Repairing an Xbox’s DVD Drive – Terence Eden’s Blog https://shkspr.mobi/blog Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 09:06:22 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-avatar-32x32.jpeg Repairing an Xbox’s DVD Drive – Terence Eden’s Blog https://shkspr.mobi/blog 32 32 <![CDATA[Repairing an Xbox's DVD Drive]]> https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2009/11/replace-xbox-dvd-drive/ https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2009/11/replace-xbox-dvd-drive/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:00:50 +0000 http://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=1208 For the last four years, I've been using a chipped XBOX as my media centre. Running XBMC, it has managed to play everything I've thrown at it. Recently, though, it has had a real problem playing standard DVDs. Aside from percussive maintenance, the only way that I know to fix something is to crack it open and have a fiddle!

I've opened my Xboxes several times before - if you're new to it, you'll need a TORX screwdriver set (Size 10 & 7 are the only two bits you actually need) and a regular cross-head screwdriver. And nerves of steel, obviously. There are lots of guides to taking apart the Xbox - there's a particularly good one on repairing DVD drives.

As it turns out, my DVD drive was suffering from a 4 year accumulation of dust. Eurgh! Clicking each of the pictures will show you the horror in 5 MegaPixel detail.

Dusty Lens (Click for bigger)

Dusty Lens

Dust on the lens (Click for bigger)

Dust on the lens

Dust Around the Casing (Click for bigger)

Dust Around the Casing

Dust In The Unit (Click for bigger)

Dust In The Unit

Dust on the Mechanism (Click for bigger)

Dust on the Mechanism (Click for bigger)

Luckily, dust is one of the easiest problems to solve. You just put your lips together and blow...

Actually, a can of compressed air and a lint free cloth is generally better! A quick reassembly and the DVD drive is as good as new.

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