Red Ring of Death on Xbox 360 - just out of Warranty!

Serendipity
Serendipity Posts: 6,975
edited September 2011 in Video Games
So I find out that Microsoft has extended the warranty of these units to 3 years from the original purchase date, if you have the Red Ring of Death problem. The only thing is, my unit's warranty just expired on the 17th of last month (July) - 6 weeks out of warranty the unit fails!

Any suggestions on how to fix this myself?

Thanks in advance,
Serendipity
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited August 2011
    I thought that was the name of a game !!:biggrin::biggrin: Sorry bout yer problems.:frown:
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited August 2011
    Have you tried contacting Microsoft? They were very helpful when we got rrod, and I think we were also just out of warranty too.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited August 2011
    Big Dawg wrote: »
    Have you tried contacting Microsoft? They were very helpful when we got rrod, and I think we were also just out of warranty too.

    The official 1 year warranty? Or the extended 3-year warranty for RROD failures?

    My console failed after 3+ years.
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  • blueboxer
    blueboxer Posts: 621
    edited August 2011
    They covered me beyond the third year, I think mine expired by about a month or so, but they were still really helpful when I called to ask them. Had my unit back within a couple weeks as well.
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited August 2011
    blueboxer wrote: »
    They covered me beyond the third year, I think mine expired by about a month or so, but they were still really helpful when I called to ask them. Had my unit back within a couple weeks as well.

    That was my experience too.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited August 2011
    I fixed my son's unit three times. After the third time I gave up and bought a newer second hand unit. Just check the date. Units manufactured after October 2009 (I think, you may want to double check that) are the ones you want. Cheers. :cool:
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited August 2011
    Just got off the phone with Xbox support. They asked me when I started using the unit, as the unit was a gift, and I said "right after purchase." As this was originally purchased by my father (around then I was still a kid and didn't have any credit cards), I could have said August/September 2008 and still be under warranty. But that would be unethical.

    Funny though, I ended up paying Dad back $350 for the Xbox, and he was the one who used it most! Same for the Wii console. Haha.
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited August 2011
    Sounds like you're ready for your bar mitzvah!:biggrin:
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited August 2011
    gdb wrote: »
    I thought that was the name of a game !!:biggrin::biggrin: Sorry bout yer problems.:frown:

    beat me to it.

    Check Craigslist, there's always people on there who advertise they can fix them cheap.
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited August 2011
    Fixed! It turned out that heat was causing the main board to flex, so the GPU wasn't making proper contact with the motherboard. I removed the screws holding the clamp, re-seated the GPU, and then tightened the torx screws down properly. I did note that the screws did have some play in them, so tightening them brought the GPU down.

    The thing works now! I didn't even have to buy any thermal grease or anything like that... simply removing the screws, pressing down on the GPU until it stopped 'creaking', and then tightening the screws firmly made it work!

    Awesome!
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited August 2011
    Mazel tov!
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    Well thank your lucky stars you didn't have to spend a whopping $6 on thermal grease!!!!

    You should have put some thermal grease on while you had it apart...
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Well thank your lucky stars you didn't have to spend a whopping $6 on thermal grease!!!!

    You should have put some thermal grease on while you had it apart...

    Yeah but I saved 6 bucks... and fixed it myself!
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited August 2011
    Until it dies again.

    Do it over with some thermal grease and you won't have to worry about it again.

    You build your own computers right, you should have some handy anyway.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited August 2011
    Face wrote: »
    Until it dies again.

    Do it over with some thermal grease and you won't have to worry about it again.

    You build your own computers right, you should have some handy anyway.

    Boxed processors come with the thermal grease already applied.

    I have never had to place thermal grease on any Intel CPU, and therefore never bought any.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited September 2011
    Way too easy and cheap a fix to skimp on the thermal grease. Boxed processors are ok, but you should really learn how to put the grease on and change out the fans as stock is usually just adequate and can still run hot.

    A thin layer, just enough to fill in the gaps will really improve the efficiency of the cooling and extend the life of the processor. Definitely worth the extra trouble and time to do it properly. For PCs as well as the xbox.
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  • Shan87
    Shan87 Posts: 12
    edited September 2011
    Serendipity wrote: »
    So I find out that Microsoft has extended the warranty of these units to 3 years from the original purchase date, if you have the Red Ring of Death problem. The only thing is, my unit's warranty just expired on the 17th of last month (July) - 6 weeks out of warranty the unit fails!

    Any suggestions on how to fix this myself?

    Thanks in advance,
    Serendipity

    I feel your pain but for the third time already.
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