Do game stores remove original Xbox clock capacitors?

[VG_Addict]

I got an original Xbox back in December, and I've been told that if I get an original Xbox, I need to get the clock capacitor removed. Well, it's been 3 months and I still haven't done so, partially because the weather has been kind of bad, partially because I've been busy, and partially because I'd rather leave that to people who know what they're doing so I don't damage the console. Do you know if game stores will remove the Xbox clock capacitor for me? And if so, how much will it cost?

[Jagosaurus]

No from what I've seen.

It's highly likely you can gently bend/wiggle it off with plyers. Most have leaked, weakening the legs and/or joints below.

Sure, heat + solder sucker best practice but usually not a must here. If you don't force, not much you can do with it likely already damaged.

[Ziggy]

You'd have to call your local shops and see if they do mods/repairs. And if they do, then you'd have to ask them how much they would charge for this. I wouldn't imagine it being much. Alternatively, if you can't find any local game shops that'll do it, search for local stereo HiFi repair shops.

As for doing it yourself, apparently a lot of people just wiggly it (gently) back and forth until it snaps off.

Apparently if you have a v1.6 motherboard you don't need to remove the cap. Version 1.6 boards still have the cap, but apparently they aren't time bombs. If you do have a 1.6 board and remove the cap, you have to replace it or the console wont boot. Also, if you have a "very old softmod or BIOS version" you need to make sure you need to have a "clock loop" fix or else the console would be stuck in a boot loop with that cap removed. You could fix this in software, or by simply replacing the cap. Caps are cheap.

I got the above info from these links, I would suggest reading through them...

https://www.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/c ... emove_the/

http://myoriginalxbox.weebly.com/capacitor-removal.html

A single through hole capacitor removal and/or replace is a fairly easy task, as easy as it gets in the world of soldering. I would suggest watching a bunch of how-to solder videos on YouTube and then you should get the idea. For removal, I've used something similar to this one for years...

https://www.amazon.com/ECG-J-045-DS-Ele ... 00068IJSG/

Or, as others have suggested, you could gently wiggle it back and forth until it breaks off. If it's already leaking, it'll probably break off easily anyway.

If you think you might break into soldering, I would suggest going for an entry level temperature controlled soldering station, such as the Weller WLC100. If you think this might be the only time you need to solder, or might do it on the rarest of occasions, then maybe just grab a $10-15 iron from Amazon. Just be sure it's at least 40 watts or more.

Here's a recent thread that a bunch of us have posted beginner tips for soldering: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=53449

You can remove through hole caps with a soldering iron alone, without any solder suckers or desoldering tools. Just heat up the solder joint for one leg while you gently pull on the cap, then heat up the other leg, then back to the first leg, and keep alternating until you wiggle it completely out. This is probably how a pro would do it, no sense in heating up a desoldering gun just for one cap. You can add solder to the two cap legs to make this process easier. If the leads are close enough together and you have a large enough tip on the iron, you can even heat up both legs at once and pull the cap out. After the cap is out, just use some desoldering braid (wick) to remove any solder that's left.

If you want to replace the cap (and why not?) it looks like a 1F 2.7v electrolytic. 1F = one farad. You can get it from Console5 for $1 plus shipping, they specify it's a Nichicon brand (which is generally agreed upon to be one of the best if not THE best brand for electrolytic caps).

https://console5.com/store/microsoft-xb ... p-kit.html

After you have removed the capacitor, clean up the entire area with isopropyl alcohol. Preferably 99% strength, or as strong as you can get it. Use a cotton swab (Q Tip) or similar. You could also use alcohol swabs, such as the kind medical professionals use before giving you a shot, those actually work very well for cleaning a PCB. It wouldn't hurt to clean well beyond the area this cap is located, just to be sure. Front and back sides of the PCB.

Before opening the console, unplug the power cable and then press the power button a few times to discharge any electricity that might be stored in the caps. This is best practice when working on any electronic device. And on that note, don't do it in a carpeted room.

[Limewater]

I don't pay much attention to my OG XBox, and probably haven't booted it in four or five years. I had no idea that this was an issue.

I will be checking on this before I boot it again. I'm glad you posted!

[Jagosaurus]

Great advice by Ziggy. I've only removed 2... both wiggled out fairly easy.

If the time bothers you OP (and system soft modded), can point to an online SNTP server to sync up date/time. Here's a thread I had on this:
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=50931

... complete with a pic of my removal . This OGX still running strong today

Also a reminder... I have a soldering thread a couple years old. Moving into a new house early summer/late Spring... time to get my game right there...

[PretentiousHipster]

I have a crystal xbox which I think is just Canada and UK, so I can't really find out what version the motherboard is. I don't have the talent, nor the tools to open it.

Looking at some of the links, if the serial number is "LNNNNNN 42WFF" that means it's 1.6, however, I have 43WFF. Would it be safe to assume that that is also version 1.6? Hopefully I won't have to do anything.

[Jagosaurus]

I don't have the talent, nor the tools to open it.

For what it's worth, can get a Torx set for 10 bucks on Amazon. Need sizes:

u/KaosEngineer
T20 - 6 screws on the bottom to open the case

T10 - screws holding the drive carriers in place, the motherboard and power supply.

T15 - Screws holding the HDD in its carrier.