In the world of gaming and technology, the Xbox 360 has quickly become old news. The gaming platform is still on the market and still rather popular throughout the United States and Europe. However, the Xbox 360 is losing points when compared to equivalent platforms such as the PlayStation 3 due to the many hardware flaws that the Xbox 360 has. In order to fix these flaws, it is usually necessary to manually open the case and make repairs. As the Xbox 360 is usually sealed very tightly, it will need to be opened in a certain fashion. This article will provide the user with step-by-step instructions on how to open his/her Xbox 360.
Note: Do not open Xbox 360 if warranty is still intact. Doing so will void the warranty.
Because the Xbox 360 includes many tabs and screws located throughout the exterior of the device, it is important to be prepared for whatever you might encounter. Before opening an Xbox 360, users should purchase the XCM 360 Case Opening Tool. The XCM 360 Case Opening Tool includes a torx 10 driver for the screws, a metal tab for releasing the plastic clips found on the Xbox 360, and another small metal tab for releasing the clips found near the ventilation. Alternatively, users can use a small screwdriver to replace the XCM 360 Case Opening Tool.
Faceplate
The first step of opening an Xbox 360 is to remove the faceplate (the plastic piece that covers the light ring and drive tray). This step is not completely necessary but it will decrease the user's chances of breaking the tabs of the top and bottom plates later on. The faceplate can be removed by using the fingerhole at the bottom of the console and pulling it forward. This may require a decent amount of pressure so do not worry about breaking it.
Vent Plates
Once the faceplate is removed, it is time for the user to turn his/her attention to the vent plates attached to the top and bottom of the Xbox 360. The bottom plate has six tabs that must be pressed down one at a time while the user pulls the faceplate away from console. This can be done by poking the metal tab found in the XCM 360 Case Opening Tool (or an alternative object) through the vent holes located on the side of the console. The user will need to alternate sides as there are three pairs of tabs (one on each side) holding the vent plate to the console. Do this gently enough to not break the tabs but use enough force to pry the vent plate away from the console.
Now that the bottom vent plate has been removed, the user will need to remove the top vent plate as well. The top vent plate is more difficult to remove as some of the tabs are hidden. The user can find the first pair of tabs by pressing the opening tool through the hole near the drive tray. The next pair can be removed by pressing the opening tool through the vent hole. One of the Xbox 360 feet must now be removed. A hole should now be revealed in which the user can remove the final pair of tabs.
Casing
The Xbox 360 should now be laid down on its side with the feet facing upward. Starting at the right-hand side of the console, the user should slide the opening tool into hole near the power cord in order to release the two tabs on that side. Now move to the left side of the console, lining up the opening tool with the five tabs and press in while pulling the bottom cover (top) off. Now simply remove the metal casing beneath it by unscrewing the six exterior screws. The casing should now be completely open and so is the Xbox 360.
