How to Fix the Laser in an Xbox 360

Xbox 360 Disassembly

• 1

  Place a bath towel on a table. Remove all cables from the Xbox 360 and place it horizontally on the bath towel with the power button facing you.

• 2

  Grab the top left edge of the faceplate with one hand while pulling up on the USB door at the bottom right edge with the other. Remove the faceplate from the Xbox 360 and place it aside for reassembly later.

• 3

  Insert the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver into the top hole closest to you in the ventilation grill on the right side of the console. Push the plastic tab inside of the hole inwards with the tip of the flat-edged screwdriver. Repeat this procedure with the top hole farthest from you in the ventilation grill. Repeat the entire procedure with the ventilation grill on the left side of the console.

• 4

  Turn the Xbox 360 over. Pull up on the bottom shelf. Remove the 14 exposed screws with theTorx screwdriver. Turn the Xbox 360 right side up. Pull off the outer case with both hands. Place the outer case aside for reassembly later.

• 5

  Pull the two plastic inserts off the Xbox 360 and place them aside for reassembly later. Remove the screws from the back panel with the Torx screwdriver. Pull the back panel off and place it aside for reassembly later.

• 6

  Remove the screws from around the metal plate on the top of the Xbox 360 with the Torx screwdriver.

• 7

  Locate the DVD drive snear the center of the Xbox 360, next to the hard drive. Remove the screws from around the DVD drive with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver.

Cleaning the Laser

• 8

  Lift up the DVD drive. Remove the plastic drive holder from beneath the DVD player. Place the plastic drive holder aside for reassembly later.

• 9

  Remove the screw from each side of the drive's top with the Phillips jeweler's screwdriver. Lift the top cover plate off the DVD drive with your fingers. Unplug the two connectors from the back of the DVD drive. Remove the DVD drive from the Xbox 360 and place it face up on the bath towel.

• 10

  Moisten a cotton swab in distilled alcohol. Place the cotton swab against the rim of the spindle at the center of the DVD drive. Rotate the spindle with one hand while holding the cotton swab against the rim. Stop rotating the spindle after three complete revolutions.

• 11

  Dispose of the cotton swab in the trash. Let the spindle's rim dry off for five minutes.

• 12

  Moisten another cotton swab in distilled alcohol. Gently wipe around the surface of the laser in the cutout metal plate to the left of the spindle. Wipe off the plate with the cotton swab. Dispose of the cotton swab in the trash.

• 13

  Let the laser and plate dry off for five minutes.

• 14

  Place the plastic drive holder beneath the DVD drive. Reattach the two connectors to the back of the DVD drive. Place the DVD drive back in the Xbox 360. Place the top cover plate back on. Reattach the screws.

• 15

  Reattach the screws around the base of the DVD drive. Place the metal top back on. Reattach the screws. Place the plastic inserts and back panel back on. Reattach the screws to the back panel. Place the outer case back on.

• 16

  Turn the Xbox 360 over. Reattach the faceplate and return the console to its original location. Reattach all of the cables that were removed.