Original Xbox Eject Button Issue.

[thewildace]

I've been having issues with the eject button on my original Xbox recently, and it often doesn't respond when I push it when the console is on. It does work when I use it to turn on the system, but is usually the only time I can either open, or close the disc tray, and also have to turn off the Xbox to close the tray, after I open it. It's hard to say what the problem is, since I can get it work work before I play the Xbox, but not during, usually. Any ideas as to what the problem may be, and if there's a fix for it? Hope someone here can help, and it's strange that it does work when the console is off, but rarely does after I have it on, for whatever reason, and can't open, or close the disc tray during gameplay, or when the system is on in general.

[Greg2600]

could be capacitor issue, they leak a lot on those.

[otaku]

capacitors aren't difficult to repair/replace are they? I keep hearing this all over with regards to consoles. My xbox did this back when I owned one its been at least 5 years since then

[Pete Rittwage]

It sounds like a symptom of the start of trace corrosion. It happens to them all eventually.

http://www.theisozone.com/tutorials/...rosion-repair/

[thewildace]

Now it's really acting up, as I tried playing my Xbox yesterday for the first time in a month, and the button is rapidly blinking, and the disc drive was going bat-shit crazy by opening & closing itself! Is the drive possibly a total loss, and should I try cleaning it with compressed air, or just get a new console? Hope someone can help or may have ideas on what I should do.

[Pete Rittwage]

Repair the trace corrosion, or get another one...

[Greg2600]

Yeah it's not the drive, it's the motherboard. Replacing an old Xbox is pretty cheap, but if you need to open them, they are a pain to do. If you have a lot of game saves, not sure how you can get those off though, or transfer.

[tpugmire]

It's most likely that the clock capacitor has leaked on the motherboard and corroded some traces. You should definitely remove the capacitor so it doesn't continue to leak and get worse. Clean up the area around the damage and if you feel comfortable trying the repair, do so. At this point, you don't have a lot to lose, because it will only get worse. If you do decide to get another Xbox, you should go ahead and remove the capacitor before it does the same thing. It's a known issue, and I think all but one revision of the console will have this problem at some point.

[thewildace]

I did just had my save data transferred to a memory card, so it can hopefully be put onto a different Xbox console, should I have to get a new one. I've had the system for over ten years now, and it worked fine until lately. Hope I'll know what to do, and have this figured out soon either way.

[BlastProcessing402]

I've been having issues with the eject button on my original Xbox recently, and it often doesn't respond when I push it when the console is on. It does work when I use it to turn on the system, but is usually the only time I can either open, or close the disc tray, and also have to turn off the Xbox to close the tray, after I open it. It's hard to say what the problem is, since I can get it work work before I play the Xbox, but not during, usually. Any ideas as to what the problem may be, and if there's a fix for it? Hope someone here can help, and it's strange that it does work when the console is off, but rarely does after I have it on, for whatever reason, and can't open, or close the disc tray during gameplay, or when the system is on in general.

You should be able to close the tray by lightly pushing it in at which point the motor should take over and close it. Opening it obviously isn't as simple. This works on almost all motorized tray drives and definitely works on my OXB. Not a fix, but might be a workaround you can use in the meantime.

It sounds like a symptom of the start of trace corrosion. It happens to them all eventually.

http://www.theisozone.com/tutorials/...rosion-repair/

It may be a common problem, but it's certainly not universal the way you make it sound. Might as well claim every PS2 gets the DRE.

Yeah it's not the drive, it's the motherboard. Replacing an old Xbox is pretty cheap, but if you need to open them, they are a pain to do. If you have a lot of game saves, not sure how you can get those off though, or transfer.

The only thing hard about opening it is that it has those torx screws keeping the case shut. Once you have a way to open those (I got lucky and had a flathead screwdriver that was just the right size to open them somehow), it's incredibly easy to do the rest. Now, 360, there's a pain in the ass to open (at least the first type, dunno about S or E). Anyway, after I opened mine the first time, I just left out the torx screws, it still stays together perfectly well unless you intentionally pull the lid off.

Game saves, if you have a modded system you can just ftp the saves to a computer. Unmodded, you're stuck with memory cards, but some saves are too big for memory cards (like the KOTOR games). I think some are "copy protected" and won't copy to memory cards either (still can ftp them, though).

[CRTGAMER]

I've been having issues with the eject button on my original Xbox recently, and it often doesn't respond when I push it when the console is on. It does work when I use it to turn on the system, but is usually the only time I can either open, or close the disc tray, and also have to turn off the Xbox to close the tray, after I open it. It's hard to say what the problem is, since I can get it work work before I play the Xbox, but not during, usually. Any ideas as to what the problem may be, and if there's a fix for it? Hope someone here can help, and it's strange that it does work when the console is off, but rarely does after I have it on, for whatever reason, and can't open, or close the disc tray during gameplay, or when the system is on in general.

Is the disc reader a Samsung Drive? They have the reputation as the best drive for reading scratched discs, but sometimes have eject issues.

Xbox Revision Guide - http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewt...755098#p755098

[Buyatari]

This happens a lot. There is a rubber belt that gets dry with time.

I've replaced belts with small rubber bands and pulled it off but there are several different styles of disc drives in these systems. Replacing the drive is the quickest fix.

[Neb6]

There are memory units that you can get which plug into the controllers (if you can find them). That would take care of you game saves.

I think there are at least three motherboard revisions for the original XBOX. Opening it up isn't all that difficult. Good hardware information can be found on modding sites.

[sloan]

As was said, most likely culprit is a slipping eject mechanism belt. Don't know if they can be purchased new, but checking ebay might get results. They are medium difficult to replace. Requires taking the DVD drive out of the console and even removing the top shell of DVD drive if I remember correctly. Real trouble is that no one makes these DVD drives anymore and the older ones are breaking down at an alarming rate.