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How to Remove an XBox 360 Elite Motherboard

Video game consoles have gotten more complicated since the first ones were sold in the 1970s. The XBox 360 is essentially a complete computer, able to be modified to a traditional PC if necessary. When the motherboard in your XBox 360 breaks, so does the console, rendering it unusable. To fix the problem, you have to replace the motherboard with a new one, which involves completely tearing down the console. First though, you have to remove the old one.

Things You'll Need

XBox 360 Console opening tool
#1 Phillips-head screwdriver
T10 Torx-head driver
Spudger
Towel

Instructions

- 1
  Place the console down on a clean work surface so you can read the XBox 360 logo across the front of the drive. Push the button holding the hard drive to the console and lift the hard drive off of the unit. Pry off the grey panel on the side of the console using the spudger. Repeat for the gray panel on the other side.
- 2
  Pry the faceplate off of the console, starting to the right of the drive. Insert the XBox 360 console opening tool into the front of the panel to pull apart the top and bottom of the plastic casing. Take off just the top of the console to start. Slide the eject button out of the side of the console. Remove the six torx-head screws from the top of the console using the torx-head driver.
- 3
  Turn the console over and lift off the other plastic panel on the console. Pull off the white cover around the power button with the spudger. Unscrew the power button board from the console using the torx-head driver. Lift the optical drive off of the console, then unplug the wires from the back of the optical drive by hand and set it aside.
- 4
  Pull off the white casing that goes over the fans with your hands. Lift up the metal flap across the top of the fans until you have enough room to pull the fans out of the case. Unplug the wire to the fans.
- 5
  Turn the console over and remove all but two screws in the center of the metal panel using the Phillips-head screwdriver. Place a hand underneath the console and remove the remaining two screws. Catch the mother board and pull it away from the console.

Xbox 360