Guide: Replacing The Xbox DVD Drive & Laser Assembly

[beavis]

Ok, before we proceed, I would advise NOONE to remove their dvd drive if the Xbox is still under warranty.

Opening the Xbox voids the manufacturers warranty entirely.


A quick note about xbox dvd drives and replacement laser assemblies:
- Both can be found on ebay!
- Complete dvd drives sell for generally between $70-$130 aud. + postage
- Laser assemblies sell for around $40 aud. inc. postage
(this is what i paid for my Thomson laser assembly, from Tech Consoles >link< (http://stores.ebay.com/Tech-Consoles))



Now onto the guide....

What'll you'll need -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00043.jpg
Xbox, small diamond head screwdriver, torx 10 screwdriver, torx 20 screwdriver, refreshment :)



If you are going to replace the laser assembly, you will need the drives tray open before you start. (To do this, pull the power on the xbox while the tray is open).

If you are going to replace the entire dvd drive, leave the tray closed, just make sure you haven't left a game in there :silly:



Start by turning the xbox over. There are 6 torx 20 screws to be removed. 1 under each of the 4 rubber feet (outside corners) and 2 under the stickers.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00046.jpg



With the screws out, turn the xbox back over. The top of the case comes off with a bit of wiggling.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00047.jpg
Try & work one side up, then the other & it should lift off fairly easily.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00048.jpg



Next unplug the flat grey cable from the DVD drive and the hard disk. There are no locks, it just pulls out & pushes in. Same goes for the yellow wires, unplug them from the DVD drive too.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00049.jpg
Also unhook the coloured power cables going to the hard disk. Leave it plugged in, just unhook the cables from the cradle.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00054.jpg



Now there is just 1 torx 10 screw to remove (between the DVD drive & the hard disk)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00052.jpg
and then you can lift out the hard disk cradle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00055.jpg
With the extra length in the unhooked power cables, you can sit the cradle off to the side.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00056.jpg



There are 2 torx 10 screws to remove to get the DVD drive out.
Front left of the DVD drive
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00051.jpg
Front right of the DVD drive
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00058.jpg
With these out the DVD drive & its cradle lift straight out
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00059.jpg



There are 2 small plastic clips holding the DVD drive to the cradle
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00060.jpg
Unclip the DVD drive & remove it from the cradle.



This is all you have to do to replace the DVD drive.
The re-assembly process is easily done by following this guide in reverse.

NOTE: WHEN YOU ARE PLACING THE CRADLES (dvd drive & hard disk) BACK INTO THE XBOX, BE CAREFUL & TAKE YOUR TIME. THE CRADLES LEGS SHOULD SIT DIRECTLY ON TOP OF PLASTIC MOUNTS.

Please see the end of this guide for a tip for putting the Xbox lid back on.

If you want to replace the Laser Assembly in the DVD drive, read on....



There are 2 small diamond head screws, countersunk on either side of the DVD drive
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00063.jpg
With these out, you can remove the top cover of the DVD drive
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00068.jpg



This is the Laser Assembly
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture017.jpg
First unplug the white cable leading onto the Laser Assembly. To do this you will need to pull out the bottom part of the black plug the cable slides into. This unlocks the cable and allows you to pull it out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00073.jpg
Now you will need to remove the 4 small diamond head screws that hold down the 2 guide rails.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00074.jpg
With these removed, lift out the Laser Assembly & guide rails.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00075.jpg



Remove the guide rails & set them up with the new Laser Assembly.
Make sure the catch is open on the new Laser Assembly for the white cable before it is inserted.



Follow these instructions in reverse order for re-assembly.

NOTE: WHEN YOU ARE PLACING THE CRADLES (dvd drive & hard disk) BACK INTO THE XBOX, BE CAREFUL & TAKE YOUR TIME. THE CRADLES LEGS SHOULD SIT DIRECTLY ON TOP OF PLASTIC MOUNTS.



The Xbox Lid
The Xbox lid can be a little tricky to get back on. I've found the best way is to line up the "teeth" at the front of the lid so they go to the inside of the xboxs "frame".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00078.jpg
With a little pressure the lid should slide all the way down.
Be sure to apply pressure evenly to both sides when sliding the lid down, don't push down one side then the other as it can be hard to pull back off & straighten up.



And proof that my xbox still works....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/dudbolter/xbox/picture00079.jpg
(This was taken directly after i had finished putting my xbox back together :)).


Hope this guide is useful for someone, and sorry for any dodgy pictures :ko:

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances can or will Xbox World (XBW), or the author of this guide, be held responsible for any damages incurred from following this guide.

[Flexbox]

Hmmm.... Okay, so what's with this laser assembly business? Where are you meant to get a new laser assembly? Wouldn't it be easier/cheaper just to replace the whole drive with a new PC DVD drive for 50 bucks or less? You've just jumped into this 'laser assembly' business with no explanation about where to get a 'laser assembly' from or anything. I think if someone already knew how to get one they probably wouldn't need your guide. No offence, I'm just trying to be constructive.

Edit: Also, it might be a good idea to link to the tutorial from here, because there are a lot of pictures that will be pretty painful to load on dial-up every time the thread is accessed.

[katz]

Hmmm.... Okay, so what's with this laser assembly business? Where are you meant to get a new laser assembly? Wouldn't it be easier/cheaper just to replace the whole drive with a new PC DVD drive for 50 bucks or less? You've just jumped into this 'laser assembly' business with no explanation about where to get a 'laser assembly' from or anything. I think if someone already knew how to get one they probably wouldn't need your guide. No offence, I'm just trying to be constructive.

Edit: Also, it might be a good idea to link to the tutorial from here, because there are a lot of pictures that will be pretty painful to load on dial-up every time the thread is accessed.

**cough cough** You might want to settle down a bit mate. Just because this dosnt apply to you, there will be someone out there that does need this tut. There are cheap laser replacments on ebay for ur information. Just stay out if it dosnt apply to you, beavis has taken alot of time to make this, and his first reply is of someone bitching. That is one thing i cannot handle, someone taking the time to help the community and being scrutinized.

Good work beavis, ive bookmarked this! :thumbsup:

[beavis]

Hmmm.... Okay, so what's with this laser assembly business?

Its a well know fact in the online Xbox community that the Thomson DVD Drive in the Xbox has been problematic. It is the main cause of DDEs and game freezes. However its not only the Thomson, some Philips and Sumsung drives have problems too. Its the actual laser assembly in the drive which becomes faulty, all other parts of the drive are fine.


Where are you meant to get a new laser assembly?

These are available on ebay, specific to the make of drive. Meaning you can get replacement laser assemblies for the Thomson, Philips & Samsung.
This has been mentioned several times (in this forum) in threads regarding problems with the xbox dvd drives.


Wouldn't it be easier/cheaper just to replace the whole drive with a new PC DVD drive for 50 bucks or less?

Exactly what i was thinking. I did ask the question here - would there be any incompatability issues by just plugging in any old dvd drive..... ? I didn't get a deffinate answer. So i guessed that it would not be that simple thinking about specific drivers and drive speed.
I tried to source a new drive from a few computer shows, the same make and model that was in my xbox, but noone could help out.
Next best bet was ebay for a second hand, original xbox dvd drive. When the bidding reached $100, that was more than i was willing tio pay for a second hand drive. Now understand, that was late last year, there are probably more drives floating around on ebay for cheaper prices now.
I then found the replacement lasers on ebay, delivered for $40aud. For that amount I was willing to take a chance. Very happy i did.


You've just jumped into this 'laser assembly' business with no explanation about where to get a 'laser assembly' from or anything.

Fair enough, I'll edit the post to mention something about that.


I think if someone already knew how to get one they probably wouldn't need your guide.

The point of this guide is for people not to be intimidated by the option of changing the laser assembly or the dvd drive themselves. I have no experience as a computer technician what-so-ever, and simply wanted to show how easy it is.

If you frequent this forum at all, you should know of the number of posts made regarding DDEs, noisy drives, games freezing/not loading, due to problems with the dvd drives. People ask what their options are, what can be done? This is a very inexpensive and easy way of fixing the problems.


No offence, I'm just trying to be constructive.

Hmmm, yer, ok :beard:


Edit: Also, it might be a good idea to link to the tutorial from here, because there are a lot of pictures that will be pretty painful to load on dial-up every time the thread is accessed.

Not quite sure what you mean by that?

Sorry for people on dial-up, pictures do tend to paint the best picture!


Katz - thanks for the support mate, really appreciate it :thumbsup:

[Big Col]

a PC DVD drive cannot read xbox games, so there's not much point putting one in your xbox as it wont be able to read anything :)

btw i think he meant "ask shane if he'll host the pictures on xboxworld's site" instead of just linking to them.

[Flexbox]

There are tutorials on replacing the Xbox DVD drive with PC drives. The one I skimmed over wasn't as simple as I thought though, because I didn't think about the obvious, the eject button. It does obviously require soldering to get the Xbox's eject button working with a PC drive.

Sorry for not saying anything positive in my last post, because you've done a great job on the guide, Beavis.

EDIT Digital Chaos:

I removed the link for the following reason:

Rule [6] :: Mod Chip discussion is not allowed. We encourage developers and publishers to visit these forums and their view on Mod chipping for software piracy is one that we share as well. No discussion on where to buy Mod Chips or pirated software will be tolerated. Posters will be given one warning and one warning only. Posts mentioning imported games are fine, posts mentioning copying software to modded xbox hard drives etc are not. We agree, it's a contentious issue and there are many cool things that you can do on a modded Xbox but Australian laws have made the sale of mod chips illegal. And please respect our request on this subject. If you have any questions please PM Shane before posting.

[Big Col]

Flexbox, my original point still stands. The PC dvd drive wont be able to read xbox games, unless your xbox has a modchip and you're using a "backup" copy on a burnt dvd. So, there isnt much point to putting one in a standard xbox :)

[=Maverick=]

Well god knows my xbox is pretty much F**KED and has alot of trouble ( obviously a thompson, what else? ) and now i know what to do, thanks to your guide, i will require a new laser assembly to replace the one that WORKS SO DAMN WELL on my xbox.

A friend mentioned to me that the big grey cable is a 40 type, and can be replaced with an 80 type, so you get faster loading times, know anything about that?

[crimsonhellkite]

I have a POS Thomson in my Xbox I bought from someone. He has a bunch more and I'm going to get him to switch me a new one. This thing wont read disks worth crap.

In the unlikely chance that I can't get a new one, could I put a Samsung xbox dvd drive in there in place of a Thomson?

[Jamie 86]

I have a POS Thomson in my Xbox I bought from someone. He has a bunch more and I'm going to get him to switch me a new one. This thing wont read disks worth crap.

In the unlikely chance that I can't get a new one, could I put a Samsung xbox dvd drive in there in place of a Thomson?
Yep, you can do that. :)

And if you are unsure how to do it then you can just read beavis' guide (the first post in this thread) up until where he says "This is all you have to do to replace the DVD drive." :thumbsup:

[crimsonhellkite]

Sweet if I get screwed over this guy doesnt get his other 50 bucks and Ill just buy a new drive.

Other question, Would I be able to put a samsung laser assem. in a thomson case?

[Jamie 86]

Sweet if I get screwed over this guy doesnt get his other 50 bucks and Ill just buy a new drive.

Other question, Would I be able to put a samsung laser assem. in a thomson case?
Hm, that's a good question, i'm afraid i wouldn't be able to help you there, sorry. Maybe beavis or someone else would know. :)

Oh and welcome to Xbox World! :thumbsup:

[crimsonhellkite]

Ok ill shoot him a PM and thanks!

[beavis]

Sweet if I get screwed over this guy doesnt get his other 50 bucks and Ill just buy a new drive.

Other question, Would I be able to put a samsung laser assem. in a thomson case?

Hmmm, i'm not 100% sure but i would think no. Reason being, you get replacement laser assemblies specific to the make of drive.

From what i can remember, the laser assemblies look different too.

If you follow the link in my guide to Tech Consoles ebay store, they have pictures of all three....

I just checked there myself, and the three laser assemblies are deffinately different from each other. And looks like the prices have gone down too.

Don't be put off too much by the Thomson crimsonhellkite. My replacement laser assy has been going great for just about a year now. Not one single DDE on any game since i replaced it. :thumbsup:

[crimsonhellkite]

Good if it comes down to it and I have to replace it myself, and the prices are cheep enough I will buy 2 laser assem. just incase the other craps out in the future.

[Flexbox]

Flexbox, my original point still stands. The PC dvd drive wont be able to read xbox games, unless your xbox has a modchip and you're using a "backup" copy on a burnt dvd. So, there isnt much point to putting one in a standard xbox :)


Sorry bout the super late reply, but I'm sure you'd be able to read original Xbox DVD's with a PC drive. You're probably right about needing one of those things we're no supposed to talk about for it to work though, but I can't see any reason why it wouldn't read retail Xbox games.

[Pecker]

thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!

Found a place that sells Thomson's cheap and put a new one in with a little help from the above guide.

My xbox is as good as new (at least until this one wears out). So many games I thought had died are working beautifully.

thanks again.

[beavis]

Thats great to hear Pecker! :thumbsup:

I honestly believe a faulty or worn out laser assembly is the cause of most peoples DDEs.

Enjoy some frustration free gaming!
:)

[Rylos]

Quick question for you beavis. I'm thinking of replacing the laser assembly in my friends Xbox. I'm looking at the Tech Consoles ebay store and just need to clarify something, I would need to get the 'Xbox Thompson Laser Lens Assembly Parts' and not the 'Laser Lens Parts for TGM600 DVD Drive'. Is that right?

[beavis]

Nah, you got it the wrong way around...

You'll need the:

NEW XBOX THOMSON LASER LENS PARTS FOR TGM600 DVD DRIVE for $15.99usd.

which is just the laser assembly by itself.


This one:

NEW XBOX THOMSON LASER LENS COMPLETE ASSEMBLY PARTS for $18.99usd

comes with the mounting board which you won't need, your existing one in the drive should be fine.

If you do decide to get the one with the mounting board (not sure why anyone would?), take note of the anti-static solder point which must be removed. Its refered to on the items description page.

Good luck with the new laser install.... actually i don't know why i bothered wishing you luck - its so easy! :D

[Rylos]

See, this is why I double check these things. :D

Thanks for the info beavis! :thumbsup:

[Oyeah]

My Xbox is pretty frigged up. It keeps coming up with that message "cannot read....disk may be dirty or damaged" and games and dvds have a habit of stopping and starting. If I got a new dvd drive and lens would this fix the problem?

Also, can I get them anywhere other than eBay?

[beavis]

My Xbox is pretty frigged up. It keeps coming up with that message "cannot read....disk may be dirty or damaged" and games and dvds have a habit of stopping and starting. If I got a new dvd drive and lens would this fix the problem?

Also, can I get them anywhere other than eBay?

Installing a new dvd drive or a new laser assembly in your existing drive will probably fix your problem, as it sounds like your laser is struggling to read discs. I obviously can't guarantee you it will fix your problem, but its so cheap compared to your other options (repair shop or replace xbox) its worth a try.

I'm sorry, i don't know if they are available anywhere else. At the time when i needed mine replaced, i could find no suppliers in Australia. This might of changed by now, but i wouldn't be sure where to look/ask?

[Oyeah]

Ok I think I'll give it a try.

Cheers, Beavis!

[Big Col]

Went to the link provided but all it came up with were xbox cables? Have they stopped selling them? Wanted to buy one because im fed up with dvds that keep pausing/skipping from the video store, it doesnt happen on the dvd player.

*EDIT* Thats strange, its working now. It was the same link, dunno wats up with that. Just finished purchasing it (or at least i think i have) :D First time on ebay, so it took me freaking ages cause i was reading everything! Getting a mate to install the laser when (hopefully!) it arrives. Turned out to be AU$30.38 for me, howzat! Cheers for the link and install guide beavis.

[beavis]

This link Big Col?.... (same as one at the beginning of the tut.)

http://stores.ebay.com/Tech-Consoles

Works fine for me, laser assemblies and all.

[oops, bad decision]

Hi Everybody,
Well all you guys seem to know your stuff, unlike me.
Anyway, I've had an Xbox for almost 3 years. I know nothing about this sort of stuff. Just lately the xbox stopped working and from what I read above, the things my xbox is doing indicate a problem with the laser. I do not want to change the laser, so I am choosing to put a new DVD Drive in my Xbox. I have found a Drive on Ebay that would be good. Its a Phillips and its brand new out of an XBox 1.6. However my Xbox has a Manufacture date of 22-2-2002. Would this Phillips drive work in my Xbox? Man, I tell you, I am freaked about doing any of this, but I would prefer to pay $80 rather than $160 for Microsoft to repair it.
Thanks a million everyone.

[oops, bad decision]

I have just done some research and my Xbox is version 1.0
Will a new DVD Drive work in it?

[beavis]

Provided it is a genuine Xbox dvd drive, it should work no problems at all.

[Big Col]

I got mine in the mail just over a week after ordering it, but havent been able to get it installed till today. Just tried it out and it seems to do the trick well! I had one game that wouldnt load until the 5th/6th try and now its booting up first time! Thnx for the link to the laser beavis!

[beavis]

No probs Big Col. Glad it worked for you!

[Funkdafied]

If I buy a complete replacement drive, is it alright to buy it from the US? i.e. theres no region-protection on it, is there?

[beavis]

No region protection or coding.

It should be fine Funkdafied.

[sumixam]

Beavis my man for all good advice!

Check the below link, will any of these drives and laser assembleys from the US be ok? My xbox was manufactured in 2002. I'd have to check what drive I have but does it matter with regards what you use as a replacement?

http://search.ebay.com.au/xbox-laser-drive_W0QQfromZR40QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaatcZ15QQsbre xpZWD2SQQsojsZ1QQssPageNameZWD2S

Now, I am lucky to be able to change a car tyre (not quite that bad but you get the picture) so bearing this in mind, will I still be able to bumble and stumble my way through your guide or should I just pay the $150 quoted by my local repairer?

[beavis]

Hey Sumi, that appears to be exactly what you should be after.

Tech Consoles (ebay store) have cheaper pricing (~$18us from memory), but there's nothing in their ebay store atm.

Tech-Consoles make a point of saying "brand new" laser assemblies in their description, so you may want to email "Tunaboy" to check thats what these are.

If you've got the right tools (torx & diamond head screw drivers) it should be EASIER than changing a car tyre Sumi! :D I decided to give it a go to begin with because i didn't want to pay $150+ for a repair when i was pretty sure i could fix it myself for about $35. I rationalised that if i messed it up, it would still probably cost $150+ for a repair, so i'd be mad not to give it a go.

In the end, the choice is only your my friend. :)

[sumixam]

Thanx mate, I am seriously thinking of having a go myself, thanx to you.

[Funkdafied]

I got a replacement Thomson drive from tech_consoles, and it came to about $45 after postage. In my opinion it was worth it over the laser assembly alone. Drive is working great, but my experience with the seller wasn't all that good.

[sumixam]

Beavis we are inspired to give this a go.

Out of the Ebay Drives/Lasers seen on the Ebay search as above.

Which do you recomend?

Currently has a stuffed Thompson apparently.

We will import from the US and give it a try.

[sumixam]

I just realised I may need to replace BOTH Drive and Laser and if that is the case then maybe I should let the modshop repair it for $150, especially since they are throwing in a software upgrade also.

I will call them again to discuss.

[sumixam]

Hey again,

sorry for the replies to my own posts.

I have now found that it is purely the laser that needs replacing. I have also found I have a Thomson Drive. Further, tech-consoles do sell them at half the price of the other seller and are stating brand new whereas the other seller is selling new components on old lasers if you know what I mean.

Tech-consoles names the laser as compatible with Thomson Drive model TGM600. Does this require further looking into OR are all Thomson Drives called TGM600 anyway? If not, how do I find out what mine is?

Many Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20385&item=8181603855&rd=1

[beavis]

No reason not to go with tech consoles after reading your posts Sumi.

Every thomson drive in an xbox i've come across is the TGM600, so i'd be 99.99999% sure you'd have one aswell Sumi. If you want to make sure, just open your xbox up... it says the model number on a sticker on the top of the drive.

Go for it Sumi!
Its a very small loss (at that price) if it doesn't work and you end up taking it to the repairer.

[sumixam]

That's good enough for me mate.

Trust yuh heaps.

I will open it up after I get the tools as well,lol

Many thanx

[Rockman.EXE]

Just on the statement a few people are making, which is "why not just put any old PC drive in," short answer is no, long answer is yes.

Yes, one or two SPECIFIC models of DVD drives can be used as replacement and will read original legit games without the need of a modchip and burning them to DVD-R. However, the motor within the needs to be modified so the the disc spin in the opposite dirrection, and certain pin outs need to be soldered to the system so that the Xbox takes care of disc ejecting.

Needless to say it's better off going with the tutuorial in the first post, as the only PC DVD drives that aloud to be used in this manner have being discontinued for years now, and thus are hard to come by.

[beavis]

Thanks for posting that info Rockman :thumbsup:

[Jonny]

Can any one help me

I got an xbox for free from my friend
and the dvd drive is gone and i dont want to spend much money i have an NEC dvd drive from my pc is it compatible and how do i install it

[beavis]

Jonny, your nec computer drive is not compatible with the xbox.

For an easy and cheap fix, source either a Thomson, Philips or Samsung dvd drive specifically made for the xbox on ebay.

This will no doubt be your cheapest option.

[bundi4me]

Nah, you got it the wrong way around...

You'll need the:

NEW XBOX THOMSON LASER LENS PARTS FOR TGM600 DVD DRIVE for $15.99usd.

which is just the laser assembly by itself.


This one:

NEW XBOX THOMSON LASER LENS COMPLETE ASSEMBLY PARTS for $18.99usd

comes with the mounting board which you won't need, your existing one in the drive should be fine.

If you do decide to get the one with the mounting board (not sure why anyone would?), take note of the anti-static solder point which must be removed. Its refered to on the items description page.

Good luck with the new laser install.... actually i don't know why i bothered wishing you luck - its so easy! :D
how do i remove the solder point without damaging the laser? how do i know if i have removed it properly? (apart from it not working when i turn it on?)

[Insane Industries]

After reading through a few forums and articles, it is said that the Thomson DVD-Rom is 'problematic'. My Xbox has one of these and boyo can I vouch for them being problematic.

Anyways, rather then replace the lens with another second rate lens, I was wondering if it is possible to put a samsung lens from the later x-box into the Thomson DVD-Rom?

Big thumbs up to Beavis for all the info so far!!

EDIT: Ohh ... just re-read the other replies ... so thats a no on the hybrid dvd drive ... okay

[Insane Industries]

If you are like me and didn't open the dvd door/cradle before switching the X-box off, then you can alternatively take the bottom cover off by removing the two screws at the back of the dvd (on the thomson tgm600). Once this is done if you look inside there is a white tab about 5cm long which can be slid to open up the cradle.

I got a bit curious and took the dvd-drive completely apart to the extent I had screws I didnt know where to put back ... also in my curiosness I managed to snap the joint of two little wires (black and red) which connect on the underside of the large pcb board. after re-soldering those back on last night it wont recognise my discs ... and I am way out of practice now ... so I got absolutley slaughtered during the last Halo 2 LAN I went to. Moral of the story: don't wander too far from what you know, or by a whole dvd drive to save the temptation of poking around.

Im gonna go buy a panasonic or samsung dvd-drive now. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Nordboru]

I just wanted to thank you for the fantastic guide above.

My Xbox was still new when it started showing problems and for example stopped playing certain levels of Halo. I always thought the disc was at fault but recently the problem grew worse and it stopped loading certain levels of Halo2 even if the disc was brand new. It always displayed a dirty or damaged disc error.

After doing some research on the Internet I bought a Philips replacement drive on ebay and using your instructions replaced the crappy Thompson drive already in there. My XboX is now working really really well and even plays things the it could not play when only a couple of months old. If this drive goes as well I will replace it with a Samsung.

Thanks again,

Boru
Dublin, Ireland

[Crissee]

This is an old thread that i'm replying to, but wanted to say that this information was extremely helpful for me. I didn't know that the disc tray needed to be opened before attempting to remove the laser lens assembly. I almost did waaay too much work and could've screwed up my drive! :banghead: Thanks to this easy to follow guide, my drive survived the operation and is now reading discs without a problem. Very easy to do even for a first-timer! :D

[Zorba]

hi people

can i use this method to take my xbox drive out and use it externally...

ie still use this drive for the xbox, but using an external bay and have it somewhere other than in the x box?

ie i want to mount the xbox one place, but have the drive in another place for easier access. (i use all wireless controllers so thats not an issue.)

[Nightrider]

Not bad, but you're not really allowed to link to sites containing modchip discussion. Sorry janrocks. You are also advertising your own site. :(

[janrocks]

Thanks for the FYI JSCORCH..just trying to be helpful...forgot about the Australian ruling about chips...post deleted..

[Nightrider]

No worries. :thumbsup:

[sherbert]

Hi All,

Great tut and follow-up posts, all you could won't to know about drives!

One thing that has me curious though is why the large number of people replacing faulty Thompson drives with new Thompson drives. If the original Thom drives sux why put the same brand back, wouldn't it be better to go for the other brands? Does anyone know if there is a difference between the drives microsoft installs and the ones avialabe for purchase?

[jim.flack]

Thanks for the tutorial on replacing the DVD drive and the laser lens. My XBOX has been having a lot of problems over the last few months, getting a LOT of DDEs, a poor picture image, out of synch audio and video and games just not booting up. After a lot of research and reading your forums, I decided to replace the laser lens for my Thomson drive for $18.95 ((s/h included) from eBay. Six days later, it arrived and I attempted to install it last night. If it hadn't been for your guide, I would have been clueless because despite the seller saying "All instructions included," there was NO support or instructions whatsoever. Plus, the lens came WITH the metal tray, not just the lens. Hmm..

So anyways, I opened the box, moved the HD out of the way, got out the DVD drive and first tried to clean the original lens with cleaning solution/Windex. Nothing. Still had problems reading games. So I replaced the original lens with the replacement. I powered up the XBOX and that was fine, but despite a game being inside, it would not boot up or load. I only got the dashboard as if there was no game. That led me to believe that the DVD drive was not communicating with the motherboard or the HD. So I opened it again, checked all connections....everything looked good. I wonder if the lens had to be set in a certain place on the rails or would it reset itself (?). I took it back down to the living room, turned it on...nothing. Got the dashboard, game would not boot up. Wouldn't even recognize (or not recognize) a DVD movie in the tray. Argh. :banghead:

So the next logical step would be to buy a new drive. But I was a little fed up having to have open the thing and maybe messing around with something that was beyond me. Plus, buying a drive off eBay, paying for and waiting again...So I went to a local game shop and bought a used Halo Special Edition XBOX with controller for $99.00.

So I guess the morale of the story is if you're going to replace the lens, be careful. Really know what you're doing. It would be MUCH better to replace the entire drive itself. Plus I wondering if anyone has any solution to my older XBOX's problem? I could sell it for parts or just "XBOX with non working drive" and a buyer could just replace it and have a working XBOX for $50?

[munich]

So I went to a local game shop and bought a used Halo Special Edition XBOX with controller for $99.00.

jim.flack, can you tell me where you picked up that used xbox for $99.00?

thanks.

[Ekstreme]

I have a Samsung drive, which I've just replaced the laser in. Took a bit to get it working, but it's working. After all the effort, some of my original games still won't play. Halo just spins forever, bloodwake comes up as a dirty disc. Both these discs look like they are brand new.

Could it be more than the laser, or are the discs buggered? :banghead:

[Ekstreme]

I take that back, I accidently put the old one back in :( I've managed to get the new one in, remove the anti-static protection and fired it all up. It works.... but it worse than the original. It reads even less original games.

I can't belive it costs about $100 for a refurbished drive, when you can buy a whole xbox for $129 from EB

[Poyeyes Box]

I have figured out that my xbox is a version 1.5 -1.6

What is the correct laser assembly for me to buy so I can replace it with no trouble.

Thanks

[JoshJester]

I recently purchased a new replacement TOP60 lens for my thompson drive, the install was easy. But it doesn't see any disc's. I'm not sure if I have the anti-static protection removed. What does it look like, and where is it located?

Thank you,

[JoshJester]

Well I ended up finding a answer to my own questions, thought i would post the info incase anyone else might need it.
http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/thomson_xbox_laser_installation.htm

http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/Images/thomson/laser.jpg

[azza1012]

I recently purchased a phillips SPU 3141 replacement laser for my xbox and when i put it in, it didn't work. it did the same thing as my old laser. the laser itself didn't come with the static protection and i was wondering, would that have anything to do with it?

can anyone help me?

[azza1012]

can anyone help me?