Gaming RRoD paranoia

gaboumafou

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
489
Trophies
1
Website
Visit site
XP
534
Country
Canada
Hello,

I just bought an used Xbox 360 from a friend. The Xbox is 1 1/2 year old (it's the "old batch", without HMDI), so it's the model that used to have a lot of RRoD (Red Ring of Death), I think.

So I'm now really paranoid about this RRoD problem...


1. Is the RRoD something that can happen on all (old) consoles? Like, are all systems vulnerable to this, or does some systems have a this problem from start, and some others will last forever without getting it?

2. Is it possible to avoid it, or to reduce chances of getting it? How?

3. Any other thing I should know about it?




Many thanks!

-gaboumafou



PS - Offtopic question: I will flash the firmware, so I bought a big pack of DVD+R DL for my backups. Those are Verbatim, but I noticed (too late) that they are "made in India". Any chance to still get good burns with those?
 
A

armand66

Guest
Heya man, i understand your worry about RROD, but, it's a simple case of good luck vs bad luck with the early consoles. I have a mate who leaves his 360 on anytime he's home, and he's never had RROD since launch, while my launch console died with the RROD 6 months after release (had lots of early signs such as freezing a lot) and has, just died yet again.


Now.

1. Older consoles probably have a higher rate of RROD, but even newer consoles get them, so don't worry about it too much, if it happens, it happens.

2. The RROD problem happens due to how the heatsinks are applied within the 360, including the newer ones. For some reason, however MS fix the RROD still leaves it open to happening again on the same console. But, there are plenty of RROD fixes (with guides) online that you can do yourself, or hire a professional modder to do, that is better than anything MS do with their own "fix".

3. Just common sense, keep the system as well ventilated as possible, even things like making sure to take the discs out afterwards might help. At the end of the day though, it's an actual problem with the interior design of the console, the heat build up inside, which eventually causes some parts to shift in place through expansion. Just bad overall design.



Also, i've bought Verbs from all over the place including India, should be fine, i've only had one of my Verbs have a bad burn, out of the 110 or so 360 games i've burnt.
 

littlestevie

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
234
Trophies
0
Age
35
Location
under a bridge
Website
Visit site
XP
79
Country
it may or may not happen yet,

altho i happen to disagree with saying the MS fix is worse then the DIY ones....

i have seen DIY fixes, such as X-Clamp replacement last less then 5 days before going again.

Microsofts fix is getting much better by the day, and with the introduction of the opus boards it is little to none that i have seen re-offend,
 

gaboumafou

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
489
Trophies
1
Website
Visit site
XP
534
Country
Canada
...but are some consoles "immune" to it, and others have a bigger risk of getting it? Or is it a problem in design with all console, and they all have a risk of breaking one day or another...?

(Don't really know how to ask this...)

Well, anyway, thanks for the answers!
smile.gif
 

littlestevie

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
234
Trophies
0
Age
35
Location
under a bridge
Website
Visit site
XP
79
Country
all consoles are potentially at risk,

altho when i was working in a mod shop 99.5% of the RROD's that i saw were all from the same factory... which also happens to make the PS3.


i have 10 RROD motherboards around here so i just double checked... and that is 10/10 that are from the same factory fortunatly my only working one was made in the same factory so there is some hope (its on 24 hours a day pretty much) but it has temp RROD'd twice, i turned it off and back on...

having said this i put in the rev2 (rrod repair) heatsink


Edit: to find out what factory it was made in its the last 2 digits of the S/N, it will be 05, 06, or 07. all cases i have seen are on 06
 

Prime

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
3,663
Trophies
0
Age
33
Location
Under your bed
Website
Visit site
XP
571
Country
gaboumafou said:
...but are some consoles "immune" to it, and others have a bigger risk of getting it? Or is it a problem in design with all console, and they all have a risk of breaking one day or another...?

(Don't really know how to ask this...)

Well, anyway, thanks for the answers!
smile.gif

Nope, no 360 is immune to the RROD.

The early models have a bigger rick due to microsoft improving the design in latter models.
 

BiscuitBee

Semi-Resident Cookie-Bug
Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
691
Trophies
1
Location
Canada
Website
Visit site
XP
331
Country
Canada
My first 360 RRoD of me about 6 months back. It was one of the soon-after-launch models 1.5 years ago, also. After getting a replacement, I was kinda' paranoid, too, so I bought an external case fan that latches onto the back of my Xbox.

It's been swell so far and I can really feel the difference between using and not using the external fan.

If you do decide to buy a fan, get the one(s) that have their own power supply as there have been odd/weird/bad stories about the fans that piggy-back on the Xbox 360's power plug.
 

Prime

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
3,663
Trophies
0
Age
33
Location
Under your bed
Website
Visit site
XP
571
Country
BiscuitBee said:
My first 360 RRoD of me about 6 months back. It was one of the soon-after-launch models 1.5 years ago, also. After getting a replacement, I was kinda' paranoid, too, so I bought an external case fan that latches onto the back of my Xbox.

It's been swell so far and I can really feel the difference between using and not using the external fan.

If you do decide to buy a fan, get the one(s) that have their own power supply as there have been odd/weird/bad stories about the fans that piggy-back on the Xbox 360's power plug.

Even at that, it will still not stop the RROD
wink.gif


But it is a good waste of money.
 

TaMs

Randomizer
Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
1,129
Trophies
0
Age
33
XP
350
Country
Finland
From what i know RROD can happen to any console, any time.

ps. most of the dvds are made in china or similar place anyway. So India can't be that bad? I don't know
biggrin.gif
 

BiscuitBee

Semi-Resident Cookie-Bug
Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
691
Trophies
1
Location
Canada
Website
Visit site
XP
331
Country
Canada
Prime said:
BiscuitBee said:
My first 360 RRoD of me about 6 months back. It was one of the soon-after-launch models 1.5 years ago, also. After getting a replacement, I was kinda' paranoid, too, so I bought an external case fan that latches onto the back of my Xbox.

It's been swell so far and I can really feel the difference between using and not using the external fan.

If you do decide to buy a fan, get the one(s) that have their own power supply as there have been odd/weird/bad stories about the fans that piggy-back on the Xbox 360's power plug.

Even at that, it will still not stop the RROD
wink.gif


But it is a good waste of money.

While the possibility of the RRoD is still true, I don't believe it was a waste of cash. (I think you are referring to the Fan and not the Xbox!)

Running a bit cooler is good for any[EDIT: MOST] devices
 

lenselijer

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,532
Trophies
1
XP
839
Country
Netherlands
every 360 will eventually get the rrod.

the problem is the connection of the coolers on the CPU and GPU.
if you get RROD then the solder under the GPU came loose.
to repair this you need to replace the x-clamps with 4 screws, this will even the pressure on the chips and make the 360 work again.
with this method i fixed over 25 360 consoles now, and none of them gave the rrod again
smile.gif
 

littlestevie

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
234
Trophies
0
Age
35
Location
under a bridge
Website
Visit site
XP
79
Country
BiscuitBee said:
Prime said:
BiscuitBee said:
My first 360 RRoD of me about 6 months back. It was one of the soon-after-launch models 1.5 years ago, also. After getting a replacement, I was kinda' paranoid, too, so I bought an external case fan that latches onto the back of my Xbox.

It's been swell so far and I can really feel the difference between using and not using the external fan.

If you do decide to buy a fan, get the one(s) that have their own power supply as there have been odd/weird/bad stories about the fans that piggy-back on the Xbox 360's power plug.

Even at that, it will still not stop the RROD
wink.gif


But it is a good waste of money.

While the possibility of the RRoD is still true, I don't believe it was a waste of cash. (I think you are referring to the Fan and not the Xbox!)

Running a bit cooler is good for any[EDIT: MOST] devices

i have done tests on consoles with those clip on fans, if anything they make the chances higher,

they do not cool but rather cause the air to stall the reason it feels cooler is because its 1) faster spinning fan 2) not pumping as much air.

in a wind tunnel type test with a coloured smoke flowing thru i found it is about 50% reduction in airflow, 2 fans behind eachother does not mean more airflow, but rather restrictions on airflow.

EDIT: Laser thermometer even gave 10 degrees c hotter at the base of the cpu and gpu
 

BiscuitBee

Semi-Resident Cookie-Bug
Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
691
Trophies
1
Location
Canada
Website
Visit site
XP
331
Country
Canada
About the PS:

I've been having pretty good luck with Memorex, FujiFilm and Verb. I do tend to go for the Singapore Verbatims instead of the India, but I think I've only had 1 or 2 failures with the India. My beef with the India discs is the physical. One of them was visibly defective! That is a low number, though.

Of them all, I usually get Memorex and/or Fuji because they're cheaper where I live.
 

littlestevie

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
234
Trophies
0
Age
35
Location
under a bridge
Website
Visit site
XP
79
Country
lenselijer said:
every 360 will eventually get the rrod.

the problem is the connection of the coolers on the CPU and GPU.
if you get RROD then the solder under the GPU came loose.
to repair this you need to replace the x-clamps with 4 screws, this will even the pressure on the chips and make the 360 work again.
with this method i fixed over 25 360 consoles now, and none of them gave the rrod again
smile.gif

only in some cases will the x-clamp fix do that.... sometimes it is not infact the gpu but rather the ram on the bottom either overheating or the balls cracking
 

jalaneme

Female Gamer
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
6,262
Trophies
1
Location
London
Website
www.youtube.com
XP
650
Country
if you can gaboumafou i would suggest you get your 360 insured, unless you are planning to mod the console? i personally would never touch a 360 ever until microsoft fix this problem, it shouldn't be there at all full stop.
 

754boy

:D
Banned
Joined
Oct 24, 2002
Messages
3,468
Trophies
0
Age
43
Location
Mississippi
Website
Visit site
XP
204
Country
United States
jalaneme said:
if you can gaboumafou i would suggest you get your 360 insured, unless you are planning to mod the console? i personally would never touch a 360 ever until microsoft fix this problem, it shouldn't be there at all full stop.

While I agree with you that the RROD problem shouldn't have been there in the first place, the allure of free games was just too much for me to resist
grog.gif
 

Armadillo

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Messages
4,262
Trophies
3
XP
5,201
Country
United Kingdom
754boy said:
jalaneme said:
if you can gaboumafou i would suggest you get your 360 insured, unless you are planning to mod the console? i personally would never touch a 360 ever until microsoft fix this problem, it shouldn't be there at all full stop.

While I agree with you that the RROD problem shouldn't have been there in the first place, the allure of free games was just too much for me to resist
grog.gif


Same , free games are too power full , can't resist . Wouldn't put up with the hardware if it wasn't for that.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2: Sorry for accidentally bending over