Xbox 360 fans go max and then 2 flashing red lights....

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Soldato
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24 Dec 2004
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Just turned on my trusty old xbox and the fans went to max power and then 2 red flashing lights.. I have left it for an hour like MS suggest but it is still doing exactly the same. MS say overheat let it cool down but it's doing it immediately after switch on, the fans ramp up to max and then the lights..

Its a launch elite model, is there any way to fix this as it is way passed any sort of warranty work.

 
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IF you dont mind diong it then i would suggest holding both hands over the exhaust fans at the back for 10 mins, turn it off then back on, see if it works after.
 
GothicCorpse said:
IF you dont mind diong it then i would suggest holding both hands over the exhaust fans at the back for 10 mins, turn it off then back on, see if it works after.
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Gave that a go and still the same, looks like i'm going to have to crack out some toolage and pull it to bits....

Oh well it managed 4 years with no issues..
 
As this is just the general overheating error, it may be an idea to clean the heatsinks - the amount of dust that builds up on them over time is staggering (especially on the CPU heatsink which can get completely clogged) and is probably the cause of quite a few RROD i've seen in the past when replacing the heatsink clamps.

You could try getting an air duster with a straw and poking it through holes to blast it clean, or even going as far as opening up the xbox to make sure all the dust is removed from the heatsinks.
 
Its in bits now there was very little dust in the heatsinks have cleaned it all out and its still doing the same. The fans just run up to max then two red lights. I have even removed the heatsinks and cleaned and re-applied tim and used a bolt kit I bought ages ago to remove the X clamps... Still no go so I imagine something on the board has gone.
It posts up the xbox logo as its booting and loads into the dash then 2 reds...
 
XCLAMP MOD.

Now for the most important part and most likely the point where the majority of people who were unsuccessful completing this fix failed.

This step requires you to overheat your GPU. Many tutorials tell you to unplug your fan and turn it on until it overheats. There is one major flaw with this approach. The thermosistor for the overheating protection of the 360 is contained within the CPU. The problem is that the CPU overheats without any airflow before the GPU is able to get sufficiently hot to "reflow" the BGA solder connection that has failed.
In order to cool the CPU but not the GPU it is again important to have your fan shroud removed. Now take your fan that IS plugged in and lay it on top of your DVD drive with one of the fan's over the top of the CPU. This will keep the CPU plenty cool to prevent it from overheating while the GPU will get smokin' hot; like burn your finger hot!
Now power on your 360. Some boxes may just work at this point because just pressure alone was enough to make the GPU's connection good. I still like to overheat even those just to make sure I don't have to deal with it again. So now you should be getting the three red lights like your were expecting. You want to overheat the unit for at least 30 to 45 minutes. The key is in the lights; as long as it is flashing the 3 red lights (1,3,4) then your are in good shape and the overheating process is working. What you DO NOT WANT is for the unit to actually overheat giving your TWO flashing red lights (1,3) at which point the 360 cuts off power to both the CPU and GPU preventing them from actually getting hot. Again is probably the difference between someone who succeeds and someone who fails.
Now that you have sufficiently heated the GPU, power down your Xbox 360 and let it cool down completely (ten to fifteen minutes should be more than enough). Replace your fan shroud; you should now be fully assembled except for the case itself. At this point you should cross your fingers and power your box back on. If all went well your should now have a working 360! Congrats!
If it did not work for you its not completely a bust yet. I suggest tightening the screws down even more and overheating yet again... some units are stubborn!
Happy Gaming for those who were successful!

If the cpu need reflowing then you are out of luck i think :/
 
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Mine had the same problem last year, i just removed the board from the plastics then gave it a good going over with an electric heatgun mainly around the heatsinks.

Put it back to gether and it lasted for about 3 weeks before going again.
 
Binned it now, Got fed up with it so the console minus the HDD is in the bin.. Going to try and pick up a replacement jasper from the MM or will order another form game with 12 months warranty if no luck there..
 
Zid_ said:
If you actually put it in the bin, go and get it out.

Sell it. People buy them.
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Yep its in the bin, can't be bothered selling for a few quid. I kept the Dvd drive and front panel as well as the hard drive. These will go in the cupboard with all the other bits I may need someday :D
 
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