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[Fonejack0r]

Hi , cant really say if the gpu is dead or not but if your looking for a way around paying the $100  a simple solution that i've seen mentioned a few times on another forum suggest's you tell a little white lie to the 'infinitely honest' microsoft by saying your 360 does have the RRoD

as i said its been quoted a few times on another board and by all accounts it seems to work, if it plagues your concience that your lying to m$ then take some solace in the 'fact' that they have sold millions of faulty units to their customers and are now finding new ways to get around fixing those units at their own cost.

also i dont imagine that m$ actually test every unit that comes in for repair , more likely the customer calls in to tell them they have rrod , m$ recieve the unit with rrod ticket , m$ then run bog standard patch up process on the unit and send it back to customer with a 1 month free live subscription , everyone is happy ( hint of sarcasm? )

i've fixed 3 rrod consoles to date with the x-clamp method so i can vouch as many others here can that it does work for rrod and if what ive read a few times is true then the 'audio no video' your reporting does eventually proceed to rrod if you keep trying to revive the console with numerous power ups' then eventually you should be able to induce rrod and therefore be able to get a repair from m$ gratis.

hope this helps.

[Fonejack0r]

just found this info while browsing another topic , it may help you determine if it is indeed the gpu which is at fault : you can also view the full thread here    Alternative fix for 3rlod

--==SECONDARY ERROR CODES==-
The specific type of hardware failure can be determined by a "hidden" error code

    * Turn the xbox 360 on, and wait till the 3 red lights are flashing.
    * Press and hold the sync up button (the small white one), while holding that button press the eject button.
    * The LEDs will now blink the first number in the code (as described below).
    * Release the eject button and press it again.
    * The LEDs will now blink the second number of the code.
    * Release the eject button and press it again.
    * The LEDs will now blink the third number of the code.
    * Release the eject button and press it again.
    * The LEDs will now blink the forth number of the code.
    * Release the eject button and press it again.
    * The LEDs will go back to the 3 red flashing lights.

You should be able to determine the difference between the 3 flashing lights and the error code lights by the rate in which they flash.

Here is how you interpret the LEDs to get the code number:

    * All four lights flashing - 0
    * One light flashing - 1
    * Two Lights flashing - 2
    * Three lights flashing - 3


0001 power supply problem
0002 Network Interface problem
0003 Power problem could be the PSU could be the GPU/CPU, somehow the console isn't getting clean power from the power supply.
0010 There is a problem with the Southbridge Chip usually dealing with how it connects to the mainboard (cold solder joint/bridged solder joints)
0011 CPU over heating - If you are receiving this error after disassembling your console make sure to all 8 of the heatsinc screws are tightened securely to the board/heatsink holes.
0012 GPU over heating
0013 RAM over heating
0020 (Not yet known, possibly overheating)
0021 This can be caused by two completely different things either:
A. DVD Drive Time out - Can be caused by problems with a firmware flash. This is also speculated to sometime be caused by a problem with the southbridge chipset on the motherboard based on how it connects to the DVD drive.
B. GPU error, generally caused by a poor connection to the mainboard (cold solder joints/bridged solder joints) See error 102 for more information
0022 CPU error, generally caused by a poor connection to the mainboard (cold solder joints/bridged solder joints). This can also be triggered by an error with the TSOP.
0023 (not yet known)
0030 Problem with temperature control
0031 (not yet known)
0032 (not yet known)
0033 (not yet known)
0100 (not yet known)
0101 (not yet known)
0102 Error in the "Digital Backbone" (CPU/GPU/RAM), this is usually caused by a cold solder joint between the GPU and the mainboard.
There are two theories to fixing this one deals with the "X" clamps that hold down the chips. The other involves re-Heating the chips. DO NOT attempt either of these if your console is still under warranty. If your console is still under warranty return it to the store where it was purchased or call MS to have it replaced.
[/list]0103 GPU Error this is usually caused by bridged solder points where the GPU connects to the mainboard. see error 0102 for more detailed information
0110 Ram error, this is caused by a cold or bridged solder joint on one of the Ram chips.
...
0200 (not yet known)
...
1000 Kernel can't be launched/signature in NAND Flash chip is broken! It could be possible after bad update. http://forums.xbox-s...p;#entry4156375 This might also be caused by a bad SATA cable.
1001 DVD Drive Error, either incorrect firmware or DVD Time out.
1002 DVD Drive Error, likely a firmware error, drive can eject, read, and write under windows but errors on console, replacing original firmware should fix issue.
1003 Hard Drive Error... It could be a problem with the Hard Drive itself or a problem with the internal connection to the hard drive, Try removing the hard drive and playing without it
1010 Hard Drive Error, Can be caused buy a corrupt or missing eProm. See also E68 above
1011 (not yet known)
1012 (not yet known)
1013 (not yet known) possibly a dashboard update error
1020 (not yet known)
1021 (not yet known)
1022 There is high chance it's a scaler chip problem (the "ANA" or "HANA" chip near the AV cable connection) it can also be caused by a faulty AV cable so check that first. In some cases it is a problem with the GPU and may be repairable by doing the x-clamp replacement (see error 0102)
1023 DVD drive not connected, connect DVD drive to boot
1030 This error deals with the Ethernet port's controller chip, a dead chip may not cause the error but removing the Ethernet controller chip does, it may also be caused by other Ethernet related problems.
1031 (not yet known)
1032 (not yet known)
1033 it could be cpu/gpu related or it could be psu related, not much info is known for sure.
...
1444 and up There is no "4" in the error codes four lights is a "0" go back and check your code again.

[digitalink]

yeah I have no problem with that lie. if for any reason other then m$ knows they developed poorly designed system (dvd drive sits right above gpu, had to shrink the heat sink, open ended solder etc.) I feel like I was RRoDed without the lights and they should treat it as such.  Thanks for both of your replies!

[supersdude1691]

if you're willing to open the console and try a fix, i would try heatgunning the hana/ana chip area for a couple of minutes. it sounds to me like an impending e74.

[djkarupt]

QUOTE(digitalink @ Sep 23 2008, 10:57 PM)

My first post, but after looking through the forum, many of you seem to know what your talking about and it is your experience I need.

Last night I was playing The Force Unleashed when in the middle of the game it looked like the bit rate of the colors dropped dramatically. Then my TV screen would go black saying "mode not supported" the game would flicker back on and then off (with the xbox running the entire time, I could still feel the vibrations of the game play).  So I powered down and rebooted the XBox and it just gave me the "mode not supported" error on my TV. I swapped HDMI cables and component to see if it was a cable issue and nothing. Changed TV to a standard def one and I get a black screen but I can hear the audio of the XBox booting up and the game running.

Called Microsoft and they want to charge me $100 because I'm a month out of the 1 year warranty and no RROD . So I began some online research, found out this is a common problem. With a possible solution.

What I want to know is this, is there a possibility that the graphics card is shot and it isn't just a case of a bad connection?  Not sure the model of my 360 but it is a Pro with a HDMI port. The reason I ask is because I'm willing to try the XClamp fix along with the heatgun method to try and strengthen the connection.  But if the problem is something else, then once I open the case Microsoft will no longer work on the console period if I'm not mistaken.  So then instead of giving them $100 I would have to go buy a new one.  Not willing to shell out that kind of money for something that can hardly last a year.

Sorry for the long post and my ignorance on the inner workings of the system itself, never had a reason to learn about it. Thanks in advance.

Try doing the x-clamp repair..i did three last week with this issue...If you need help PM
All the gpus had dried silver thermal...once i added some works like a charm first boot.

[RichMR2]

QUOTE(towelly @ Sep 28 2008, 04:49 AM)

i jsut bought one with the same problem your talking about for 70 bucks lol, it a solder problem  wether the gpu or the videochip i opened it up it already had the x clamp kit so i thought mine as well try a towel before i resell it for parts, first time i wraped it in a towel for about 15 minutes, let it cool 30, nothing, then about a hour after that i gave it anotehr try for about 30-40 checking it every 10 minutes to make sure it wasnt on fire, the towel i use was a tiny bit damp not wet so it would trap more heat and keep the case cool, i let it cool for about a hour because i had stuff to do i turned it on and it works and i have turned it on 10 times since no problem, and played lost planet for about a total of 10 hours and that game was the killer of my first 360 along with oblivion and the item cheat. try a towel it worked for me, if anything get the clamp kit and after you put it on jut leave the case and fan off turn it on and get it hot then let it cool put the rest back together, a free towel or $10 clamp kit is better then selling it if you dont have a warrentiy, ive left the xbox on for about 10 hours today no problem and it was on almsot all yestarday except for when i was leaving it off and turning it on to check it

Wrapping it in a towel will not get it to the near 300C it needs to melt the solder, it'll only get it up to around 90C which will kill your capacitors...

The proper way to fix this is to replace the xclamps (the good way) and heatgun the board or get it professionally reflowed. Letting the console bake in it's own heat will not do the console any good... it may be a quick fix which, somehow, works but it's far from ideal.

Besides, xclamp + 360s own heat has not fixed my Sound no Video 360, it only removed the 3 red lights... but it's still in a worse state now than before it went to RROD...

By all means, try wrapping your 360 up, it does work for some reason, but it's no perminant fix and doesn't do the components any good, not to mention it is a serious fire risk (check every 10 seconds, fire kills and spreads rapidly, 10 minutes check times are not good... in 10 minutes the towel could have set the rest of your house on fire!


However, power it on and off a few times and try getting it to work without opening it. That's how my RROD was caused. Get that RROD and MS will sort it for free. Or just tell them it has a hardware fault so it's a free repair.

[TrueAnarki]

My 360 has NO 3 rings of death, an NO video, but I do have Sound, and Games still work and everything, this is the 3rd time this has happened, as the last times I was able to Overheat it with a few blankets wrapped around the 360 and it would work after I let it cool down. But this time, I don't think that its coming back. I have used another 360 on the same TV and it works so its not the TV, I have gotten other A/V cables and it still does not work, so its not the original cables. Now this only leaves the 360 that I have is faulty, so since I am out of the 1 year Warranty M$ says that I need to pay $99.00 to fix it. Now when It would start to happen, IE the colors would not be what they should be, Blues were green, and Greens were red, or Black was green, basically it looked like a bad Disco party. So what I found to work was to Squeeze the console while it was upright at this one spot and it would stop (Spot is near the top in the middle behind where the CD spins), I only assume that I was putting the X-clamp or some other internal part back to where it should be. And yes this would stop the Bleeding of the colors, for about 5-10 hours, and I would be able to shut off the 360 and turn it back on just and it still work. But not any more.

Any thing you could think of to fix it would be great, I am just getting so fed up with it, and I am looking to start to save so I can buy a new one, and hope that it wont have this problem with the new one, or Lie to M$ an state that I do indeed have the 3ROD.