Saving Xbox's from Imminent Doom! Clock Capacitor Removal 

I did this last year. It took me about a month and a half as I have limited electronics knowledge and a shitty soldering iron. I opted to recap the capacitors close to the heatsink as these had swelled with age. My Xbox is a 1.5, so I didn't need to replace the clock cap (removing it would have been enough) but I did anyway. I have heard that it's still a good idea to remove the clock cap from a 1.6, but you need to replace it as they are needed to boot up.

Mine had the clock and five near the GPU/CPU leak today. Glad i had some spare systems. One with fresh caps somone installed xD

Without blokes like you fixing things up there'd be no retro gaming at all. Cheers RGO

It's good to change the clock capacitor in question but at 6:18 those 3 metallic looking ones (they're silver but I don't think they're solid metal style caps, they look like they're still electrolytic with the cross pattern vents on top) look bulged and like they've leaked all over the tops of them. I had a crystal XBOX that I only ever used for an XBMC box that stopped turning on and I remember there being exactly 3 caps that looked obviously bad when I opened it up. I used to think if a capacitor was silver or metallic looking like those they're automatically solid metal caps but learned that's not always true often electrolytics can look similar but still have the vent cuts on top if you look closer. I'm wondering if that's why it had issues turning on?

I just open up a crystal Xbox to remove the clock and whilst there was no signs of leaking on the board the Xbox has symptoms you would expect due to trace rot

my xbox just died today becuse of this issue now i have to buy a new one in a t20 set to rip out the clock compicater yayyy what fun all my save data went strait out the window i was littarly playing need for speed most wanted when it died

Bought a couple broken console lots and ended up with SIX broken original XBoxes. They ALL had bad large capacitors by the CPU. Re-capped them all with Console 5 kits (boards and power supplies), they ALL ended up working, only one with a dead DVD laser (Philips drive). Replaced all the belts, upgraded fans to silent ones, cleaned the lasers, and replaced thermal compound. Bought some extra AV cables and controllers and gifted 3 to my younger siblings for Christmas, still have 3 more working ones here. Out of all of them, only 1 had a decently leaking clock cap, cleaned up with white vinegar and then 99% alcohol. These things have some known issues but they're tanks.

Did you ever make the video about the broken traces?

I removed the clock capacitor and now my xbox won't turn off. I have to press the power button repeatedly to make it turn off. I looked at the other capacitors and battery acid has formed on the top of the capacitors. Xbox original consoles are so problematic.

Ah yes. I remember doing this a few years ago. I just wiggled it back and forth until the legs broke. Knew I was never going to put a nother one in there so I didnt feel like desoldering. Now I just need to get my box a new power supply....and dvd drive...and hard drive...its been out of commission for 11 years and I still haven't fixed it.

Big like drop 👍 Old Nerd supporting 😉

Nice video! Any reason why you didn't replace more of the caps?

Will removing the hard drive reset anything on it mines is soft modded but I need to remove the capacitor and repaste.

First of all, I would worry more about that floating glass at 10:20 So you don't really need to replace the capacitor, just remove it and it will continue to work just not keep time? Interesting. Does that affect save games etc?

I'm more impressed you actually managed to find some compressed air :) All the places down here in the south-west that sell it, sell it for stupid amounts of money for a tiny little can. I usually just pull out old-faithful, I have an XPower electric blower (The local school I work half a day a week at fixing computers bought the same one after I suggested it, makes cleaning the insides of computers so much easier). I would recommend heading to your local PLE (I'm assuming you are north of the river? Which would mean Osborne Park probably), currently on sale for $99 (Normal price $129). Makes cleaning out devices a lot easier if a can of compressed air has difficulty doing it. Also, I'm impressed at how easy you managed to get the board out of the console, I have an oldish console from 2001, after a good 10mins or so (Made sure I got every last screw out), I still couldn't pull the board out, something was holding it back, I just couldn't work out what).

Great video. What is that small television your testing the consoles on and where can I get one?

Hell yeah