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Featured Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

20

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

3

  • Back Panel
  • 7 steps
  • Optical Drive Removal
  • 6 steps
  • Optical Drive
  • 7 steps

Flags

1

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Introduction

Before you begin, completely power down and unplug all cables from your console. Remember to follow general electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety procedures while repairing the console.

The board inside the optical drive is software-linked to the console’s motherboard. This board will need to be transferred into the replacement optical drive to restore full functionality. This will require you to de-solder and solder two wires. Follow general soldering safety guidelines such as wearing eye protection, working in a well-ventilated area, and washing your hands after with soap and water after soldering.

What you need

Step 1

              Uncover the back panel screws
  • Before starting this guide, power down your console and unplug all cables.
  • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the sticker hiding the first screw on the back panel, near the base.

Before starting this guide, power down your console and unplug all cables.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the sticker hiding the first screw on the back panel, near the base.

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Step 2

  • Use a pair of blunt tweezers to peel back the large sticker on the back panel to reveal the second screw.
  • You only need to peel this sticker to where you can access the hidden screw. You don’t need to pull it completely off.
  • Technically, these are tamper-evident stickers—but don’t worry—Microsoft can’t legally void your warranty, as long as you don’t damage anything. Have fun!

Use a pair of blunt tweezers to peel back the large sticker on the back panel to reveal the second screw.

You only need to peel this sticker to where you can access the hidden screw. You don’t need to pull it completely off.

Technically, these are tamper-evident stickers—but don’t worry—Microsoft can’t legally void your warranty, as long as you don’t damage anything. Have fun!

Step 3

              Remove the back panel screws
  • Use a T8 Torx driver to remove the two 7.4 mm screws securing the back panel.
  • Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your console.

Use a T8 Torx driver to remove the two 7.4 mm screws securing the back panel.

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your console.

Step 4

              Unclip the back panel
  • Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap between the back panel and the shell, near the left side of the base.
  • Pivot the spudger on the shell and pull up on the bottom of the back panel to release it from the locking clips.

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap between the back panel and the shell, near the left side of the base.

Pivot the spudger on the shell and pull up on the bottom of the back panel to release it from the locking clips.

Step 5

  • Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap between the back panel and the shell, near the right side of the base.
  • Pivot the spudger on the shell and pull up on the bottom of the back panel to release it from the locking clips.

Insert the flat end of a spudger into the gap between the back panel and the shell, near the right side of the base.

Step 6

              Remove the back panel
  • Grip the back panel at the opening you just created and pull it up and away from the shell to unclip the long edges.
  • During reassembly, press along the edges of the back panel to snap it into place.

Grip the back panel at the opening you just created and pull it up and away from the shell to unclip the long edges.

During reassembly, press along the edges of the back panel to snap it into place.

Step 7

  • The back panel slots into a gap at the top of the shell.
  • Tilt the back panel up and pull it away from the top edge of the shell to release it from the gap.
  • Remove the back panel.

The back panel slots into a gap at the top of the shell.

Tilt the back panel up and pull it away from the top edge of the shell to release it from the gap.

Remove the back panel.

Step 8

              Unlatch the base
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to lift up on the locking tab holding the base to the shell.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift up on the locking tab holding the base to the shell.

Step 9

              Twist and remove the base
  • Grip the base and rotate it counterclockwise to unlock it from the shell.
  • You may need to hold the locking tab open while you get the base started.
  • Remove the base.
  • During reassembly, drop the base tabs into their holes on the shell and twist clockwise until the base snaps into the interior locking tab.
  • When locked in place, the “Hello from Seattle” line will be parallel with the device’s sides.

Grip the base and rotate it counterclockwise to unlock it from the shell.

You may need to hold the locking tab open while you get the base started.

Remove the base.

During reassembly, drop the base tabs into their holes on the shell and twist clockwise until the base snaps into the interior locking tab.

When locked in place, the “Hello from Seattle” line will be parallel with the device’s sides.

Step 10

              Remove the optical drive screws
  • Use a T8 Torx driver to remove the two 8.8 mm screws securing the optical drive’s vibration isolator to the shell: one on the base and one on the top of the isolator.

Use a T8 Torx driver to remove the two 8.8 mm screws securing the optical drive’s vibration isolator to the shell: one on the base and one on the top of the isolator.

Step 11

              Remove the vibration isolator
  • Lift up the optical drive’s vibration isolator to remove it.
  • The vibration isolator grips the sides of the optical drive with silicone pads, so you may need to “walk” the isolator off of the drive to slip it off each side.
  • During reassembly, ensure the vibration isolator is pushed down and around both edges of the optical drive, so it sits flush with the rest of the center chassis.

Lift up the optical drive’s vibration isolator to remove it.

The vibration isolator grips the sides of the optical drive with silicone pads, so you may need to “walk” the isolator off of the drive to slip it off each side.

During reassembly, ensure the vibration isolator is pushed down and around both edges of the optical drive, so it sits flush with the rest of the center chassis.

Step 12

              Disconnect the power and data cables
  • Use a pair of blunt tweezers to grip the edges of the optical drive power connector and pull up to disconnect it from the optical drive.
  • Always pull cables by their connectors and not the wires themselves.
  • Use your fingers to pull up and disconnect the data cable from the optical drive.

Use a pair of blunt tweezers to grip the edges of the optical drive power connector and pull up to disconnect it from the optical drive.

Always pull cables by their connectors and not the wires themselves.

Use your fingers to pull up and disconnect the data cable from the optical drive.

Step 13

              Remove the optical drive
  • Grip the top edge of the optical drive and pull it out of its slot in the shell to remove it.
  • During reassembly, align the pegs on the bottom edge of the optical drive with the guide holes on the bottom of the shell.
  • If the drive is misaligned, the top vibration isolator will not be able to be installed correctly, and the disc reader will be misaligned with the front of the console.

Grip the top edge of the optical drive and pull it out of its slot in the shell to remove it.

During reassembly, align the pegs on the bottom edge of the optical drive with the guide holes on the bottom of the shell.

If the drive is misaligned, the top vibration isolator will not be able to be installed correctly, and the disc reader will be misaligned with the front of the console.

Step 14

              Remove the optical drive cover
  • Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four 3.6 mm screws securing the optical drive cover.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four 3.6 mm screws securing the optical drive cover.

Step 15

  • Lift the optical drive cover straight up to remove it.

Lift the optical drive cover straight up to remove it.

Step 16

              Disconnect the three ribbon cables
  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the large ribbon cable’s ZIF connector.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the large ribbon cable’s ZIF connector.

Step 17

  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the small ribbon cable’s ZIF connector.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the small ribbon cable’s ZIF connector.

Step 18

  • Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the small ribbon cable’s ZIF connector, near the corner of the optical drive.

Use the pointed end of a spudger to flip up the hinged locking tab on the small ribbon cable’s ZIF connector, near the corner of the optical drive.

Step 19

  • Use a pair of blunt tweezers to remove each of the three ribbon cables from their connectors.
  • Always pull ribbon cables straight out of their connectors, in the direction of the cable.

Use a pair of blunt tweezers to remove each of the three ribbon cables from their connectors.

Always pull ribbon cables straight out of their connectors, in the direction of the cable.

Step 20

              Desolder the two wires
  • Use a soldering iron to desolder the red wire in the corner of the disc drive circuit board.
  • Then, desolder the adjacent black wire. Use a pair of blunt tweezers to hold and pull away the wires from the circuit board.
  • Follow general soldering safety guidelines such as wearing eye protection, working in a well-ventilated area, and washing your hands with soap and water after soldering.
  • Excessive heat may damage electrical components. Don’t apply the soldering iron to the board for long periods of time.
  • When you install the original circuit board into the replacement disc drive, solder the red wire to the solder pad labeled R. Solder the black wire to the solder pad labeled B.

Use a soldering iron to desolder the red wire in the corner of the disc drive circuit board.

Then, desolder the adjacent black wire. Use a pair of blunt tweezers to hold and pull away the wires from the circuit board.

Follow general soldering safety guidelines such as wearing eye protection, working in a well-ventilated area, and washing your hands with soap and water after soldering.

Excessive heat may damage electrical components. Don’t apply the soldering iron to the board for long periods of time.

When you install the original circuit board into the replacement disc drive, solder the red wire to the solder pad labeled R. Solder the black wire to the solder pad labeled B.

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

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Xbox Series X Answers community for help.

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                    Carsten Frauenheim

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NISMOJukeRich - Dec 4, 2021

Reply

Where can I get a replacement disk drive for my Series X? Figures the warranty just ran out last month and now the disk drive wants to start acting stupid. Doing the same exact thing my One X did where it’ll read some discs no problem but won’t read others. Just got Guardians of the Galaxy brand new, first time ever taking it out of it’s case and inserted directly into the console and it won’t read.

Veronica Lowe - Nov 14, 2022

After zooming into the drive cover, we find the model number is DG-6M5S-03B Which can then be googled, to find that its the exact same replacement drive from previous xbox models. The only difference being the drives motherboard, which you will be swapping to your current one anyway.

anthonyt204 - Apr 10, 2022

Reply

Where can I get replacement drive?

After zooming into the drive cover, we find the model number is DG-6M5S-03B Which can then be googled, to find that its the exact same replacement drive from previous xbox models. The only difference being the drive’s motherboard, which you will be swapping to your current one anyway.