for my thermal pads, but I may build without them for now so I can make a tutorial.

Well I just found out it will be about 2 weeks before my pads show up. I will put this thing together Wed and start a new thread with screenshots. I have a fantastic fix, I will try to get all of the specs worked out to make it as easy as possible.

It will be nice to see it, I still haven't found another 360 in Australia that needs fixing, but when I get one I'll borrow a camera and try and do a step by step.
I really do think any fix that takes the pressure off the 'single point' on the underside of the board is a good thing.
BTW - It is really important to lap the CPU heatsink or use more thermal paste than usual as the finish on the heatsinks is really bad, and having spacers on the corners of the CPU and GPU helps keep the pressure even on the heatsink and on the perimeter of the chips.
I'l have to take a look at the shroud mods

ferrari_rulz_02 · « **Reply #52 on:** March 19, 2007, 10:25:00 PM »

votes for a pinned thread on 101 ways to fix this problem. obviously the solution is clear. would be nice to see a few more tuts getting around

dokworm · « **Reply #53 on:** March 21, 2007, 06:10:00 AM »

It would be nice to have an overview thread pinned of the different methods.

Kurto2021 · « **Reply #54 on:** March 21, 2007, 05:39:00 AM »

I did the heat gun trick...then i did this

http://www.oareplay.com/xbox

dokworm · « **Reply #55 on:** March 21, 2007, 06:56:00 AM »

I think that should work just fine, it keeps the board form flexing and is pretty much all I did on the last few 360's I repaired and they seem to be holding up just as well as the ones I went totally nuts on.

brywalker · « **Reply #56 on:** March 21, 2007, 06:29:00 AM »

QUOTE(Kurto2021 @ Mar 21 2007, 12:46 PM)

I did the heat gun trick...then i did this

http://www.oareplay.com/xbox

Yup there it is.

Personally, I use nylon washers on the bottom so the screws don't torque down directly to the board. Those are some WIDE washers too. M5 is the perfect fit. Good job!

Kurto2021 · « **Reply #57 on:** March 21, 2007, 07:36:00 AM »

the problem I ran into with the nylon washers....and I do have some thin ones too.....is that the M5 screws heads are too big. I barely got it to go in without an washer...even the thinnest washer made it too thick.

Would I use nylon on the bottom .... yes.....if I could have found some thinner headed screws.

brywalker · « **Reply #58 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:22:00 AM »

QUOTE(Kurto2021 @ Mar 21 2007, 02:07 PM)

the problem I ran into with the nylon washers....and I do have some thin ones too.....is that the M5 screws heads are too big. I barely got it to go in without an washer...even the thinnest washer made it too thick.

Would I use nylon on the bottom .... yes.....if I could have found some thinner headed screws.

When you say "go in" do you mean fit back into the RF shielding?

Kurto2021 · « **Reply #59 on:** March 21, 2007, 09:57:00 AM »

if I went any thicker the screws would touch the metal plate and then it wouldn't fit proper. I would imagine if you can find a screw with a head a little thinner it shouldn't be a problem. As far as tension goes it was pretty obvious when I had it tight enough. I would think if you screw it down to hard and smash the chip you have to be complete moron. I just screwed them in initially until there was a little tension then started making small turns on each screw until each one would require a little bit of force to go in. Once I felt it secure I just gave it a small turn and was good to go. I tightened them in a circular pattern so that it would bring the the heatsink down gradually. Similar to how you would put a tire on a car. get all the screws finger tight then work your way around until it is secure.

Author Topic: Red Lights = Design Flaw (Read 799 times)