Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Tools used in this guide
Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit (1)

Use this guide to install iFixit's Red Ring of Death Fix Kit.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 1 - Hard Drive

Grasp the hard drive assembly and press the release
button while lifting its front edge.
Remove the hard drive assembly from the top vent.

Step 2 - Bottom Vent

Stand the console vertically with the bottom
edge facing up.

Insert the flat end of a spudger or the edge of an Xbox

360 opening tool into the small gap at the front edge of
the bottom vent.
Pry the front edge of the bottom vent away from the
faceplate.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 3
In the next few steps, you will use the tip of
a spudger or the finger of an Xbox 360
opening tool to release the clips along the
left and right sides of the bottom vent. Their
locations are highlighted in red.

Step 4
To release the clips, work from the front edge of the
bottom vent.
While slightly lifting the front edge of the bottom vent,
use the tip of a spudger to push the clips closest to the
front of the bottom vent towards the inside of the
console.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 5
Repeat the same process to release the two center
clips on the bottom vent.

Step 6
Use the tip of your spudger to release the clips on the
bottom vent nearest the back of the Xbox.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 7
Remove the bottom vent from the 360.

Step 8 - Faceplate
Insert the edge of a spudger between the faceplate and
the outer casing near the power button.
Run your spudger along the edge of the faceplate to
release the clips securing it to the front of the console.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 9
Repeat the same motions as previously mentioned to
release the left side of the faceplate.

Step 10
Remove the faceplate from the front face of the console.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 11 - Top Vent

Stand the console vertically with the top
edge facing up.

The top vent is secured to the console via clips. The

first two clips are located underneath the top vent
closest to the faceplate, as shown in the pictures.

Step 12
Insert the flat end of a spudger into the small gaps
previously mentioned to release the clips.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 13
In the next few steps, you will use the tip of
a spudger or the finger of an Xbox 360
opening tool to release the clips along the
left and right sides of the top vent. Their
locations are highlighted in red.

Step 14
To release the clips, work from the middle of the top
vent.
While slightly lifting the front edge of the top vent, use
the tip of a spudger to push the clips closest to the
center of the top vent towards the inside of the console.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 15
Use the tip of your spudger to release the clip on the
top vent nearest the back of the Xbox's upper case.

Step 16
The last clip is hidden underneath the
rubber foot nearest the back of the console.

Use the tip of your spudger to release the clip on the

top vent nearest the back of the Xbox.
Remove the top vent from the 360.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 17 - Lower Case

To continue, you must peel the warranty
sticker off the console. Be aware that this
will void your console's warranty agreement
with Microsoft. Proceed at your own risk.
Carefully peel the warranty sticker off the console.

Step 18
The upper and lower cases are attached via
several latches, located in the front and
back of the console. These latches must be
disengaged to separate the upper case from
the console.
Use the flat end of a spudger to release the following
latches:
Above the front-facing USB ports.
Beneath the front-facing USB ports.
Above the Memory Unit slots.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 19
Insert the flat end of a spudger and pry upwards to
release the last remaining latch located above the eject
button.

Step 20
Slightly lift the front portion of the lower case to ensure
that the latches in the front have been completely
released.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 21
The upper and lower cases are held
together by seven release latches located
on the back of the console. Their locations
are highlighted in red.

Step 22
If you do not have an Xbox 360 opening
tool, skip to the next step.

Press the Xbox 360 opening tool down into the clips
securing the lower case to the upper case near the I/O
ports.
While pressing down on the tool, push the lower and
upper cases apart to separate the retaining clips.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 23
If you used an Xbox 360 opening tool on the
previous step, skip this step.

While pushing the upper and lower cases apart, insert

the pointed end of a small metal spudger into the
recesses located near the I/O ports and push
downward to release each retaining clip.
Work from the outer edge of the case
inwards.

Step 24
While pushing the upper and lower cases apart, use the
tip of a spudger or the finger of an Xbox 360 opening
tool to push the long clip highlighted in red toward the
center of the 360.
The clip should release, leaving the clips near the
power connector as the only thing holding the upper
and lower cases together.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 25
If you do not have an Xbox 360 opening
tool, skip to the next step.

Press the Xbox 360 opening tool down into the two
remaining clips near the power connector.
Push the upper and lower cases apart to fully release
the retaining clips.

Step 26
If you used an Xbox 360 opening tool on the
previous step, skip this step.

Release the latches located above the power connector

using the same procedure as previously noted.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 27
Orient the console so that the front portion is
facing downwards.

Grasp the back portion of the lower case and lift it

upwards to separate it from the console.

Step 28 - Eject Button

Use the tip of a spudger to release the clip securing the
eject button to the metal casing.
Insert the flat end of a spudger between the eject
button and the optical drive.
Pry the eject button off its retaining posts and remove it
from the 360.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 29 - Upper Case

Remove the six silver 64 mm T10 Torx screws securing
the upper case to the metal casing.

Step 30
Orient the console so that the upper case is
facing upwards.

Lift the upper case straight up and remove it from the

console.

Step 31 - Optical Drive

Peel the silver tape securing the optical drive to the
metal casing.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 32
Slightly lift the optical drive upwards to gain clearance
to disconnect the SATA and power connectors located
on the backside of the optical drive.
Don't try to completely remove the optical
drive just yet. Two cables still connect it to
the motherboard.

Step 33
Grab the power connector by its cables and pull it
straight out of its socket on the optical drive.
Disconnect the SATA data connector from its socket on
the optical drive by pulling it straight away.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 34
Lift the optical drive assembly out of the metal casing.

Step 35 - Cooling Fan Duct

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the small
rectangular opening on the top of the cooling fan duct.
Carefully release the fan duct retaining clip and remove
the fan duct from the Xbox.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 36 - Dual Fans

While lifting the metal chassis strip above the dual fans,
pull the fans toward the center of the motherboard.
Do not completely remove the dual fan
assembly yet. Its cable is still attached to
the motherboard.

Step 37
Lift the dual fan connector straight up from its socket on
the motherboard.
Some fan connectors have a locking tab. If
yours has a locking tab, be sure to depress
it while disconnecting the fan from the
motherboard.
Remove the dual fan assembly from the console.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 38 - Motherboard
Use the flat end of a spudger to release the clips
securing the RF module shield along the top and the
left edge of the RF module.
Lift and remove the RF module shield from the console.

Step 39
Remove three 5.6 mm T8 Torx screws securing the RF
module to the metal chassis.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 40
Grasp the RF module and lift it straight up to disconnect
it from its socket on the motherboard.
Remove the RF module from the console.

Step 41
Remove the following screws securing the motherboard
to the metal casing:
Nine gold 11 mm T10 Torx screws.
Eight black 5.6 mm T8 Torx screws.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 42
Lift the motherboard assembly from its front edge.
Be careful not to damage the sockets as
you rotate the motherboard away from the
metal casing.

Remove the motherboard assembly from the metal

casing.

Step 43 - GPU Heat Sink

Insert the tip of a small flathead screwdriver between
the X clamp and its retaining post on the heat sink.
Pry the X clamp away from its retaining post until it is
lifted above the small groove cut into the retaining post.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 44
Insert your screwdriver parallel to the motherboard
between the X clamp and its retaining post.
Twist the screwdriver to fully release the X clamp from
its retaining post.
Repeat this process for all four corners of
the X clamp.

When removing the last corner of the X

clamp and holding the motherboard upside
down, be sure to catch the GPU heat sink to
avoid damage from it falling.

Step 45
To reinstall the X clamp, first start by
attaching two corners to the posts on the
heat sink.

While holding the third arm of the X clamp

down against the post attached to the heat
sink, use a small flathead screwdriver to pry
the X clamp away from the heat sink post.
As you pry, press down on the arm of the X
clamp until you "walk" it down into the
retaining groove cut into the post attached
to the heat sink.
Repeat this process for the fourth arm of the
X clamp.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 46
Remove the GPU heat sink.
Before reinstalling the GPU heat sink, be
sure to apply a new layer of thermal paste.

If you need to mount the heat sink back onto

the motherboard, we have a thermal paste
guide that makes replacing the thermal
compound easy.

Step 47 - CPU Heat Sink

Insert the tip of a small flathead screwdriver between
the X clamp and its retaining post on the heat sink.
Pry the X clamp away from its retaining post until it is
lifted above the small groove cut into the retaining post.
If necessary, insert your screwdriver parallel
to the motherboard between the X clamp
and its retaining post. Twist the screwdriver
to fully release the X clamp from its retaining
post.
Repeat this process for all four corners of
the X clamp.

When removing the last corner of the X

clamp and holding the motherboard upside
down, be sure to catch the CPU heat sink to
avoid damage from it falling.
Remove the CPU heat sink from the motherboard.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 48 - Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Now that the heat sinks are off both processors, clean
all the old thermal paste residue off the faces of both
processors and the inner faces of the heat sinks.
Work slowly as you remove the old residue,
as many sensitive components are soldered
near the face of the processors and if
broken, you need a whole new motherboard
It is helpful to use a solvent such as "Goof
Off" to dissolve the old thermal paste.

Now is also a good time to clean any dust

out from between the fins of both heat sinks.

Step 49
After cleaning, the mating faces of the heat sinks and
the processors should look as shown.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 50
Flip the motherboard over.
If your motherboard does not have RAM
chips on its underside like the board
pictured, skip this step.

Peel off the four silicone thermal pads stuck to the RAM
chips on the bottom of the board.

Step 51
Use the 1/4" drive end of the included 6-in-1
screwdriver with no bit inserted to remove the four X-
clamp posts from both the CPU and GPU heat sinks.

Step 52
Apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the areas
highlighted in red.
If you have never applied thermal paste, we
have a guide that makes it easy.

After applying thermal paste to the processors, it is time

to reattach the heat sinks one at a time. In our case, we
attached the CPU heat sink first.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 53
Insert a machine screw through each of the four holes
around the CPU heat sink, with their heads on the back
side of the board.
While holding the head of the screw, place a nylon
washer then a metal washer over the threads.
The order of the washers is important.
Do not put the metal washer on first.

Using the large flathead screwdriver bit, thoroughly

tighten the screws into the CPU heat sink. Don't be
afraid of over-tightening the screws.
When attaching the CPU heat sink, be sure
the fins are aligned with the air flow from the
fans (as seen in the third picture). Having
the flat side of the fins perpendicular to the
air flow will cause your Xbox 360 to
overheat.
Repeat the same process to attach your
GPU heat sink.

Step 54
Use the edge of your small flathead screwdriver or
another thin and sharp object to carefully pull up a
corner of the blue plastic sheet covering the adhesive
on the bottom of both heat sinks.
Be careful not to wrinkle or peel up the
adhesive in the process.

Peel the protective sheets off the adhesive on both heat

sinks.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 55
Lightly clean the surface of the two chips highlighted in
red on the first picture.
Be sure to position the heat sinks correctly
before you stick them down, as the
adhesive is extremely strong and sensitive
to being repositioned.
Stick the two heat sinks down against the top of the two
chips highlighted in red on the second picture, being
sure the fins are aligned as seen in the third picture.
When reinstalling the optical drive, be sure
both the power and SATA cables do not
interfere with the heat sink attached closest
to their sockets on the motherboard.

Step 56
If your motherboard doesn't have RAM
chips on its bottom face, it is not necessary
to apply thermal pads.

Remove the clear and red plastic backing material from

all four thermal pads.

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Installing Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death Fix Kit

Step 57
Stick the thermal pads down against the RAM chips on
the bottom of the board.
Reinstall the motherboard back into the chassis and
reassemble your Xbox 360.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

This document was last generated on Dec 14, 2010.

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