Hacking second-hand 360 DVD drive stuck. What should I do?

[codezer0]

So here's the issue.

I got a white 360 second-hand. Belonged to my fiance's brother, and he'd moved out and since replaced that console, so we got to pick it up for a song. Far as I can tell, it functions normally, and obviously been untouched modding-wise. The only problem? Well...

For whatever reason, hitting eject on the dash I hear it seem like the motor is trying to push it out, but I see no movement. Upon opening the console (it was well past any warranty it might have had at this point, being a phat - curiously the same revision and dvd drive series as my elite, too!), what I see happening is that the drive tray won't come out... like it's stuck on something. About the only way that I'd been able to solve this was by lifting/taking the top metal part of the housing off. However, this has its own obvious problems, such as the fact that it definitely won't be safe running it like this. I have considered using spacers to lift the top up enough to let the tray slide in and out as it should. Yet this too also poses the problem that it won't let the console be reassembled properly again.

So it appears my next avenue would be to replace the DVD drive. It is a Liteon 7K series drive in the system. So, what are my options? On pure safety, I would want to find a replacement 7K drive for a 1:1 transfer and get this thing fully operational. However, would I have other options, like say... being able to get an 8k/9k drive and swapping the original's PCB in its place? What other ways could I fix it that I might not have considered?

 

[Clarky]

http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/repair/manual_eject_xbox_360_dvd.htm should help you eject the dvd drive for now at least

 

[codezer0]

that doesn't work. It gets physically stuck, and thus won't come out when it is properly assembled. And that link's instructions are only applicable for a Samsung, Hitachi or BenQ drive. The drive in the system in question is a Liteon 74850c.

 

[Clarky]

and this should help fix the issue http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/xbox-360-samsung-dvd-drive-belt/ I had to do this recently with an original Xbox and it fixed it up very nicely

 

[codezer0]

Hmm... I wonder if that might be all I'd need? Obviously the xbox detects the drive just fine; it's just for some inexplicable reason I have to take the top off because it's almost like it hits that metal bearing that is used to keep the disc in place inside when attempting to eject. I wonder if it would be that simple?

 

[DinohScene]

I'd say ditch the drive and get a new drive.
Transplant the logic board over and you're set ;]

Failing DVD drives just keep on failing and failing.

Edit:
If you got the means to flash a DVD drive then you can take any Liteon drive and flash your keys to it.
Otherwise it's just getting any new Liteon drive (7x 8x 9x) and transplanting the board.
In the 13599 dash update, all Liteons got converted to 02510c

 

[codezer0]

So if I went to amazon now and bought any given LiteOn 16D2S, and just moved the board over, that's fine, right? I just worry if in the event that say, they changed where stuff was like $ony changes where the damn connector goes for the screen on every PSP revision.

 

[DinohScene]

Yep.
Hardware wise, the 7x/8x/9x are exactly the same (hence they can work with 02x firmware)
The only difference is that 7x and sometimes 8x drives are found in Falcon boards (which differ from Jaspers/Kronosses)

But DVD drive wise, their all the same.
Benq's are the same, Most if not all Hitachi's are the same, Sammies are the same.

Iirc, soldering is required to transplant the boards.
But it's not that difficult.
Just 5 wires which are spaced apart and on large connection points.

 

[codezer0]

Wait,what soldering? See, now I'm rather relieved to ask this before I order.

 

[DinohScene]

Ignore the yellow rectangle.

Those 6 wires you see have to be desoldered and resoldered to the new drive assembly.
Just desolder them from the board or snip them away and resolder the new ones from the new drive assembly to the PCB ;]

 

[hundshamer]

I personally fix these very easily. I take out the rubber band, put it in a really small Tupperware in about an inch of water and microwave it for about one minute. Cheap, effective, and no wait. The boiling of rubber reconstitutes and cleans it off. Since it is so easy and cost effective, it's the first thing I try.

 

[codezer0]

That sounds entirely too good to be true, especially considering that all such "home remedy" solutions to fix the shoulder buttons on a GBA SP and a (standard) DSi have both ended up making the problem worse over time. While it might be that gloriously simple, I am immediately suspicious of such a solution actually working permanently.

 

[DinohScene]

I'd say try it.
You got nothing to lose (considering you nearly bought a new drive ;])

 

[hundshamer]

It has worked for more than just 360's like belt driven record players, VCR's, tape players, Walkmen, etc. (wow, I just showed my age). It's cheap and easy. It won't cost a dime, and I only suggested it from experience. I've done it several times. Try it! You may be surprised.

 

[FAST6191]

We can talk about the nature of elastomers and other plastics if you like, also yeah over the long term boiling it is likely to lead to all sorts of nastiness (crystallisation, cracks/crazing.....) but for right now it is worth a try. In other cases like o-rings, seals, gaskets, belts.... just replace the thing but those are all relatively common or can be fabricated easily enough. I am not aware of any sources for these belts though.
While you are at it as well (and it sounds like you practically have the tray out) do clean the teeth on the bottom of the tray.

As for the shoulder buttons the logic is actually very similar. However here the belt is a dumb mechanical part where the switches tend to have a little piece of something else (varies) in them to contact and do what it needs to do.

 

[hundshamer]

You can buy them from eBay for less than $2 USD. In the log run that would be the way to go, but you can get away with boiling them a few times before it is absolutely needed. It will eventually stretch back out as it originally did, but it seems that they last a year or more (depending on usage) between boilings. This also narrows the problem to the belt if it does work out, and he'll know it is a low cost fix when the band gives out again. I also want to add that even a new belt will stretch out and need replacement, so that isn't even a truly permanent fix.

 

[FAST6191]

Actual ones, ones that half work, recovered ones or something else? Probably still functional but ehh.

The 360 drives lack a tensioning option or the option to pinch a bit of the belt off.

 

[hundshamer]

They're listed as new. You can get a lot of 500 for $20 at a buy it now price, but for general use, that's a bit of an overkill.