Thermal paste
Let the console cool fully before opening it, and never run the board without the heatsinks attached, even briefly. The processors can overheat in seconds.
Replacing Thermal Paste
The factory thermal compound on an aging Xbox 360 dries out and loses its ability to move heat from the CPU and GPU into the heatsinks. Refreshing it is one of the cheapest ways to lower temperatures and reduce the risk of another RROD.
- Open and access. Remove the case and the metal X-clamps or screws holding the heatsinks, then lift the heatsinks off the chips.
- Clean. Wipe away every trace of old paste from both the chips and the heatsink bases using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
- Apply. Place a small amount of fresh paste on each die. A pea-sized dot or thin spread is plenty; too much insulates rather than conducts.
- Reassemble. Refit the heatsinks evenly so pressure is balanced across the chip, then reattach the cooling and case.
Notes
- A quality non-conductive paste is worth the small extra cost.
- Replacing paste pairs naturally with a reflow or reball, since the heatsinks are already off.
- More is not better. Excess paste squeezes onto surrounding components.
maintenance cooling