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[Wilhelm_I]

QUOTE(jdbkbuddy @ Aug 15 2008, 05:35 PM)  

1) The truth is that the 360 motherboard and manufacturing is a piece of crap. Exactly what is wrong with the thing is still being debated. Solder? Motherboard? Cooling?

2) Even M$ can't figure it out with 5 billion to spend on repairing them. Other devices use lead free solder and x-clamps and they all work fine. The 360 is like quicksand the more you struggle with the deeper you sink.

3) After repairing about 150 360's, I realize that about 5% of this 360 are not repairable at all, and 10% are coming back within 3 months for re-repair. So, you can't always expect to get the answer you need to fix a system.
 

If you have a heat gun, do the GPU, or sell the system and buy one locally from a trusted seller.

1) It is pretty clear what the problem is read this post you can find a detailed explanation of the problem there
http://forums.xbox-s...howtopic=655662

2) Actually they spent 1 billion on it and I dont know any devices that use "X-Clamps" and if there are any they wont be using them for BGA components...
Microsoft knows the problem very well but they cant just replace the X-Clamps and admit that they did such a ridiculous stupid mistake there, this would make them completely ridiculous and a lot of unpleased customers would file lawsuits against them.
Sure it is not the fact that the X-Clamps are bending the mainboard under the core chips only but you will read the thread I posted before anyway so I dont have to explain it in more detail..

3) You are pretty optimistic my friend, before I started using my method I used lawdawgs and the 360s I repaired with it almost all failed within less than 3 months, some only lasted for a couple of hours.
So if only 10% are coming back after 3 months it would be awesome if you could tell us how you have done that?
It also sounds pretty unreal that you claim to have repaired a150 360s and dont even know what the problem actually is and how you are fixing it...

Get your facts straight mate

[jdbkbuddy]

QUOTE(Wilhelm_I @ Aug 15 2008, 12:59 PM)  

1) It is pretty clear what the problem is read this post you can find a detailed explanation of the problem there
http://forums.xbox-s...howtopic=655662

2) Actually they spent 1 billion on it and I dont know any devices that use "X-Clamps" and if there are any they wont be using them for BGA components...
Microsoft knows the problem very well but they cant just replace the X-Clamps and admit that they did such a ridiculous stupid mistake there, this would make them completely ridiculous and a lot of unpleased customers would file lawsuits against them.
Sure it is not the fact that the X-Clamps are bending the mainboard under the core chips only but you will read the thread I posted before anyway so I dont have to explain it in more detail..

3) You are pretty optimistic my friend, before I started using my method I used lawdawgs and the 360s I repaired with it almost all failed within less than 3 months, some only lasted for a couple of hours.
So if only 10% are coming back after 3 months it would be awesome if you could tell us how you have done that?
It also sounds pretty unreal that you claim to have repaired a150 360s and don't even know what the problem actually is and how you are fixing it...

Get your facts straight mate

"Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., said it would take a charge of $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion against earnings in the quarter ended June 30."

1st quarter is over and the repairs keep coming in.... If Microsoft admits to 1.15 billion then they have spent over much much more.

If you wish to converse with an "attitude", I feel I have no other course to but do the same.

If Microsoft knows the problem "very well", then why would they continue to waste over 1.15 billion on standing behind the X-clamp?  

With your "vast knowledge" and "always being right" you should go to work for Microsoft so they can get these 360's fixed properly.... oh.. that's right... you admit that you can't fix them anyway... or for only a few hours anyway.

So, how is that YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND STILL CAN"T FIX IT? That's right you said it was the X-Clamps... But your repair still doesn't fix it?

Let restate that... you remove the X-Clamp and fix the 360... but it still brakes AGAIN???  Why then are the X-Clamps still to blame??? They are in the trash and still you hate on them!!! LOLOLOLO!!!!

I use a Hot Air Rework Station, BGA Hood, Tortoga's threading of the original heatsink legs.  

Sorry to all for bring the heat... but insults will not be tolerated!

[jdbkbuddy]

Back to the subject...

Harrisondh, some problems can't be fixed, or no one here knows how to fix it, or has the resources to fix it. (BGA Reball) Me included!

The lack of x rays of motherboards and insider info into what is happening in  common repairs keeps all of us in the dark about the true causes and cures of a lot of repairs.

Example... You get 3 rrod 0102, you overheat the 360 by unplugging the fan or moving the fan to the CPU only... it nor works for  days- weeks - months... who knows.. but it again goes back to 3rrod...

You heat gun it .... again it works for days weeks months... and 3rrol again!

You re-flow with a hot air rework and with digital temp control... it worked for days weeks  months....

X-Clamps on... X-Clamps Off still the same results... Days Weeks Months....

Companies that professional beball and reflow any product have stopped 360 work!

You tell me what the hell is going on...

[jdbkbuddy]

I would try to overheat the GPU and see if that works. Open the system, pull the fan out and lay it on the CPU. Turn on the 360 and let it run until 2 lights pop up. But before you do that loosen the screws on the Xclamp mod so it doesn't disfigure the hot BGA balls. (solder joints) Let it cool for 15 minutes without moving it. Then tighten screws on Xclamp mod and put fan back and try that.

Other method is unplug fan and let it run until 2 red lights.

The fact that you can't return to the menu leads me to believe that it is CPU/GPU related.

[Wilhelm_I]

QUOTE(jdbkbuddy @ Aug 15 2008, 10:22 PM)  

1) If Microsoft knows the problem "very well", then why would they continue to waste over 1.15 billion on standing behind the X-clamp?  

2) With your "vast knowledge" and "always being right" you should go to work for Microsoft so they can get these 360's fixed properly.... oh.. that's right... you admit that you can't fix them anyway... or for only a few hours anyway.

So, how is that YOU KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND STILL CAN"T FIX IT? That's right you said it was the X-Clamps... But your repair still doesn't fix it?

Let restate that... you remove the X-Clamp and fix the 360... but it still brakes AGAIN???  Why then are the X-Clamps still to blame??? They are in the trash and still you hate on them!!! LOLOLOLO!!!!

3) I use a Hot Air Rework Station, BGA Hood, Tortoga's threading of the original heatsink legs.  

4) Sorry to all for bring the heat... but insults will not be tolerated!

Actually you didnt even read my first post thats the only way I can explain to myself why you replied like that so I will quote my first post if necessary...
Would also be nice if you could name any devices that use x-clamps like I asked you kindly.

1) Microsoft never intended to make any profits with the 360 they are already making losses just for selling them at this price.
All they wanted is to get Windows technology into everybody's living room...
"Microsoft knows the problem very well but they cant just replace the X-Clamps and admit that they did such a ridiculous stupid mistake there, this would make them completely ridiculous and a lot of unpleased customers would file lawsuits against them."

2) I am quite successful since I am using my improved method and in these 6 months I havent got a single system back so far, I guess this will become clear when you read my sentence again: "[...] before I started using my method I used lawdawgs and the 360s I repaired with it almost all failed within less than 3 months, some only lasted for a couple of hours"

3) It is quite nice that you are doing this with professional tools like and the fact that you are not putting the x-clamps back on pretty much proofs that I am right.
If the X-Clamps would not be the reason you would not only get every 10th 360 back, Microsofts return rate is much higher, one of my mates is on his 12th 360 and his is the best example that even with a professional reflow the x-clamps break it again within a month or 2.

4) Never insulted you in a single word just wanted to clear some stuff up because your post just didnt sound right to me.

This is my last reply on this though this is way too primitive and I want to save the moderators unnecessary work..

[card9]

Actually for what it's worth there are products out there that use X-clamps such as the Radeon HD 4870 X2 and from the pics it looks like they are fastened in a similar way to how I fixed the xbox.

http://hothardware.c...-On-Top/?page=3

[swank121]

QUOTE(Harrisondh @ Aug 15 2008, 04:19 PM)  

Well, I was just hoping someone's system just did the same thing, maybe someone that fixed the issue, But I guesse I'm SOL.. cause for some reason this system doesnt work with a hard drive, So Here are some things I'm going to try... If the DVD-drive doesnt fix it... I'm going to try to Direct connect the Hard drive, like the mod were you internalize the Hard drive, and then I'm going to Pull a Direct voltage from somewhere else on the board,for the HDD,  cause I'm thinking if its only freezing with the hard drive in the system maybe it has something to do with the System distributing Voltage to the Hard drive, and DVD-rom... I dunno If that doesnt work, I'm going to buy a Memory Unit and see if it locks up.. and if it doesnt I'm just gonna Say fuck- it I guess I cant use my Xbox 360 Hard drive,  theres always My PS3, Which has never Given me a single problem.. I used to Be a Microsoft fan.. But i'm starting to see that they should have stayed away from gaming consoles, Who cares if its a Powerfull system, if its only that for a few days..

You're not alone.  A few months ago my launch-era 360 started doing the EXACT same thing.  When playing Tony Hawk Project 8 I could stay in one neighborhood all day long, but 2 out of 3 times I tried to go to a new part of the map it would freeze while loading.  In Halo 3, I played through the entire first level three separate times only to get a freeze at the next level cinematic.  The freeze always happened during a loading sequence.  Even Guitar Hero III would lock up, but only at the loading screen.

I could open and close the DVD drive, turn the 360 off with a remote, but the controller wouldn't respond and I couldn't get back to the dashboard.  If I took out the hard drive, freezes disappeared.  I tried clearing the cache, but that didn't help.  I was once able to play THP8 without freezes by hooking my hard drive up to a friend's console, clearing the cache, loading up the game then swapping the hard drive back.  Since this game caches a ton of data right at the beginning, the cache was good and I could play fine until I put a different game in my 360.

I had also been getting disc read errors occasionally, so first I tried tweaking the POT down to 3.2, then I ordered a laser.  It was defective, so I got another one.  Games still froze with the hard drive connected, but the disc read errors were gone.

Finally I bought a complete new DVD drive and swapped boards.  Cleared the cache and problem solved!  I can now play with the hard drive connected and no longer get disc read errors or load freezes.  I have no idea WTF is wrong, I'll let the gurus debate.  All I know is that replacing the DVD drive (swap controller boards) fixed it.

Unfortunately last week I started getting GPU freezes.  >  They are much different than loading freezes . they occur in the dashboard, in game menus, at any damn random time they want .. time for Xclamp fix.

Best of luck on your attempts to fix the greatest and worst console of all time.

[Harrisondh]

Well I was playing  yesterday without the HDD and It froze  So now I know its a Gpu, CPU.. issue wich sucks but oh well life goes on I wish I would have know before I spent money on crap i didnt need, well now I'm looking for a working samsung Motherboard with key or just a working mobo with a key for sale if anyone has one E-mail me [email protected]

[tdurdenfc]

First off; You are not alone with your one red light xbox 360 malfunction. I thought I was alone too, until I read your post. Here is my experience; I bought a refurbished xbox 360 from game-stop 5 months ago. About a 1.5 months ago I bought and installed the tailsman fan upgrade and the cpu/gpu fan upgrade. Everything worked fine until this past Saturday. I rented COD4 and updated from Live. 3 min in it froze After that every game froze as I tried to load, and I would have to turn the whole unit off. Then after that it deteriorated to freezing at start up, and after a couple more turns on then off it will go to the error screen with one single red sector of the red ring. The error code is error 79. E79 is supposed to be the hard drive but it still freezes at random with or without the hard drive in. One out of 6 trys I can get into the dashboard so I did the secret clear-cache code, and then erased all cod4 entries but it didn't help. I have read all I can on this subject. I did find a couple of other people who have had this happen, but I cant find anything constructive.

Here is what I know and my thoughts:
-It might actually have to do with the cd-rom or the wiring to it. Maybe the fan/cd-rom power plug got burnt out.
-I figured out that I can get into the dashboard if I turn on my console with the controller without freezing most of the time.
-Once I get into the dashboard I can play any of my arcade games without freezing at all. (I played penny arcade for 6 hrs)
-My secondary error code is 0103
-I have a BENQ VAD6038 Xbox 360 DVD Drive.
-I can open and close the drive all I want, but not after a freeze.
-My hard drive is also re-manufactured and sold by game-stop. I keep my xbox up right and vertical for all of 5 months. As i am testing now it is on it's side.
-I took it all apart and checked all the wiring. Next I will reinstall the old fan only.
-The mods i have installed are;  XCM 360 Core Cooler v2 - Blue LED, and the Tailsman Whisper Max, all are using the power cables supplied.
-I have tryed all of the unpluging and re-pluging of all the cables in different combinations.
-My power brick is is orange when console is off, and green when console is turned on.

If anyone has any thought; I am open to all opinions as I will not give up on this damned thing. Is there a place where I can send this thing to get repaired?

[SYNBAD]

Bump!!  My mate console has the same problems as yours his is HDMI model .. everything works fine , until placing the hard drive in game starts but when to load it freeze can not do anything after that. aswell signing into a profile in game play it freezes , tested this on memory card and does the same aswell . Dashboard and playing games with out a hard drive never freezes at all. memory in doesn't freeze unless signing in.

[wintord]

I have started to get this same problem with mine everything works fine when the hard drive is not connected but gives me loading errors when it is connected. When it is on instead of a steady sound soming from the dvd rom it is constantly speeding up and slowing down as if there is not enougth power to run both hard drive and dvd drive at the same time.

[Wilhelm_I]

QUOTE(wintord @ Sep 1 2008, 11:09 PM)

I have started to get this same problem with mine everything works fine when the hard drive is not connected but gives me loading errors when it is connected. When it is on instead of a steady sound soming from the dvd rom it is constantly speeding up and slowing down as if there is not enougth power to run both hard drive and dvd drive at the same time.

hmmm
probably a short or cold under the southbridge or so that causes the dvd-drive/harddisc power to be cut or so.
Just a vague guess though, cant be arsed to check it now, the power lines might not even lead through the southbridge
Feel free to correct me RDC...
Will check it tomorrow am a bit out of time now...

[greg2m]

QUOTE(greg2m @ Oct 2 2008, 01:26 PM)

Hopefully this might help some other poor soul... Try disconnecting the ethernet or wireless adapter first... Then turn on your console, if you don't have the freeze with your HDD connected then try disabling you live auto sign-on. Then connect the cable/adapter and sign on. If you have the freeze then you probably have a corrupted large download pending on your live account. Go to the system blade select memory select the HDDD then Demo. If you see the corrupted download appearing on your HDD, then delete it. Try re-enabling all your settings as usual. Power off the console after clearing the cache and see what happens...

Also, make sure you cancel the download in the "active download" menu...

[gioneburnz]

QUOTE

Bump!! My mate console has the same problems as yours his is HDMI model .. everything works fine , until placing the hard drive in game starts but when to load it freeze can not do anything after that. aswell signing into a profile in game play it freezes , tested this on memory card and does the same aswell . Dashboard and playing games with out a hard drive never freezes at all. memory in doesn't freeze unless signing in

   I have the EXACT same problem as SYNBAD.... Would this be covered by the 3 year Microsoft xbox 360 RRoD warranty even though Im no getting RRoD?

[gioneburnz]

Hey guys, As advised by someone on this thread, I cleared the cache and deleted updates and my xbox works like new again!

instructions on this vid: http://ca.youtube.co...h?v=JClXHeVMQhA

hope this helps.