mcnelis2288

I just got the same problem you are experiencing i had done the towel trick once before and it lasted till the green hue moment then i was like WTF!! didnt know what to do opted for the towel trick again and guess what its working

Geminiwave

it amazes me cause i still have an original xbox from launch...and it still runs GREAT! i dont get it...

why does the 360 have such build issues. is it all the proprietary security hardware and such? I dunno...

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Dyre Straits

From what I just read about the 'towel trick' (interesting, btw!) it seems that MS uses 'cold soldering' in the system. Since the solder is 'lead free' it requires higher temperatures to melt the solder and some of those joints lose connection.

This 'towel trick' (wrapping the unit in a large bath towel, turn it on for 15 min to an hour) seems to heat the unit enough to remelt the bad solder joints. At least temporarily.

I haven't tried this yet but will share it with my son.

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Geminiwave

RoHS is kind of bad. I read a lot about it because at first i thought it was great. Apparently lead free solder sucks. Most of the soldering companies are saying that the key to the problem is developing a better recycling system for lead rather than trying to eliminate lead altogether. I don't know if they're just saying this because they don't want to change their ways or what, but i do know that at the moment lead free solder is BAD.

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Sandok

My second 360 just started feezing... I might be onto my third soon

Dyre Straits

We have an update on this and good news!!!

Microsoft totally turned down my son's efforts to get his unit repaired. In fact, they warned him after he'd called a few times, that they'd entered his name and/or the unit number into a database and would hang up on him if he tried to call again.

BUT, he decided to report the issue to American Express, the card company as it is what he used to purchase the unit. After reviewing the problem, AmEx had issued him a FULL REFUND and he's now looking to get a 360 Elite.

So, if anyone knows a source (as they're very hard to find right now) please let me know.

At least this may help anyone else. If you have American Express, use it to make your purchases. They'll cover something like this longer than any retailer, or, as in this case, even the manufacturer's warranty.

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OmegaRED

Wow, that's a stroke of good luck. I hope the Elite's are of better quality than the other 360's.

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xbox360hater

Xbox 360 sucks. My SECOND one just crashed with the same reason as what this thread is about. Microsoft lacks it's customers and imo it deserves to crash itself and burn in hell for what it's done with bringing a console built by moron's on the european market.

Mousey

For god's sake grow up and gtfo DriverHeaven, we need honest, professional advice to get these problems Tackled.
Not immature 12 year olds like you joining simply to say that "The XBOX 360 SUCKS", you disgust me, gtfo.

Thread Lock request please

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afterdeath

I am on my 3rd 360 now. All have had this same problem. I found that after the first one if I just told them it had the red ring I had no problems with getting a replacement. If you are honest with them you will get treated like dirt. Just tell them it ringed and you'll be fine.

The first one had the video issue but eventually did red ring. The next two had just the video issue. I am now actually shipping the 3rd one back to get replaced. I don't think they actually check them for the ring and just toss them in a pile and ship out a new one.

So, lucky number 4? Man, I hope so. I am getting sick of sending units back all the time. But I have to many games to just call is a loss. So moral of the story... have no morals with these people because they will just screw you on an issue they know is widespread.

Tipstaff

X-Clamp fix. Google it, and all your questions will be answered.

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x3m

I have same problem,someone find how to fix this?

Tipstaff

First, welcome to the forums.

Second, look up one post.

Since my system was still under the 3 year RROD warranty I decided to send it back, but once I got my replacement I replaced the clamp so that I'd never have this happen again. At the same time I found out about what parts to use to replace the crappy clamp, and have fixed about 20 clients/friends systems. Only one system I couldn't fix due to the GPU being fried, and in another case I had to heat the GPU up quite a bit using a heat gun before clamping it down.

My advice, if the system is still under the 3 year RROD warranty then send it back, and change the clamp as soon as you get it back. If it's not under the warranty then get the parts you need (should cost you less than $20 for the screws/washers and the torx wrenches if you don't have them), and crack that puppy open, cuz frankly, you've got nothing to lose, but plenty to gain if it works.

Edit: I should mention this since it's been brought up, but I cannot say whether this will fix the original issue that was presented, which was that there was no video at all, and no 3RROD error. I guess it would depend on what is causing the no video issue (fried GPU, or the GPU not sitting in the socket). Plus, this fix is not 100% guaranteed to work for the 3RROD error, especially since it didn't work for 1 of the 20 systems I've fixed (which I think had a fried GPU). However, in thread after thread I've read, including one on Xboxscene which has a running total of systems this has/has not worked on, it should work in 90% of the 3RROD cases, and if the system is out of warranty you've got nothing to lose but 15 minutes of your time, and $10-20.

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randomuser83

Thanks for the info. Ill give it a shot as well because my warranty is up and it doesnt work. Thanks again.

x3m

I'm planing to do x-clamp fix i search a lot and find many x-clamp methode,wich is the best?
Here i found nice x-clamp video in 3 steps YouTube - XBOX 360 Fix - #3 Installing the X-Clamp Kit i already open xbox 360.
Did anyone fix this problem with x-clamp?
Thx for help

Tipstaff

I do this fix about once a week now. There are a few different kits floating around, but the best way, and the cheapest, is still the "get it yourself, do it yourself" method.

There is one kit you can get from a German site called "X-Clamp Fix", bit it'll cost you $20 just for one kit ($15 plus shipping), and if you get the opening kit you'll be adding another $10 (that'll get the case open, but that's it, you will still need the T8 driver for the heatsink). The best thing about that sites kit is that if you buy in bulk you get it cheaper (buy 25 pieces, and get them for $5 each). If you know friends, or can group up to buy more than one kit then the better for you. The bolt they use is in metric though, so you will need to get yourself a metric 3mm hex key along with the T10 and T8 torx for the 360s case and heatsink screws. The great thing about the kit is the screws are low lens heads (truss type), meaning they sit within the case between the mobo and case since the heads are not very thick while some get it yourself lists show screws in which you need to drill open the holes of the casing to get them in. There is a good and a bad about this:

- If you buy the low lens head screws they sit nicely within the case (no drilling needed), but DO NOT do both the CPU and GPU. The reason being is that there will be nothing holding the board down in the center of the case, so you will eventually get a bowing effect, much like the current problem, but to a greater exent. If you do get these low lens head screws then do only the GPU.

- If you buy the screws that require you to drill open the holes in the casing the great thing is that the whole center of the board will be mounted to the casing just like the original mounts (you're drilling the holes for the threads to get through, not the heads). The bad thing is you need to drill the holes open. If you don't have the available tools this can increase your costs considerably.

No matter what you will need a sharp pointy tool, plus a T10 Torx screw driver to open the case, a T8 Torx screw driver to remove the heatsinks screws and the display panel (the one holding the power button), and a flat head screw driver for the replacement screws. Here's a list of the parts you will need in order to do a low lens head type replacement (these are part box numbers for Home Depot and Lowes, and you need to double them if you want to do both the CPU and GPU):

4 - M5-.80 x 10 Machine Screws #138433 (make sure you get the metric screws with the slotted/flat head screw)
8 - #10 Flat Washers – Nylon #139065 (these are 1mm thick if I recall)
8 - 5mm Flat Washers – Metal #138319

Should cost you about $10-20 total for whatever you need (screws, flat head/Torx drivers). You do not need to replace the thermal material unless you have a first year system which used the thermal pads. Every system after the first year used thermal paste, as does the replacement coolers from fixed systems. Replacing the thermal paste will only net you 1 degree less temp.. if that, so don't bother.

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x3m

Thanks men very nice of you that you want to help me.
I have 3 more questions:
i looked here X-Clamp-Fix - X-Clamp-Fix DIY Kit X-Clamp-Fix
and
1.Do i need to do "Baking Trick" or "Hot Air Gun Trick"? (i have no video problem like this YouTube - xbox 360 problem i have sound but picture is black and there is on error codes on screen)
2.My xbox is made 27-09-2006,do i need to replace thermal paste?
3.What screws i need to do both CPU and GPU and where i need to drill?

Tipstaff

The clamp replacement may not fix this issue. Of all the systems I've fixed one had the same problem, but the clamp replacement didn't fix it. I know that this thread was created due to this issue, but later on the discussion turned to the 3RROD issue, which is why I posted the clamp fix suggestion. I have, however, had a couple people tell me it did fix the issue for them, and in both cases they had to heat the system up even more by using a heat gun, or by repeating the heatup process a few times, so you never know. Personally, I'd stay away from the heatgun idea.

Couple things I would look at first is to try resetting the video settings by holding the Y and right-trigger buttons as you boot the 360 up.

To answer your other questions:
- You don't need to replace the thermal paste if the system is already using some. If the system is a first year system it will most likely have a thermal pad, and this you will need to replace.
- Check THIS thread out, and THIS thread on what you need to do in order to replace the clamp. Both have detailed instructions (and pictures), but the second one has downloadable PDFs, and the parts they use in their tutorial are the low lens height (truss) style screws. The original heat sink posts mount to the underside of board along with the crappy clamp, and then mount to the case via 4 screws. If you use the low lens head (truss styled) screws then you won't, thankfully, need to drill anything. However, as I mentioned before if you use those screws do only the GPU. That way the CPU clamp can still be used to hold the center of the board down.

BTW, the X-Clamp Fix sites tutorial video has them heating the system up without the CPU being cooled, while Llamma's tut has them cooling the CPU using the case fan directly. This is the better of the 2 suggestions, and allows you to repeat the heating process over and over again if you need to without affecting (ie. damaging) the CPU.

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dpmasterx

I had the same exact problem where my screen actually was getting fuzzy and my 360 would freeze it eventually lost Video and the only thing I would get was Audio I did not have RROD and could not find a fix anywhere so I gave up and threw the box in my closet.. I recently ordered parts "Nylon and Metal Washers + Machine screws to fix RROD on another box.. I decided to give my crapped out box a try.. I Went through the RROD Fix by taking it all apart removing the X-Clamp and replacing it with the screws and washers I bought, there are plenty of videos that show how to do this... Once completed I went to power up my xbox and got RROD 3 lights.. I knew it wasn't anything big because when heating up the Processors as part of the fix I was getting regular overheat "2" RROD so I took part my box and ended up loosening the screws a bit.. That took care of my issue and I am now playing on that 360 that had no video only sound

The X-Clamp fix works for RROD and Audio but no Video...

Dyre Straits

Just a little interesting update.

The exact same 360 that went bad that started this thread went bad again just a week ago.

Once again, my son is sending it off through the warranty supplied by American Express.

I highly recommend that, if you can buy one using AMEX card, do so. They offer a tremendous warranty plan for anything purchased using their card. Of course, you have to pay off the balance of your purchase within 30 days.

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