Xbox Disc Drive Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Time Required

                          15 - 20 minutes

Sections

Hard Drive
9 steps
Disc Drive
2 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Hard Drive

Make sure your Xbox is safely unplugged and is laying on a flat, stable surface.

Make sure your Xbox is safely unplugged and is laying on a flat, stable surface.

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Step 2

Turn the Xbox over to reveal the four rubber feet.
Use a metal spudger to pry off the four rubber feet.

Turn the Xbox over to reveal the four rubber feet.

Use a metal spudger to pry off the four rubber feet.

Step 3

There are 2 more screws hidden under the two labels on the bottom of the case.
You can either remove the labels or simply feel for the screw holes through the labels and then cut or punch a hole through them.

There are 2 more screws hidden under the two labels on the bottom of the case.

You can either remove the labels or simply feel for the screw holes through the labels and then cut or punch a hole through them.

Step 4

Remove the six T20 Torx screws securing the top cover to the bottom cover.

Remove the six T20 Torx screws securing the top cover to the bottom cover.

Step 5

Once the bottom and top shells are no longer attached, carefully turn the Xbox right-side-up, lift and remove the top cover.

Once the bottom and top shells are no longer attached, carefully turn the Xbox right-side-up, lift and remove the top cover.

Step 6

Remove the three 3 mm T10 screws securing the hard drive to the Xbox.
There is one screw on the rear left side of the hard drive that is only visible when the IDE ribbon cable is lifted up. The other two are at the front right and left sides of the hard drive.
The screw on the lower left corner of the disk drive is not in the hole that it appears to be in, but rather just closer to the corner.

Remove the three 3 mm T10 screws securing the hard drive to the Xbox.

There is one screw on the rear left side of the hard drive that is only visible when the IDE ribbon cable is lifted up. The other two are at the front right and left sides of the hard drive.

The screw on the lower left corner of the disk drive is not in the hole that it appears to be in, but rather just closer to the corner.

Step 7

Free the hard drive power cable from the carrier for sufficient slack to lift the hard drive out.
Lift the plastic hard drive carrier out of the Xbox case.

Free the hard drive power cable from the carrier for sufficient slack to lift the hard drive out.

Lift the plastic hard drive carrier out of the Xbox case.

Step 8

Remove the four 3.4 mm T15 Torx screws from the plastic hard drive carrier (two screws per side).
Carefully remove the hard drive from the plastic carrier. Gentle rocking will see the hard drive come out quite easily.

Remove the four 3.4 mm T15 Torx screws from the plastic hard drive carrier (two screws per side).

Carefully remove the hard drive from the plastic carrier. Gentle rocking will see the hard drive come out quite easily.

Step 9

Pull both the hard drive data ribbon cable and the power cable straight up from the hard drive.
They may be firmly seated, so be careful trying to remove them. DO NOT pull the wires as you may damage the cable assembly.

Pull both the hard drive data ribbon cable and the power cable straight up from the hard drive.

They may be firmly seated, so be careful trying to remove them. DO NOT pull the wires as you may damage the cable assembly.

Step 10

              Disc Drive

Remove the disk drive. It should come right out.
Unplug the ribbon cable and yellow cables from back of disk drive.

Remove the disk drive. It should come right out.

Unplug the ribbon cable and yellow cables from back of disk drive.

Step 11

Pry back the black plastic tabs around the disk drive in order to remove it from its housing. Once removed, set the drive aside.
ONLY REMOVE IF DEAD!

Pry back the black plastic tabs around the disk drive in order to remove it from its housing. Once removed, set the drive aside.

ONLY REMOVE IF DEAD!

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

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                    rmarstel

Member since: 10/29/2009

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Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 18-2, Maness Fall 2009                        

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                                            18 Guides authored

Navy Vet 2015 - Jun 12, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-To-Determine…

Utilize the information on this website to determine what Xbox version you have so you know what replacement parts to look for.

Miguel - Aug 14, 2019

Ben C. - Feb 2, 2021

I am having the same issue, Miguel.

Did you buy a new drive or figure out a better fix?

Thanks

mr.mistermitchell@yahoo.com - May 10, 2021

Can anyone help..My Xbox can’t read games..I took it apart and cleaned it, still can’t read games

I have the Xbox original..

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team