0013 Error Options

[jesse_recycled]

So, I'm attempting to fix my buddy's 360... he's got one of the consoles from release, so, I'm suprised it lasted this long!

When I got his 360, it would boot, and play for ~5 min. before shutting down, and throwing the overheating error. The outside was pretty dusty, so I could only imagine what the inside was like. Once I got it open, I used some compressed air and dusted everything off nicely, took the heatsinks off, shined them up all nice and pretty and applied some AS5. Booted up the system, and it still would only play for about 5 minutes before throwing a 0013. So, I figured I'd try the x-clamp mod on it. Booted the system up, and to my suprise, I played Halo 3 for about an hour, before I decided to shut it off, and test again in the morn. Morning comes... 0013 again. Instantly this time. So I messed around with the tightness of the heatsinks, and at one point got the system to run for about 3 hours before it threw 0013 again.

I honestly don't know what else to try, so if anyone has any ideas on how to get rid of this, what seems like, rare error code, I'd love you forever. Thanks in advance!

[Wilhelm_I]

So, I'm attempting to fix my buddy's 360... he's got one of the consoles from release, so, I'm suprised it lasted this long!

When I got his 360, it would boot, and play for ~5 min. before shutting down, and throwing the overheating error. The outside was pretty dusty, so I could only imagine what the inside was like. Once I got it open, I used some compressed air and dusted everything off nicely, took the heatsinks off, shined them up all nice and pretty and applied some AS5. Booted up the system, and it still would only play for about 5 minutes before throwing a 0013. So, I figured I'd try the x-clamp mod on it. Booted the system up, and to my suprise, I played Halo 3 for about an hour, before I decided to shut it off, and test again in the morn. Morning comes... 0013 again. Instantly this time. So I messed around with the tightness of the heatsinks, and at one point got the system to run for about 3 hours before it threw 0013 again.

I honestly don't know what else to try, so if anyone has any ideas on how to get rid of this, what seems like, rare error code, I'd love you forever. Thanks in advance!

0013 is ram overheating so it is a cooling issue you should try to install heatsinks on them(thermalpads on the bottom ram, then the case absorbs the heat)...
you should try these they fit perfectly for the 360's ram http://www.thermaltake.com/product/Cooler/.../CL-C002526.asp
Doing the 12V-fanmod might fix it as well...
It is a cooling issue so try to keep the system as cool as possible...
More information on cooling methods can be found here http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=471958

This post has been edited by Wilhelm_I: Feb 23 2008, 03:10 PM

[jesse_recycled]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize it was the ram overheating, so I'll try those heatsinks. I thought it was kinda funny that neither of the heatsinks felt warm when it errored.

[itzarel]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize it was the ram overheating, so I'll try those heat sinks. I thought it was kinda funny that neither of the heat sinks felt warm when it error'd.

Hey Jesse, I have the exact same problem as you and I agree the heat sinks are not remotely warm when it powers down. It seems to me there must be a thermistor of some kind to shut this thing down when the ram chips heat up. From the speed at which this thing shuts down I believe this sensor must be open, If we knew the location of this (hoping it's not in the cpu) we could change or spoof it. Maybe it's a current sensor......who knows someone more learned has to answer that.



Itzarel

[Wilhelm_I]

Hey Jesse, I have the exact same problem as you and I agree the heat sinks are not remotely warm when it powers down. It seems to me there must be a thermistor of some kind to shut this thing down when the ram chips heat up. From the speed at which this thing shuts down I believe this sensor must be open, If we knew the location of this (hoping it's not in the cpu) we could change or spoof it. Maybe it's a current sensor......who knows someone more learned has to answer that.
Itzarel

I dont think it is the sensor although it might be possible...
However if it was the sensor error 0030 would show up -> Problem with temperature control

[ocdesi]

I think I managed to fix this error after about a week. In short I taped 2 plastic washers on top of the RAM chips underneath the GPU heatsink. It has only worked for 2 days but that is way longer than it used to. For details read on:

I had this same error and did just about everything to try and fix it. I had already x-clamped the thing a little less than a year ago. Playing around with the tightness of the bolts changed how fast the 0013 error would show but it always would. I tried all sorts of combinations and the most play time I could get was putting the x-clamp back on the CPU heatsink and not screwing it in. This gave me a couple hours to play. I turned it off and came back to it and 0013 was almost immediate. I tried the penny trick and that didn't help and in some cases made the 0013 pop up faster (tried with 2 and 3 pennies). Through a bunch of configurations I even managed a 0110 error. I gave up and put the x-clamps back on both heatsinks and was planning on selling the thing as broken. With the clamps back on the console wouldn't last a minute.

So on the day I was going to go buy a new 360 I figured what the heck I'll try something else. I taped one plastic washer on top of each RAM chip under the GPU heatsink hoping to put some pressure on the RAM chips. I got it to boot for a bit longer this way. I unscrewed the clamps on the CPU side and it stayed alive longer. Finally I taped 2 stacked plastic washers on top of each ram chip. Screwed down the GPU nice and tight and voila it worked for 3 hours. I turned it off for the night and went back to it this morning and it was still running but I couldn't test it for long. Plus I don't know much about electronics and whether placing plastic washers between a RAM chip and a heatsink is a good idea but the basic idea is there. Just need to find something the right width that can safely be placed there. By the way, my CPU and board are NOT screwed into the metal casing. The only screws I have in right now are for the GPU heatsink.

[partyon]

I think I managed to fix this error after about a week. In short I taped 2 plastic washers on top of the RAM chips underneath the GPU heatsink. It has only worked for 2 days but that is way longer than it used to. For details read on:

I had this same error and did just about everything to try and fix it. I had already x-clamped the thing a little less than a year ago. Playing around with the tightness of the bolts changed how fast the 0013 error would show but it always would. I tried all sorts of combinations and the most play time I could get was putting the x-clamp back on the CPU heatsink and not screwing it in. This gave me a couple hours to play. I turned it off and came back to it and 0013 was almost immediate. I tried the penny trick and that didn't help and in some cases made the 0013 pop up faster (tried with 2 and 3 pennies). Through a bunch of configurations I even managed a 0110 error. I gave up and put the x-clamps back on both heatsinks and was planning on selling the thing as broken. With the clamps back on the console wouldn't last a minute.

So on the day I was going to go buy a new 360 I figured what the heck I'll try something else. I taped one plastic washer on top of each RAM chip under the GPU heatsink hoping to put some pressure on the RAM chips. I got it to boot for a bit longer this way. I unscrewed the clamps on the CPU side and it stayed alive longer. Finally I taped 2 stacked plastic washers on top of each ram chip. Screwed down the GPU nice and tight and voila it worked for 3 hours. I turned it off for the night and went back to it this morning and it was still running but I couldn't test it for long. Plus I don't know much about electronics and whether placing plastic washers between a RAM chip and a heatsink is a good idea but the basic idea is there. Just need to find something the right width that can safely be placed there. By the way, my CPU and board are NOT screwed into the metal casing. The only screws I have in right now are for the GPU heatsink.

Plastic doesnt conduct heat too well without melting if too hot i would have use something similar that was aluminium/copper:)

[ocdesi]

Plastic doesnt conduct heat too well without melting if too hot i would have use something similar that was aluminium/copper:)

Good call. I'll go out and buy something similar at the hardware store. Should I apply AS5 on the ram chips as well?

[Wilhelm_I]

Good call. I'll go out and buy something similar at the hardware store. Should I apply AS5 on the ram chips as well?

no dont you would have to apply too much and the heat conduction would not be too good
As you have to fill a gap of 2-3mm just get some thermal pads which have this thickness
Just search a bit on google until you find a shop which sells them

[ocdesi]

Update: So about one week later I got 0013 again. I added another washer and that didn't help much. I screwed down the main board and now its working. I don't get it but as long as it can hold out until a price cut I'm happy. I ordered some thermal pads that are 2.5mm thick to replace the washers but the washers seem to be holding up fine and I don't play enough to be worried about melting them (pretty much play for half an hour a day or less).


This post has been edited by ocdesi: Mar 10 2008, 02:42 AM

[ocdesi]

Well, here's another update if there is anyone out there trying to fix this problem and is constantly searching forums for anything (I know I was). My 360 died again with the same error and I fixed it again. It's basically a mashup of a bunch of fixes I've read about for the RROD. It's a franken360 but it works... hopefully that price cut comes to the U.S. soon.

The washers on the RAM chips were the right idea but were far from permanent. So here is my setup right now and it's currently running strong. 3 pennies wrapped in electrical tape underneath each of the 2 RAM chips underneath the GPU heatsink, 2.5mm thick heat pads inbetween the top of each of the 2 RAM chips and the GPU heatsink, and one penny wrapped in electrical tape on top of the heatsink (on the RAM side) to help the DVD drive press down even further on those RAM chips. So far I've only screwed on the top of the case and the GPU heatsink. I'll probably screw down the CPU heatsink as well but I see no good coming from altering it any further.

[xasmir]

i have this error too so i did the 12v fan mod and the penny mod ,xclamp mod .I left two screws lose,one on the top right and one on the bottom left ....the other two i test the tightness slow to see how long it last . right now it last about 4 1/2 hours sometimes longer

[mrgibbysworth]

Did either of you (ocdesi, xasmir) try to reflow with a heat gun? I too am getting 2 red lights, and code 0013, immediately after power on. So far I only tried re-seating both heat sinks with new compound. It ran for about a minute before shutting down. Now it rlod's immediately, as before.

Since it shuts down instantly, I can't believe the RAM chips are actually overheating, unless they are faulty. I am thinking of heat gunning the ram...