Xbox 360 3 Red Light Error 0020 Fix Options

[CompFreak07]

Hello,
I have fixed many xbox 360's with the X clamp replacement. I recently had troubles fixing 3. At first when I checked the error code they were all 0102. Once I did the X clamp replacement the 3 red lights still showed up. I then checked the error code and was getting 0020. I did some further investigation and found that all 3 of those systems had almost none if any thermal compound on the CPU/GPU. I went out to my local Radio Shack to get some Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound for $10. I then cleaned off all thermal compound from the CPU/GPU with some Goo Gone including the bottom of the heat sinks. I then applied a nice even coat on both and decided to apply some on the two ram chips that the heat sink sits on as well. To my surprise after putting them all back together every one worked on first power on. I believe that error 0020 must have something to due with the GPU/CPU not giving off enough heat to the heatsink because there is little or no thermal compound. If you currently have this error and have not tried this please try and post your success. I have gotten 3 to work like this so I thought I would post to help anyone else. Thanks

[Anikachiktou]

Same thing for me! I've done the x-clamp replacement, replace paste with artic silver 5 and everythings fine now. Same error 0020.

I think seriously about a thermal paste issue on a lot of xbox 360. There is too much!! I relly don't understand why Microsoft put 20 times more it suppose to be? Probably to kill xbox slowly... And sell more after

[CompFreak07]

Has this fix worked for anyone else?

[freeway327]

0020 here too
i'll try this tut as i have no other option. Hope it works.

[CompFreak07]

0020 here too
i'll try this tut as i have no other option. Hope it works.

Cool, post back and give your results. Did you already do the X Clamp replacement? and was your original error 0102?

[YoungGeekGuy]

I have the same problem after the mod, I will apply more paste!
And yes I had error code 0102, i made it as tight as I ever had this time and it eliminated my original problem!

This post has been edited by YoungGeekGuy: Jul 8 2007, 10:21 PM

[freeway327]

i've tried everything from little paste to lots, 2 washers to three and same old error code. i have no idea what to do next. yea 0020 sux. i dont know what the original code was but it was 3rlod and its been all good for a year and a half of brutal gameplay, exactly how much paste did you put????

[CompFreak07]

i've tried everything from little paste to lots, 2 washers to three and same old error code. i have no idea what to do next. yea 0020 sux. i dont know what the original code was but it was 3rlod and its been all good for a year and a half of brutal gameplay, exactly how much paste did you put????

When I put the paste on the chips I put no more than a grain of rice size and spread it out evenly over the chip until it was covered and was smooth. Hope that helps

[felixwong]

I found an interesting exlpaination for the error code 0020. When I tried to remove the X clamp for my XBOX360, I over tightened the replacing M5 blots. Result, error code 0020. After I loosed them a little bit, my XBOX 360 showed the old error code 0102. I have tried this for several times. Seems that the 0020 error is related to the pressure on the GPU.

[brandogg]

I had just the opposite. Not having enough pressure on the GPU resulted in 0020, removing 1 washer from each bolt (under heat sink) cured my 0020.

[Mreguy]

xbox-scene:
bought two red ringed xboxs off ebay.
opened to find xclamp fix already done.
attempting heat gun fix.
just did on one error 0020, waiting for it to cool down now
will post results.

[Mreguy]

update: got the 360 working!
messed with pressure on gpu and cpu, was getting 0020, then started getting 0102, then 2 red rings, then finally *bam!* it's working!
found a sweet spot, got everything nice and working.
now just one more unit XP

[endorphin2007]

I got 2 xboxes with 0020 error. 2 questions.

1 - the first has never been fixed and waaranty expired. Do the x-clamp first or heatgun first?

2 - the second had error code 0102 and was fixed with the x-clamp method and worked for a few months and then gave me the E74 and 1022 eror. Heatgunned it which worked for 1 minute and then got the same errors again. Heatgunned it again 1 minute 400C and 4 minutes 550C started it up and now I have have the 0020 error? This box is a pain in the bud. Any suggestions?

[Wilhelm_I]

I got 2 xboxes with 0020 error. 2 questions.

1 - the first has never been fixed and waaranty expired. Do the x-clamp first or heatgun first?

2 - the second had error code 0102 and was fixed with the x-clamp method and worked for a few months and then gave me the E74 and 1022 eror. Heatgunned it which worked for 1 minute and then got the same errors again. Heatgunned it again 1 minute 400C and 4 minutes 550C started it up and now I have have the 0020 error? This box is a pain in the bud. Any suggestions?

For 0020 first check all solder balls under CPU, GPU and all 8 RAM bricks.
Look under the chips from the side and make sure you can see all of them and that they are not flat...

If this is not the case first do the X-Clamp replacement, try my method it takes the chip under even pressure so it might be able to revive even the ones that were x-clamp-fixed already...
If this fails heatgun the CPU->GPU-> RAM area like shown in my heatgunning tutorial.
Afterwards redo the x-clamp fix...

Links are in my signature...

[mj-systems]

the error code 0020 is for the pruseure on the GPU and Cpu. i just tell you how i did mine and a few off my mates mine was smiple insted off remove the x clamp back plate and replacing with screws and washers i fold that cleaning the the heat sink and putting new silver compound on like it say in the x clap one but keeping the old x clamp back plate just use one platic washer on it when u clamp it under the baord it put's enouth preassure on it and makes a fantastic contact to the cpu and the gpu ,
like i did my mates for him and he had already removed the back plate and i had to mess around with the preausser to get it to work again if any one want me to show them what i mean just give me a shout.
hope this help someone and makes it easy for you