Gaming Is anybody familiar with the E74 error?

[dib]

I fixed my brother's 360 after it red ringed for the second time, and now a friend's has stopped working with an E74 error.

From what I've read, the problem may be the same therefore the fix may also work. Microsoft only identifies E74 as a 'general hardware failure', yet they also state that it's related to the three red rings. The difference, however, is that this unit only has a single red light.

I am wary to recommend he send it so I can attempt the repair because I would hate for him to waste money on shipping if there is zero chance of it working. He may as well pay the $100 for Microsoft's repair service at that point.

Has anybody attempted the RRoD fix on an E74 malfunctioning unit and can testify whether it succeeded?

 

[spectral]

IIRC E74 is covered by the same 3 year waranty as the RROD. If it's under 3 years old just send it to MS to repair.

 

[Originality]

As above, if covered by warranty, there is no better action to take other than sending it to M$ to repair.

If out of warranty (e.g. because of modding/flashing), then you can try fixing it yourself however there are MANY things that can cause E74, hence the "general hardware failure" explanation.

Typically, it's something wrong between the GPU and the HANA chips. Cold/broken solders is the most common reason, so a simple reheating of the chips will fix it. This can be done by simply turning it on with the fan pointed at the CPU heatsink only. Eventually it'll overheat, at which point you have to turn it off. Leave it to cool down for a while, then try again. In most cases, E74 goes away. X-Clamp fix can also help this (replacing the clamps under the mobo with specific screws and nylon/steel washers.

I've had 2 consoles which repeatedly gets E74 returning after around an hour of play after performing the reheat/x-clamp tricks (preceeded by purple scan-lines appearing, graphical glitches spreading, and eventually crashes). This usually means that it's either the motherboard itself causing the problems (warping) or the HANA chip. 2 variations of the "penny trick" - either get some pennies stuck down with electrical tape on the RAM chips under the mobo, spreading the weight distribution on the mobo and reducing stress, and/or getting a stack of pennies on the HANA chip (under the air vent for the fans) and a few old CDs on top to keep pressure on the HANA chip will hopefully allow it to re-affirm its solder connections (heat helps at this process, however whilst the source of this fix recommends the towel trick, wrapping the xbox in 3 towels and letting it overheat, this trick has been known to either kill a console, or at least shorten the lifespan of every component inside). Between the two penny fixes, chances of repair are higher, but the effort involved gets a bit higher too.

There are also a series of other possible causes like blown capacitors or the like, which few console repairers will bother with. If the usual fixes and tricks don't work, then it's usually down to specific components damaged, which takes a lot more time and effort to track down and fix. Chances are, since you're asking about E74 here, you're not going to bother going to all that effort either.

Good luck.

 

[raulpica]

I've repaired a lot of 360s, and I can assure you there's no good and final fix for E74. It'll just return back.
I've tried reflowing the solderings (the operation which gave the best results, effectively), using some kind of penny fix, placing rubber pieces in between the motherboard and the HANA and also on the top of the HANA. And the list goes on. It'll JUST COME BACK.

Send it to MS, it's the best thing to do.

 

[dib]

Thanks, I really appreciate the benefit of your experiences on this. He spoke to Microsoft in the first place but they denied the warranty. He seems to think that it's not three years old however, so last I know he was going to dig for the receipt to try to prove it. I told him he sometimes needs to speak to a couple reps before receiving the correct answer.

I'm not comfortable allowing him to ship it to me with an uncertainty about whether it will remain fixed. I would hate to have it work here, then break down before return or hours to days after. Unless he's adamant to have it looked at. But the way I see it when Microsoft wants to charge $100 for their 'repair' service that will probably score him some refurbished replacement, he would be better off just buying a brand new one.

 

[godsakes]

I would hate to have it work here, then break down before return or hours to days after.

i think you'll be fine for that (since it's not in use) - it's just a question of whether the fix lasts after some use be it a week or months

just fixed my xbox which also had e74 last week, but haven't really used it for more than 2 hrs of play so far - so i'm pretty paranoid myself but i'll put it through it's paces with dragon age (when my order of Aones come in)

 

[raulpica]

Yeah, probably. Your best try is actually to keep trying to get the 360 repaired at MS (obviously only if covered by warranty).

Just look at the manufacturing date behind the X360, it should not be over 3 years old (as E74 is most common on Zephyrs not Xenons). Try to convince a rep using that piece of info (the mfg date), maybe you can actually convince one.

You've actually reminded me of the past Xmas. At the time, I got a Zephyr with the E74 error, and repaired it for something like nine times (it was the Xmas present for a friend of mine, because at the time everyone of my friends knew that I repaired broken X360s, so they could get them for cheap) before my friend actually gave up. Then we got a RROD'd Xenon (it was his third try, and the Zephyr was the second, the first one was a badly smashed up Xenon, which had CAR-SIZE SCREWS IN IT as a RRoD fix try from the previous owner... needless to say that just after I had opened it, the guy which sold it to me as a non-opened one disappeared), I fixed it, and he's still playing happily to this day

Good luck!

I would hate to have it work here, then break down before return or hours to days after.

i think you'll be fine for that (since it's not in use) - it's just a question of whether the fix lasts after some use be it a week or months

just fixed my xbox which also had e74 last week, but haven't really used it for more than 2 hrs of play so far - so i'm pretty paranoid myself but i'll put it through it's paces with dragon age (when my order of Aones come in)

The longest a E74-repaired 360 lasted for me was 2 weeks. Good luck.

 

[Originality]

The first E74 xbox I repaired is still working, however when playing games it has a tendency to show purple scanlines in more graphic-intensive levels for up to a minute then it just disappears. This is about 5 months after I originally fixed it.

As mentioned, I also have had Xboxes that keep coming back with E74. If I had some electrical tape, I'd try the penny tricks, but Christmas is fast approaching and my level of funding is fast declining.

It probably depends on the specific problem, whether or not E74 will come back and how long it'll take.

 

[godsakes]

I would hate to have it work here, then break down before return or hours to days after.

i think you'll be fine for that (since it's not in use) - it's just a question of whether the fix lasts after some use be it a week or months

just fixed my xbox which also had e74 last week, but haven't really used it for more than 2 hrs of play so far - so i'm pretty paranoid myself but i'll put it through it's paces with dragon age (when my order of Aones come in)

The longest a E74-repaired 360 lasted for me was 2 weeks. Good luck.

well mine lasted for a whole 2hrs ha ha

 

[driverzx]

I've Had this error. Sent it To M$ flashed, Got it back a week later, working. They replaced the WHOLE motherboard and DVD drive, so you have to flash it again.

 

[Originality]

Strange, if they're going to replace the mobo and DVD, why not the fans, RF daughterboard and case? Or better yet, just give you a new one to replace the faulty one?

Edit: 300th post

 

[dib]

That seems to be the common response in this age of obsolescence. I'm often left wondering about the extent of training anybody really receives beyond reading scripts off a screen. If the power cord is plugged in, they seem incapable of actually troubleshooting an issue let alone repairing something that doesn't involve replacing the entire unit. I think there's some aphorism toward the effect--something about killing the patient to cure the disease?

But how do you know it was only those components replaced? Did you discreetly mark them before shipping it?