Xbox 360 Teardown

ID: 1203

Description: The Microsoft Xbox 360 released in 2005, is one...

The Xbox 360 is one of the most powerful gaming consoles on the market. I may have the Halo 3 Edition, but the dissasembly for all models is the same.
The disassembly of this console is not easy, but with some patience you can do it.
This Disassembly also works with HDMI models, and Non-HDMI models

Begin by removing the hard drive, (skip this step if your console doesn't have a hard drive)
Press the button on the hard drive, then pull up near the front. Once the front is removed, slide the drive forward and then lift the drive out.

Removing the Face-Plate
Put two fingers into the USB port area, then push down, while pulling the face-plate towards you.

Removing The Top Bezel
Make sure the console is standing up. Then look into the grill.
The red circles mark the location of tabs (like this on the other side too). Together there are 6. To pull off the top grill, use a small round object to insert into the holes onto the tab, then pull up on the grill, freeing it partially. You need to do this to all 6 tabs to ensure you don't break them. Then lift the grill up. This process is the same for the top and bottom.
The Tabs Are Circled In Yellow
As you can see, I got lazy and broke two of them. Try not to do the same, yet as long as most of the tabs are there, it should still go back on. So don't sweat it, if you break them.

The Bottom Grill
Flip the console over, and remove the bottom grill the same way you removed the top one.
Once you are done removing the grills, both the top and the bottom should look like this.(3rd Photo)

The Point of No Return
That little thing that I am pointing at, with a screwdriver, is the "Microsoft Seal". It is a sticker that you must remove to continue. It is the warranty sticker. Mine has already been removed, and once you remove it, you will see why you can't put it back on. This is the point of no return, but if you heat it up a little, you can certainly reduce this

Once you break the Microsoft seal, we can continue. Start by taking multiple flathead screwdriver bits or 4 spudgers (The most common spudger is a black or yellow nylon stick with a metal hook at one end.) and put them in these 4 latches to hold them open.
After all 4 tabs are held open, pull up on the top half of the case. The bits should pop out(don't lose them!). Lift the case up and make sure the tabs don't reconnect.

Lift the half up and then flip the console upright, and make sure that you don't let the tabs close.

Removing the bottom half.
This next step is hard, but I promise that the bottom half comes off.
Using a small flathead screwdriver, pry these tabs apart. It's hard to show how to remove the clips, but you'll see soon enough.
Using a flathead screwdriver, pop out all 7 tabs. It's hard to do this without causing some damage to the casing.
You can unlock the tabs without causing any damage by using a x-acto knife insted

Removing the bottom/right half.
These pictures should explain how it's done.
Once all tabs are free, flip the console back over and lift the bottom half off.

Removing the Top Half
Using a small flathead screwdriver, or a spudger, remove the eject button assembly.
It should come off easily, but some models have adhesive, making the process slightly harder.

Removing the top half.
Flip the console over and remove the 6 T10 Screws. They should each be 2.5" long, if not, you removed the wrong screws.
Then flip the console back over, holding it by both the plastic and the metal.

Removing the DVD Drive.
It is a SATA DVD drive with a proprietary Xbox power connector.
Lift the drive up near the back revealing the connectors.
Remove both the power and SATA cables from the drive. Be careful when doing this, the connectors are fragile.
Pull the drive out of the console. There may be tape on the front of the drive holding it in, remove the tape.
Set the drive aside.

Removing the Fans.
Remove the 3-Pin power connector from the logic board. This is the same connector used in some PC fans.
Using a flathead screwdriver, pry the fans toward you.
Pull the fans toward you, then lift them out of the casing.

Removing the logic board.
Remove these T10 Screws from the bottom metal casing, there may be more than the number circled, just remove them all.
If they are present, remove these T8 Screws from the bottom metal casing.
Flip the casing over.
With a little persuasion, the logic board should lift out of the casing.

This board has advanced cooling for the Graphics Processor Unit (GPU). This is the true mothership of your Xbox 360.
Custom ATi "Xenos" GPU with up to 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM, with a dedicated die on the GPU to 10 MB of eDRAM, shared with the CPU via Shared Memory Architecture
IBM PowerPC "Xenos" CPU with 3 cores, each running at 3.20 GHz with up to 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM, shared with the GPU via Shared Memory Architecture
Memory Card Ports
Proprietary Hard Drive Port, supporting up to SATA II (300 MB/s)
HDMI Port, supporting version 1.2, and a Video Port, supporting Composite, S-Video, VGA, and Component (also SCART in Europe)
Power Port