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Attention Original Xbox owners - Remove the Time Capacitor before it's too late!
- Thread starter TheChaos0
- Start date
SolidChamp
Banned
Someone needs to shop a real MS execs face into this one.
sixteen-bit
Member
nice zinger
???
HF2014
Member
Thanks for the heads up.
I performed this surgery on my Xbox (manufactured in 2002) today and, though I am all thumbs without a mechanically minded bone in my body, I managed to remove the capacitor and get her all back together with minimal fuss.
No leak, by the way. Capacitor looked fine. Though my Xbox is lightly used and has spent the past several years stored in a Tupperware box in the cool, dry basement.
Anyway--peace of mind.
Now to finally play and finish Silent Hill 2!
I performed this surgery on my Xbox (manufactured in 2002) today and, though I am all thumbs without a mechanically minded bone in my body, I managed to remove the capacitor and get her all back together with minimal fuss.
No leak, by the way. Capacitor looked fine. Though my Xbox is lightly used and has spent the past several years stored in a Tupperware box in the cool, dry basement.
Anyway--peace of mind.
Now to finally play and finish Silent Hill 2!
I checked my Xbox and found that the capacitor was leaking. I simply wiggled it off and cleaned it up with distilled water. What added a tiny bit more difficulty for me was that I wanted to confirm the model type first but the back sticker with the serial info had somehow been rubbed blank. I opened the console up and used the steps on http://www.xbox-scene.com/versions_1.php to determine I had a 1.4 model. Also as the capacitor layout is different than the earlier models shown in the video, I used http://dannygalaga.com/xbox.html as an additional reference to make sure I removed the right one.
This was really easy and the experience has lead me to start researching how to properly repair my old 360
PS: first post
This was really easy and the experience has lead me to start researching how to properly repair my old 360
PS: first post
goldenpp72
Member
Any tips on cleaning out the inside of a console (dust wise) ? I just did this procedure on mine (not much leaking, should be good) but figured I should clean it while i'm in there as it's filthy.
MMaRsu
Member
Holy shit I just bumped into this topic via google search, I know it's old but I might as well bump it for any other folks like me who just discovered this and have a few Xboxes in their home.
I have two myself, will open them up tomorrow and tear out these time capacitors.
Thanks for the tip!
I have two myself, will open them up tomorrow and tear out these time capacitors.
Thanks for the tip!
Glorified G
Member
I recently stumbled upon this thread/issue. Is there any reports of Xbox's manufactured after 04/2004 (1.6) having leaking capacitors? I'm doing some searching around and it seems the only capacitors going bad are Xbox's made before this date.
I don't know if versions Xbox 1.6 onwards are truly ticking time bombs or have improved capacitors.
I don't know if versions Xbox 1.6 onwards are truly ticking time bombs or have improved capacitors.
I removed mine today after stumbling upon the thread a week or so ago.
Pretty easy to do. Now I should buy a DVD drive that actually fits in my console, this after market samsung one I have in it with half the case not screwed shut is ugly.
I should just buy a new Xbox actually.
Pretty easy to do. Now I should buy a DVD drive that actually fits in my console, this after market samsung one I have in it with half the case not screwed shut is ugly.
I should just buy a new Xbox actually.
Blitzrules240
Banned
I hate that game so much.I know just the guy for this job
riskVSreward
Member
When I added a new HD to mine a few years back, I accidentally snipped the fan cable. I have since put it away because I was too lazy at the time to fix it. Now this thread is having me consider just chucking the damn thing out. At one time it was a nice all-in-one emulator machine for me but a lot of that appeal has worn off.
I still want it to play Shenmue 2 and a few other exclusive games to be honest... and I definitely don't want to get a new one and have to track down a mod and install that all over again. Oi vay!
I still want it to play Shenmue 2 and a few other exclusive games to be honest... and I definitely don't want to get a new one and have to track down a mod and install that all over again. Oi vay!
daTRUballin
Member
What is this old thread doing back up? I remember I warned my friend about this a year ago when this thread was first made. 
Edit: I wasn't even registered on GAF back then yet.
Edit: I wasn't even registered on GAF back then yet.
Sega Playstation
Neo Member
mine has a date of 11-14-2004. Is that in the window for being version 1.6 ? Also what type of capacitor is needed to replace the faulty one?
FUNKNOWN iXi
Member
This thread may have saved some lives, actual lives. Kudos, OP.
This was a year ago? Pheeew, time flies. My box still works and I hope the same to all your boxes out there.
Mine is the same and should be 1.6, haven't had any problems yet, I'd worry more about the HDD dying.
Neo-Saiyan
Member
I'm a bit confused as well, from what I understand, the capacitor is supposed to keep the time going even when the Xbox is unplugged right? But as with the dude that I quoted, my Xbox from day 1 has always resetted the time after being unplugged...
So what the hell does that mean? Our Xboxes doesn't have a capacitor or something?
Edit: Tooked it out of storage and fired it up, everything seemed to be in working order as far as I can tell
The Real Napsta
Member
None of my Xbox consoles have EVER remembered the time after being unplugged.
What gives GAF?
What gives GAF?
Well, of course. First you have to accelerate your time capacitor to 88 miles per hour.
D
Deleted member 126221
Unconfirmed Member
Thanks for the bump. I completely forgot to remove mine. Good thing this thread reminded me to do so; it had already started leaking. Thankfully, I removed it and cleaned everything up without problem, and the console is still working perfectly.
I imagine working Xboxes will be super-rare and valuable one day if all consoles are affected by this problem!
I imagine working Xboxes will be super-rare and valuable one day if all consoles are affected by this problem!
Can't comment on reliability, but the 1.6 uses a different brand of capacitors.
1.21Gigawatts
Banned
And then I come into play. Just send me a PM and we can make an appointment.
FunkyDealer
Banned
Thanks for the heads up! I've just removed the capacitor from my PAL 1.2/1.3 Xbox, the process was simple once I worked out what version I had and that I was removing the correct thingymajig. There seemed to be some mild leakage, so I got rid of that and most of the dust.
Haven't tried the system again yet though, I pulled it out of a drawer and put it back afterwards. Need to hook it up to a telly soon just to check though.
Haven't tried the system again yet though, I pulled it out of a drawer and put it back afterwards. Need to hook it up to a telly soon just to check though.
finally got around to checking my xbox (despite posting on page two that i would, and that was several months ago) and sure enough my xbox is version 1.6.
gold capacitor, no leakage.
i'll probably still have to fix this sooner or later.
my question is if anyone with v1.6 has experienced leakage
gold capacitor, no leakage.
i'll probably still have to fix this sooner or later.
my question is if anyone with v1.6 has experienced leakage
I've pretty much deduced that I have a version 1.4 (Focus video chip, 1.5 is rare enough that I can assume it's probably not that), and I'm wondering if I have the right capacitor.
The circled one, C7G2/C7G3, is what I believe is the time capacitor, but I'm not 100% certain. Also, it looks like nothing's leaked yet, but I do see a slight bit of corrosion here. Anyone here able to confirm that I have the right one before I rip this bad boy out?
I have the same model motherboard, and that circled capacitor is indeed the correct one. Go ahead, and yank that sucker right out. I pulled mine out today, and everything is kosher. No leaking yet, but I was glad to nip that problem in the bud. And since it was open, I went ahead, and cleaned the inside, and replaced the thermal paste on the CPU, and GPU. I don't know what the hell kind of thermal goop Microsoft used on the GPU, but it was like very sticky gum, and a pain-in-the-ass to remove.
I've read that it possible, but the hard part is finding a place to put it where it won't make contact with anything on the motherboard, and cause a short. I didn't even bother, and will live with the very slight hassle of having to set the time every time that the Xbox is unplugged.
What kind of battery would I use? I would probably just end up gluing it somewhere on the case.
Just a regular non-rechargeable one?
I followed the instructions tonight and successfully removed the clock capacitator. Unfortunately I have a cluster of capacitators on the other side of the motherboard that have leaked all over each other. My Xbox will run for an hour at most before it automatically shuts itself off.
Glorified G
Member
Fingers kept crossed on the latter.
Wildschwein
Member
It looks like I've got a 1.6, so here's hoping I'm in the clear. I didn't want to dig the thing out, but I lucked out by finding out that Panzer Dragoon Orta had some very specific output issues on 1.6 models that I thoroughly remember having.
Yeah, you would probably want a rechargeable battery in there.
Yours is probably a 1.6 motherboard meaning that you must have the capacitor. You cannot simply remove it, and expect it to run like the earlier models. Good news is that your capacitor is likely of a higher quality, and should last a good while.
Check this website to help verify what revision you have.
chronic_archaic
Member
I've got one of the last consoles they produced (July 2005) and it's definitely a 1.6 - no capacitor leak last time I looked at the motherboard. I wonder if having a softmod (auto sets the clock) would let me remove it though.