Re: Cleaning my 360 slim

Hi i have a 360 slim and i always have it laying flat. Ive noticed the vent thats over the fan is getting a bit dusty and clogged. How can i clean this vent without taking my xbox apart ? Is it wise to use a hoover to suck up the dust etc ? Will this cause static ? Also can i use a 4gb memory stick to back up my profile and save files? Many thanks for replys will check back laters.

I would go with a bigger flash drive depending on how many game saves you have.  They have small mini vacs for electronics that I keep thinking I will pick up, but I usually just use a microfiber dust cloth . . .

That is the one thing I hate about the new S unit. The big vents on top. It is almost impossible to keep dust out of it. I have a really clean house and when I done, I cover it when it cools, but I can still see dust in there.


I wouldn't vacuum it though. I use those wipes that are good for cleaning LCD screens and I carefully wipe around the vent. I wrap it around a toothpick to get in a little deeper, but still make sure I don't touch anything, but dust.

Really can't clean it properly without taking it apart which would void the warranty. Dust on the internal heatsink and mainboard is what you want to get rid of. Can of compressed air to dislodge the dust on the heatsink and then maybe vacuum it out. Just have to be careful about not spinning up the heatsink fan. Possible to damage something doing this though since you can't see what your doing.

-

I wouldn't recommend doing this while you are still under warranty.

Do not use compressed air to clean out the console.  That has the potential to ruin the console as all it does is spray the dust around the inside.  Try using a vacuum to suction out the dust but that's the limit of what can be done about it.

what about reverse the vacuum cleaner? I have an old electrolux kicking around still even though Im 90% wood floor an10% tile, my old vacuum cleaner has a hole on top where it pushes out warm air, its not nearly as powerful as compressed air..

I use a vacuum on the top and right side vents have been for a while now with no problems, but be sure its a house vac and not a over powered shop vac.

I wouldnt use the intake of the vacum thats just crazy!  maybe the out-take still kinda risky..

I would never use any vacuum on my electronics.  Doing so builds up static charges, and its the reason why canned air is prefered.  Also for cleaning up dust, I use the swifer duster sheets.  They are good for picking up dust and for the most part dust gets trapped inside them so you aren't just pushing the dust around or worrying about getting liquid spilled in the console.  If you are going to use anything with liquid, I would recommend a damp cloth, preferably a micro fiber cloth since it can hold on to the dust particles.

-

Good luck with your cleaning! :)

wipe off exterior dust. If your warranty is voided just open it up and clean it manually. Duster in a can is crap. Don't use it. Just forces dust into parts.

compressed air is only ideal if your cleaning circuit boards without the casing on, just a general dust over once or twice a day is enough.

Another thing people don't realise is that dust and smoke don't mix well.  If you really must smoke, don't do so around your console or in the same room.  Smoke from Cigarettes turns into a liquid, when this liquid mixes with dust, it turns sticky, not good for any electronic equipment, very bad for consoles and PC's with intake fans.  They're bad for your health too.

Using a can of compressed air is, in the end, pretty pointless.  Sure it will probably blow the dust off the fans and the heatsinks, but there is no where for the dust to go.  As soon as the console is turned back on, the fans will suck the dust back to them again.  Using a low powered vacuum for electrical equipment isn't a bad idea though.  Also general dusting around your equipment can help. 

Wow never thought about that, I don't smoke in doors anyway. It's interesting it does the same to your lungs as it does to electronics,

Dust Is Inevitable & An OCD Won't Help.. Believe Me.. o.O LOL..

Compressed Air In A Can, Will Cost Around $10-15 A Can..

I Would Recommend, A Little USB Keyboard Vacuum For Cleaning The 360 Dust & It Comes With Lil' Brushes etc ..

www.google.com.au

yeah lets just force dust into the 360.....

Have You Heard Of A Vacuum Before...?? It's Whole Purpose, Is To Suck Dust Up & Not Force It Down.... You Must Of Done Well At School...

Ha ha, once again someone is making false guesses about by back ground. I was revering to the air duster, Yes a vacuum may help get dust off off vent, But it will do the same thing as an air-duster will do. The problem is that dust partials group together and lodge them self in heat sinks, chips etc. Not only that but Air duster and vacuum can do damage to the internal parts of computers. It's happened to me. It's best to take your time and manually clean each end every part very GENTLY.

P.S. Statics free gloves do wonders in protecting your circuitry .

=P

Buy A Bit Of Fine Fly-Screen & Use Thin Double Sided Tape To Adhere It... The Same Principle, Is Used For Large PC Fans & Will Trap Dust On Surface, For Easy Vacuuming etc..

The problem with fly tape is it forces dust into circuitry..... JK An odd item to use but I might have to try it some time.

Not Fly Tape... Tape The Fly Screen To Console & It Adds Another Barrier For Dust etc... Check Up On Fan Filter Kits For PCs etc..

Also, Check What I've Said Here..

http://forums.xbox.com/xbox_forums/general_discussion/f/2176/t/242062.aspx

You state that opening the console isn't a wise idea, Maybe for the average joe or if they are counting on the warranty.

The filter kits is a great idea, No sarcasm, But why tape it to the out side??? I am not going to lie I had to tape My screen door over my swamp cooler to keep the family Pets from being propelled across the room. But this isn't really helpful in the fact that's how I throw my cat at the wall, and this defeat the purpose.

Anyways, A filter kit would look the best just on the inside of the console that way it was flush to the case and didn't look like joe homeless was trying to keep bugs from riding his Call of duty disk.

You Technical Savvy People, Over Think Things To Much.... I Only Said, To Put On The Outside.. Because It Would Viod Warranty... Do As You Please... It Was Just An Option Or Temporary Solution, To Stop Dust Entering XBOX etc..

I don't think I have ever been so flattered by being called savvy anything in my whole life,In the 7th grade I gained a bunch of weight and my Algebra teacher called me Fat savvy, I was insulted at first until the school's "Phat girl" club let me join. It felt like Charlies angles except we were the version that spent most of our time at McDonald's searching for half eaten chicken nuggets and special sauce thrown in the dumpster. One day I got stuck under a huge bag of left over patties and the garbage man hauled me and my 300 pounds to the dump. I spent 3 months surviving off of ketchup covered napkins and moldy pizza crust. Needles to say I lost the weight and was never called Fat Savvy again.

Honestly The best way to keep dust out of the console is to submerge it in a non newtonian ferrofluid, then charge it with an electrically Ionized liquid such as Gatorade.

Compressed Air + Vacuum = better than opening up ur 360 and breaking warranty.

TH3DUBBS:

You state that opening the console isn't a wise idea, Maybe for the average joe or if they are counting on the warranty.

The filter kits is a great idea, No sarcasm, But why tape it to the out side??? I am not going to lie I had to tape My screen door over my swamp cooler to keep the family Pets from being propelled across the room. But this isn't really helpful in the fact that's how I throw my cat at the wall, and this defeat the purpose.

Anyways, A filter kit would look the best just on the inside of the console that way it was flush to the case and didn't look like joe homeless was trying to keep bugs from riding his Call of duty disk.

Actually opening the console at all is not a good idea.  If  you have a console that you have previously opened before and connect it to xbox live, you can and will get banned for system tampering, not to mention voiding warranty.  Also vacuums aren't a good idea with electronics, even the small ones because they still generate static.  I will continue to use canned air, I know it can still blow particulates into the system, but you'll never get 100% of all dust out of your unit.

XBOX live network doesn't know if you've opened a console, only if you've tampered it.  I heard say about it detecting temperature changes but actually they would vary anyway from location to location and so would provide no evidence to suggest tampering.

The consoles, are Factory Sealed, in certain areas of the case & thermal sensors that control the fans, detect irregularities etc..  So, it's not wise, opening the case... Risking Red Ring Of Death, if you open the case too..

Ha ha ha... Wow "You can and will get banned" OMG i'm on the floor...

1. "thermal sensors" if you will, are built into CPU and GPU Not the case.... What in the world would be the point in that? That would void the point in even having them in the first place.

2. "IF" (and there NOT) Microsoft was watching for heat changes, who in there right mind would open there 360 while it is running???? Just absurd. Not to mention there are to many variables for them to use temperature to detect such things.

3. Have any of you actually opened a 360??? NO!! I doubt it. There is absolutely nothing connecting the case to any special gismo to detect if it has been open or not. It's like in the days that people thought there was a chip breaker in there lol.

4. The only way your going to get RROD (general hard ware failure) from opening your 360 is if start playing 5 finger fillet with the chip set, spill something, have a static discharge,knock something loose, rub it across your cat... And none of these are a sure way to get RROD.

In conclusion, No you will not get banned from opening your case, but if you rely on the warranty don't open it. Microsoft does not give a rat's hat about temperature variation. They do not install "Thermal sensors" to the case... That one befuddles me to why you would think that. Some times I wonder how all of these gamers don't know a flying fig about there console.... Just freaking puzzles me.

I never said the Thermal Sensors, are in the case mate... Comprehend what I said, before you have a pun..

Areas are purposely sealed for accurate temp readings etc.. Any wind or breeze, will give the thermal sensors an inaccurate reading etc..

..

Thermal Sensors, turn a "Voltage" reading, into a Electrical Signal for digital microcontrollers etc... The 'System" Caches any irregularities in Motherboard Volages & associated signals, then the network determines, if It is Modded or not..  They WILL Ban your console, if the network deemed your console as a security threat...  

..

The Console Motherboards, sit in a metal case, inside the outer case too... If you open the case, static electricity can cause a short circuit & RROD your console too...

Temperature is different in different locations though NanoTechSoldier, they're not looking for the variations you're talking about because if they were they're effectively regulating the temperature of peoples' homes through threat of banning a player from LIVE and preventing us from using external fans to cool.

Understand the logic of computer circuitry...  

..

The micro-processors or controllers cache every value & stores it for System analysis... All Thermal Sensors, go through one circuit & the micro-controller, is looking at variances all the time... It also has Temperature allowances over all Sensors & if one is out... It notes it... It sets values, for different areas of the case etc...

..

Why do you think consoles are region specific...?? Because Temps are different in all countries/regions & Temp values [high-low] are set by microsoft, specifically for that country/region...

..

The console case, is also looped & the motherboard has a CMOS Battery, that keeps the loop active... Microsoft, knows remotely, if you have opened your consoles case too....

..

Fans are alright to use too.. As I've Said; Certain areas of the case are sealed or sectioned away from wind or breeze, for accurate readings...

All I've Got to Say is How bout rather than arguing about the internal sensory of the Console we get back to the actual question because i too would like to know the more effective way, I was going to use both the compressed air and the vacuum and yes i know vacuums create static but...BUT! the console is closed that is the point of having the Foxxcon metal casing to disperse the static away from the components but anyways.......would that be the best way while spraying out holding the console upside down (vents downward) and using the vacuum to suck the dust particles out. what do you all think?

1.Consoles are region specific because game ratings are different in other countries.  Temp values are not set for a country or region. They are set for what temp the CPU and GPU are running at nothing more.

2. The console case is not looped to anything. Microsoft does not no when you open it. Why don't you show some proof on your theory?? you can't it's total BS. you pulled that out of your ***. The Xbox 360 does not contain a CMOS battery, no. The RTC chip on the xbox is powered solely from the power brick (which will continue to draw small amounts of energy while the box is powered down, for WoL, RTC and a few other features none of which are to keep your case in loop. That's just retarded and pointless.

3. No certain areas of the case are not sealed. Once a again prove it. Both Phat and slim consoles sit in a metal basket  with ducts to redirect the air flow over the primary chips. there is no sectioned of parts of the console.

Your whole post is utter farce.

There Are Some Metal Clips On Case, That Keep The Looped Circuit + Case Screws Go Through Motherboard Too...  The Capacitors, Are The Bloody CMOS Battery... For Friggs Sake & Your XBOX Will Keep The Time On Dashboard, When You Unplug The Power Supply... Until Power In Circuitry Runs Out... I Design Patents Buddy...

..

What Is Cooling It From Underneath The Motherboard... Temp Sensors, Are Not Necessarily On The Top Of The Motherboard... The 4GB Internal Memory, Is Attached Underneath The Motherboard.. There Are No Fans Underneath...

..

My Statements Are Not Ludicrous Either TH3DUBBS...  If The Ambient Temperature Of A Country Is Hotter... The Sensor Values, Will Be Set Specifically For That Climate.. So The Sensors Know To Speed The Fan Up etc... 

Just flip the xbox upside down so no dust gets in the fan Jk, Just use can air Its the best!

Just be aware, that compressed air in a can, is a aerosol & is does contain H2O... Water, can come out etc... So spray it away from the console first [to clear any liquid] & then clean the dust away... Otherwise, you'll make mud...

NanoTechSoldier:

There Are Some Metal Clips On Case, That Keep The Looped Circuit + Case Screws Go Through Motherboard Too

To date, there's been no indication that the the 360 has case open sensors. While entirely possible to implement, they haven't been. The conductive contacts you're talking about are for shielding.

 

There has been mention in the past that MS monitors power usage levels of components, like the fans, and uses that as a way to detect if a console has been tampered with. Adding lights or other devices that pull power from a fan lead would show up under such monitoring.

Your XBOX Will Keep The Time On Dashboard, When You Unplug The Power Supply... Until Power In Circuitry Runs Out...

Depends on how much charge the capacitors hold. In my experience, both with the original XBOX and the 360, it's not much, maybe a couple hours worth.

If The Ambient Temperature Of A Country Is Hotter... The Sensor Values, Will Be Set Specifically For That Climate..

Doesn't work that way. They're not configured separately for different regions, nor would there be any reason to do so. Thermal sensors would allow the device to detect temperature and adjust fan speed accordingly.

"The conductive contacts you're talking about are for shielding."

Shielding What Exactly & How Is It Conducting..??

..

"Doesn't work that way. They're not configured separately for different regions, nor would there be any reason to do so."

For Warranty Purposes, There Would Be...

DTxx:

Hi i have a 360 slim and i always have it laying flat. Ive noticed the vent thats over the fan is getting a bit dusty and clogged. How can i clean this vent without taking my xbox apart ? Is it wise to use a hoover to suck up the dust etc ? Will this cause static ? Also can i use a 4gb memory stick to back up my profile and save files? Many thanks for replys will check back laters.

 

Stick the hoover on the vent and let it suck what it can. You wont damage anything. Ive hoovered vents on Xbox, TV, PC and all sorts of electronic devices for years with no problems. Its only air!

And your 4gb memory stick is fine for a profile and game saves. I use a 2GB and Ive used this for a very long time now and its nowhere near full. Check all my played games and you can imagine how many saves and information I have etc.

Happy gaming. :-)

The best thing to do is open the console and clean it out manually but the second best thing is to get a vacuum cleaner and put it on one side of the console sucking air out, and then use a can of compressed air to blow in the other vent to loosen up the dust inside. It really won't get it entirely clean but unless you opt to open the console its about as good as it gets. Also opening up the console is generally not a good idea as it does void the warrantee and exposes you to the risk of electric shock if you are not careful or know what you are doing.