Hey Everyone! I have 3 original Xboxes that I'd like to get into best shape as possible, so that I can get rid of one or two of them. Given the descriptions of each Xbox below, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share any guidance regarding how to "fix" and/or deal with each of these Xboxes' quirks. Xbox 1 Mfg Date: 2001-11-06, Hungary Description: My first Xbox! The one and only time I was an early adopter. However, this one was plagued by having one of those early Thomson drives, and basically made "newer" games unplayable (Even Madden '02 started freezing saying the disc was dirty, causing Freshman in High School me to erroneously buy a disk cleaner for an immaculate Madden '02, a problem fixed by buying a memory card, Madden '04 wouldn't boot half the time, and even Project Gotham would skip trying to access its music at the end of a race. Oh, and Halo 2 was always a crapshoot, but as long as I didn't pause too much, I'd be okay...). I think its performance has gotten worse over time. Thing is, the system itself was treated well, and still purrs like a kitten. Xbox 2 Mfg Date: 2003-07-30, China Description: Bought this for $35 a couple years ago at a Half Price Books. Drive looks like a Thomson (newer one?!) and works well. However, the console has a constant "whirring" noise that makes it sound louder than "Xbox 1" or "Xbox 3." Is that a hard drive issue? Maybe came from a smoker's home? I can't quite tell - it smelled a lot more when I first bought it. Still works. Xbox 3 Mfg Date: 2003-09-15, China Description: Bought for $30 at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Brookfield, WI this past year. Like Xbox 1, it purrs like a kitten, however, this one has a Samsung drive. However, the Samsung drive is stuck - needs to be pried open to play. It's also got a lot of scratch marks around the drive opening to show that the stuck drive has been played with for awhile and maybe the previous owner had enough. If it didn't have the stuck drive, it probably would be my best performing Xbox. If you had these three Xboxes, what would you do so make the best use of them? Or, what would you at least do to make a couple of them as fully armed and operational as possible? Thanks in advance for any help you are able to give!
Xbox #1 probably needs a new laser or open the drive and clean the laser with a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. Clean all the dust out of it too and relube the rail's with some white grease on a toothpick. Xbox #2 whirling sound is probably the small fan on the gpu. Clean the dust out of it and especially the fan's and replace the small fan if necessary. Since the drive works good leave that alone. Xbox #3 The samsung drive just needs a new drive belt. Cost less then $1. Also clean the drive inside out and regrease the rail's.
Well with xbox #2 its very likely Not a version 1.0 xbox with the gpu fan if its a 2003 unit, My bet is it has one of the older style Seagate drives in it with a loud motor. I have quite a few units that have a loud "Whirring" noise to them due to those drives.
Thanks so much for the replies, everyone! Over the past decade, my main attention has gone to "classic" gaming - at least a system or two behind due to $$$ and time (and probably nostalgia). Looks like I have some fun simple projects ahead. The only time I've ever opened anything up was when I swapped sound boards on two game gears. Fun stuff! However, I'm a molecular biologist by training, so I'll be careful. Can someone back me up with the idea that the early Xboxes made in Hungary had really bad drives? Like, the Thomson 1.0s had bad lasers or something? I recall reading about this online like 10-12 years ago... How would I replace the laser? I bet it does need cleaning at this point, but I'm fairly confident it goes beyond that - as in replacing the laser. Too bad, cause the first Xbox is the one with the most sentimental value. (2001 mfg date, yeeeeeah!) If the loud motor isn't "bad" on Xbox 2, then all the better. The humming and whirring of original Xboxes are the best. Thanks!
Just the Thompson drive alone is the slowest, and the less durable. Swap with a Hitachi-LG drive, or a Philips V2. Samsung trays get stuck unless you know where to find a replacement band.
any measurements or product codes for that? i just remember having a samsung drive with a similiar problem. if else, continue this thread
Good gravy - now I remember why I bought Xbox #2 in the first place - most of the drives I'm finding on eBay are like $28-$35 just for themselves (and a lot of them are the Thomson ones...aahhhh!)! Any tips on something more in the $10-15 range? Is that something I should be posting in the "want to buy" forum? And yes, tips for how to obtain the proper drive belt for the Samsung would be great!
I get them on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Belts-S...579?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d301ecdb http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-DVD-Dri...-fix-parts-repair-fast-shipping-/111292665110 But what nidge says does work too. I usually clean them, then boil them in a cup of water in the microwave, dry and replace. That usualy shrinks it enough to make the belt work. Also you can put some clear nail polish under the lid on the black piece(spindle) to lessen the strength of the magnet so tray will open more easily.
Yep that's what I do Also works on CD Players, DVD Recorders etc... any sort of drive with a belt really Video Recorders, Cassette decks, 8 tracks???
Hey! Update! I basically did the procedure outlined in the YouTube video - took the belt off with some tweezers, washed it with soap and water, cleaned up the gears with Q-tips of some 70% isopropyl alcohol, put the belt back on after drying it, and it worked! Woohoo! Xbox #3 is now a fully armed and operational battle station. Thanks guys!
