As common as the Xbox 360 was, the development kits (XDKs) for these consoles are significantly less so. This makes it even more tragic when someone performs a botched surgery on one of these rare machines, leaving it in dire straits. Fortunately [Josh Davidson] was able to repair the XDK in question for a customer, although it entailed replacing the GPU, CPU and fixing many traces.
The Xbox 360 Development Kit is effectively a special version of the consumer console — with extra RAM and features that make debugging software on the unit much easier, such as through direct access to RAM contents. They come in a variety of hardware specifications that developed along with the game console during its lifecycle, with this particular XDK getting an upgrade to being a Super Devkit with fewer hardware restrictions.
Replacing the dead GPU was a new old stock Kronos 1 chip. Fortunately the pads were fine underneath the old GPU, making it easy to replace. After that various ripped-off pads and traces were discovered underneath the PCB, all of which had to be painstakingly repaired. Following this the CPU had apparently suffered heat damage and was replaced with a better CPU, putting this XDK back into service.
Calling idiot to someone thar attempted to repair and failed, talks more about you than the other one, please guys don’t do that, be professional, spot the failed attempt if you wish and move on.
was it you who attempted to repair?
It’s just unnecessarily cruel to call names at someone who already knows they messed something up.
If you make someone feel bad every time they fail, then they’ll never try something new. It’s better to call out what they did wrong. Pobody’s Nerfect after all.
XDK is a super rare console, if someone who doesn’t know what they are doing, should not attempt to work on a rare console — just like you wouldn’t hand the keys of a Bugatti Chiron to someone who’s never driven a supercar, or let an amateur mechanic start poking around inside a Rolls‑Royce Phantom.
haha it wasn’t me on this article but man it was me plenty of other times that didn’t get written up! we’ve all been there!
No disrespect, but these units are uncommon and he should have at least Googled a bit before destroying something of significant value. Especially if someone had bought it and received it like that!
Rare? Yes.
Considerable Value?
Between about $500 and $800 on FleaBay when you add in the shipping.
Nope, that’s not pocket change. But your phone, laptop or whatever likely cost more.
Does homebrew development grind to a halt when these things run out? (Is that even a big thing now?) I bet an emulator could give one all that same memory access and then some.
A professional wouldn’t practice BGA rework on a rare console. Besides, why are there so many ripped pads?
Eh. I’ve done better work as I’ve studied the motherboards
Is that tonasket gpu? It doesn’t say tonasket? Its supposed to be tonasket