[Stallion]

Hacking Your Xbox 360 Fan

Dismantling the 360

Dismantling the Xbox 360 with the Unlock Kit V2 turned out to be easier than we thought it be would without instructions. Honestly, we did get stuck once, but it only took a few minutes to figure out what to do.

The first step is to find a nice, clean workplace. Bring in the 360, sans cables (it's important to disconnect everything, including the A/V, Ethernet and power cables before proceeding). Pop out the hard drive (if your 360 has one) by pressing the button next to it and gently removing it. Store it away from your work area.

To replace the 360's fan, follow these steps.

1. Remove the faceplate. The easiest way to do this is to flip the 360 upside down, stick your thumb through the USB port cover, and gently pull the faceplate away.

Removing the Faceplate
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The Faceplate is Off
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2. Remove the sides. This is the tricky part. The original Unlock Kit had a thin, metal prod designed to release the tabs that hold the sides on. V2 doesn't. We ended up using the three studs that protrude out of one side of the larger metal tool that the kit contains.

To remove the hard drive side of the 360 (the side on the left when the 360 is facing you right side up), slide the long, thin prod of the unlock tool into the square holes as shown. Then, twist the tool away from the opposite square hole.

Insert Tool Here…
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Insert the Tool Here…
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Gently pry the side panel away from the case. Peer through the air holes and locate the tabs holding the side in place. Insert one of the protruding studs, on the side of the large tool with three such studs, into the holes adjacent the tabs to release them.

Release the Tabs
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For the opposite side, you don't have to worry about any square holes. Simply pry at the side while using the tool to release the tabs holding it in place.

3. Cut the Microsoft sticker. It's located on the front of the 360, where the faceplate was once mounted, near the USB ports.

When you do this, there's no going back. You are now voiding the Xbox 360 warranty. Continued...

4. With the 360 upside-down and facing you, locate four clips. Gently pry them apart, while separating the top and bottom of the plastic Xbox 360 casing.

Prying the Clips
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Lifting the Bottom off the 360
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5. Now: you have two separate metal tools with small nubs on one side. With the Xbox 360 still upside-down, and the rear of the unit facing you, the smaller tool fits three small rectangular holes on the right side. The larger tool's nubs match up with five similar holes on the left. Beneath those holes are tabs holding the 360 together; using these tools' nubs, press the tabs in to release the rear of the case.

The Small Tool Goes on the Right
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The Large Tool Goes On the Left
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6. Lift the plastic casing apart to expose the metal chassis. Be careful of the DVD-ROM button; you'll have to maneuver it slightly to get the case apart. When the metal chassis is exposed, look at the various TORX screws.

The Chassis Exposed!
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7. Using the TORX10 driver, remove the screws shown. It's unnecessary to remove any except the six shown here.

Follow the Green Arrows
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8. Using care, because the optical drive is loose and floating in the chassis, lift the chassis apart. Do not touch the circuit board or any of the chips or other items without first planting your feet and grounding yourself to eliminate built-up staReplacing the Fan Unit

Replacing the fan is simple. It requires only a medium-sized, flat head screwdriver and some patience.

1. Pull the white, plastic air tunnel upward from the front of the 360. Note that a clip in the rear of the 360 holds the back of the tunnel in place. Using the flat head screwdriver, peer under the tunnel and locate the tab release slot. Press the screwdriver into it to pop the tab out, and lift out the air tunnel.

Remove the Air Tunnel
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The Fan!
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2. Now examine the fan unit. It's held in place by two small nubs that pass through the metal chassis above it. It's also plugged in for power; remove the plug now.

Unplug the Fan
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3. Now pry the chassis gently upward away from the fan, just enough to free the two nubs on the fan unit. Pull the fan unit forward and remove it.

Pry the Chassis
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Remove the Fan Unit
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4. Pop the new Whisper Fan into place, in the exact orientation that the old fan was in. Plug it in, and you're done.





Visiting the link will give you pictures which are very helpful