What causes the Xbox 360 Original RROD, Red Ring of Death or GPU fault?
There are many contributing factors to this fault. The first is the use of lead-free solder. Much has been documented online about how lead-free alloys are not as durable as leaded solder. The GPU is bonded to the motherboard by a BGA (Ball Grid Array) method which is a grid of tiny solder connections. Over time the solder deteriorates through heat stress. Also, the motherboard itself slightly warps over time through the heating up and cooling down process and this can cause the solder connections to break. When the connections break the Xbox will show a red light.
You may also experience an overheating message or the Xbox may turn on and operate normally for a short period of time before it fails. This can be due to the fact that as the Xbox heats up the motherboard expands with the heat and then pulls the connections apart. The Xbox may also freeze when this happens.
Poor ventilation can be another cause. Keeping the Xbox in a TV cabinet can restrict the airflow and cause it to overheat. We have seen before that just moving the console out of a TV cabinet or away from a radiator can allow the console to run like normal.
How do we repair the Xbox 360?
The first thing we do before any repair is test the console to confirm the fault. We then strip the Xbox down, cleaning the dust out as we go. We then clean up the motherboard and remove all of the old thermal paste. We use a controlled machine that remelts the solder and straightens the motherboard so the connections are reformed.
We rebuild the console and the repair person carries out an initial test before the console is passed over to our saturation test bench. We test all functions and run the console through a number of heat cycles to ensure the problem doesn't return. All GPU repairs are tested for a minimum of 8 hours.
