hardware hacking, help with a dead unit

[Ego]

All:

Greetings! I am completely new to the X-Box hacking scene. I mean, greener than green, I haven't even taken one apart yet. In fact, I don't even own one!

However, I'm comfortable with hacking around with hardware. I build all my own computers, and regularly have my tivos taken apart, and have plenty of extras installed on them.

A buddy of mine's X-Box died on him recently. He tells me it just won't boot the disc at all. I have yet to power it on myself and get more details, but he was about to throw it away and buy a new one. I promptly told him he was insane, and he should at least let me take a crack at it first, and save him $200. He agreed, of course.

So, my question is, what URLs are good for the hardware troubleshooting side? Are there any? I see some links in this forum for software, but nothing hardware related. Are there any other forums out there for x-box hacking? I did some googling, but came up with hardly anything worth-while.

Thanks!

[lord_oberon]

The dvd-rom is a peice of shit. You have a few options one is you find a replacement X-box dvd-rom, two you change it for a standard dvd-rom they talk about it here http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15705 but you wont be able to read x-box media only backups and homebrew, but you would also need to get a modchip for it.

[Nuke2000]

hey this kind of happen to me i tryed modding my xb the very frist mod chip the 30 wires and will i found not i should never use a stoering iron ever.

with 1 dead xb a went to target and got a new one. i work there so if i use my 10% off and if i take the xb back i can ONLY get cach back.

so after getting the new xb home i but the bad one in and took it backi thought to my self i will try it again and well i ****ed that one also.

SO i got other one put the bad one in and took that back. and then send my xb to get mod.

The point of the story is you can buy a new on and take the bad one back. But i got my at Target and used mt 10% AND if you get it at Guest servers where ppl take retens they will not scan the bar code on the xb the computer didn't ask for it. so hope this helps.

[madhatter]

Hey ego, Many of these have thomson or philips drives in them they can be tweaked to read better but as with all tweaking it is a chance it will not work. Under the lens is a pot move it in little bits..lol.... Many of these units where replaced with a samsung sd605 model witch read just about anything you threw at it... Its been a while but samsung still sell a model that can be reprogramed with the sdg605 firmware and will drop right in the xbox. It will fix all your problems..Pm me if you have anyquestions.

[MaK10]

best site out www.xbox-scene.com they have tons of tutorials their forums are pretty good as well.... if the xbox powers up, it can be fixed... if not... need a new power supply :P