| If you have an Xbox 360 freezing problem, you're | | | | exact procedures. |
| not alone. Nearly one million Xbox gamers are faced | | | | Xbox 360 Freezing Problem Repairs |
| with this freezing problem. Even Microsoft had to | | | | The steps required to repair your Xbox 360 to |
| admit that there was a problem and in July of 2007 | | | | prevent freezing up are similar to the following: |
| admitted that five percent of all Xbox 360 consoles | | | | 1. Remove the outer case. Use a fine tip poker to |
| are freezing up and it is probable that the rest may | | | | poke into the grayed out hole and at the back, poke |
| follow suit. This article is intended to help you to | | | | the tiny rectangular holes, and remove the faceplate. |
| repair your Xbox 360 freezing problem, once and for | | | | 2. Move the latch up on the DVD drive as you gently |
| all. | | | | remove it. |
| Overheating is the primary cause of the Xbox 360 | | | | 3. Unscrew the metal case located beneath the |
| freezing problems. When your Xbox heats up enough | | | | plastic case. |
| it causes the graphics processing unit (GPU) to loosen | | | | 4. Remove the DVD drive and unplug the cables. |
| from the motherboard, and the green lights on your | | | | 5. Remove the fan and the motherboard. |
| console display three of them in flashing red. The | | | | 6. Invert the motherboard and pry off the X-clamp |
| overheated motherboard continues to heat up until it | | | | below the heat sink, which is a big silver component |
| begins to vibrate. The vibrating motherboard in turn | | | | with slits, by popping up the corners using the poker. |
| loosens the solder joints that hold the GPU in | | | | 7. Remove the heat sink to expose the GPU and the |
| connection to the motherboard circuitry, and the | | | | CPU. |
| Xbox freezing problem occurs. | | | | 8. Apply a generous amount of Arctic silver thermal |
| This article contains information that will help you to | | | | compound onto the GPU, and let it set for fifteen |
| deal with Xbox 360 freezing problems, and help you | | | | minutes. |
| to repair any problems caused by the overheating. | | | | 9. Place two nylon washers on the heat sink screws |
| First, however, it's important to dispel a harmful | | | | and reinstall them into the motherboard. |
| suggestion that many gamers have fallen prey to; | | | | 10. With the screws protruding through the |
| wrapping their Xbox 360 in a large towel to fix the | | | | motherboard, place two more nylon washers on the |
| problem. This is a terrible idea, and can cause your | | | | screws. |
| problem to worsen. In fact, it may damage your | | | | 11. Reattach the heat sink onto the screws and |
| system to such an extent that you may lose any | | | | tighten them. |
| opportunity to fix it yourself, and will require | | | | 12. Replace all components in the reverse order from |
| Microsoft to repair it. Most of the overheating | | | | that shown above for removal. |
| problems can be fixed using simple tweaks of | | | | 13. Turn on the Xbox 360. |
| components. I strongly recommend that before you | | | | If you've done everything properly, your Xbox should |
| begin tweaking things, you learn which ones should | | | | be running properly, and should no longer be |
| be tweaked and which ones should not. Get yourself | | | | susceptible to Xbox 360 freezing problems. By doing |
| a good repair guide. There are a number of excellent | | | | the work yourself, with the help of a good repair |
| ones available from the Internet. The steps described | | | | guide named James Dean's Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix, |
| below indicate the complexity of making repairs to | | | | you've saved yourself a considerable sum of money |
| eliminate the Xbox 360 freezing problems, but is not | | | | that might have been spent shipping the unit off to |
| a comprehensive guide. Refer to your repair guide for | | | | Microsoft, and you did it yourself in a short time. |