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Repair guide

Remove or replace the original Xbox clock capacitor

Early Xboxes have a clock supercapacitor that can leak alkaline fluid and corrode traces. Removing it early is the best fix, and repairing any rotted traces comes second.

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Other · Careful · about 90 minutes. Worth doing. Reports say this fix helps on many machines.

You are in the right place if: The Xbox will not power on, the eject button briefly lights the console, or you see powder and corrosion near the front of the board.

Before you start

  • Installing a replacement capacitor backwards can cause a fire or other serious failure.
  • Do not replace a black leaker with the same type.
  • Corroded traces can be tiny. Do not guess, use magnification and a meter.

Board revisions and models

Pre-1.6 boards can run without the capacitor. 1.6 and 1.6b boards cannot.

Parts you may need

  • 1F 2.5V supercapacitor (for 1.6 boards). only needed for revision 1.6 Amazon · eBay
  • Isopropyl alcohol. clean residue Amazon · eBay
  • Thin wire for trace repair. trace straps Amazon · eBay

Tools

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These links only search by name. Disclosure

Step by step

  1. Check the date sticker Consoles built after about April 2004 are less at risk. Check the internal sticker.
  2. Open the console Remove the rubber feet and the Torx screws, then detach the DVD drive and hard drive to reach the board.
  3. Locate the clock capacitor On 1.0 to 1.4 boards it is near the front left. On 1.6 and 1.6b boards it sits next to the IDE socket.
  4. Look for damage Check for powder, crystals, discolouration and burned parts, especially on the underside.
  5. Remove the capacitor On boards before 1.6 you can wiggle it off with pliers. Do not replace it with the same type.
  6. Neutralise and clean Clean the residue with isopropyl alcohol. The leaked fluid is alkaline.
  7. Inspect the traces Look closely, ideally under magnification, at the traces along the front edge for corrosion or breaks. Repair breaks with wire straps.
  8. Handle 1.6 boards differently These boards will not power on without a working clock capacitor. Fit any 2.5V or higher rated replacement, with stripe matching the board marking.
  9. Reassemble and test Check that the power and eject buttons behave normally and note that some old custom BIOS versions may loop without a clock.

Tips, tales and maybes

Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us.

  • Watch out (Medium confidence). In rare cases a leaking clock capacitor can catch fire. Source
  • Story (Low confidence). An Xbox that only briefly responded to the eject button was diagnosed with a leaked clock cap and corroded traces, and sent to a repair service that removed the cap on both consoles. Source
  • Story (Low confidence). An Xbox with a broken power button had trace rot near where the clock capacitor had been removed. Community advice was to look closely at the four front tracks. Source

Guides we used

We wrote the steps in our own words from these. They have the photos and the full detail, so please read them and support their authors.

Boards and models vary, so check what is in front of you. A repair can involve hot tools, chemicals and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.

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