Inside Microsoft's Xbox 360
by Anand Lal Shimpi, Kristopher Kubicki & Tuan Nguyen on November 16, 2005 5:09 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
Removing the Heatsinks from the Motherboard
Removing the heatsinks from the GPU and the CPU will require a great deal of patience as to avoid damaging the motherboard. Flip over the Xbox 360's motherboard. You will see two X clamps grasping the ends of the screws that hold the heatsinks into place. Without removing the X clamps, you cannot remove the heatsinks. Microsoft has done a clever job in terms of securing the unit from prying eyes and removing the heatsinks from the Xbox 360 can be a trick for a lot of people.
Take a pair of small pliers and gently pry off each corner of the clamps. After two corners have been lifted, the rest of the clamp springs loose and can easily be removed by hand. Once both X plates have been removed, you can turn the motherboard over and simply pull the heatsinks off to reveal the GPUs (two dice on the chip) and CPUs (single die, 3 cores on the chip).
You now have a fully disassembled Xbox 360.
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PrinceGaz - Friday, November 18, 2005 - link
Just google "cpu dies" - although you get some hits about dead processors, there are many more abot processor manufacturing, more than you get by googling "cpu dice" (the vast majority of those are to do with random number generation).The correct trm for more than one CPU die is "dies".
KristopherKubicki - Sunday, November 20, 2005 - link
CPU "die" is called that because the CPU is cut from silicon in a specific term called "dicing". "Dice" is in fact the correct word.Just because I had nothing better to do this weekend besides beat Kameo in 10 hours, I put together an etymology of all words related to "Die". I'll put that on a website sometime in the near future.
Kristopher
yacoub - Monday, November 21, 2005 - link
That makes little sense. You dice food but you don't call the resulting piece(s) "die" or "dice". However, a processor is made from a die (remember die-cast metal cars when you were a kid?), and if you have more than one of that type of die, you have dies. Even the Google search comparison between "dies" and "dice" confirms that to be true.akugami - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
Anandtech with a comic from www.gucomics.com about their xbox 360 article.yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
As with the last article here that did this, you want "dies" not "dice".yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
"Dice" are only in gambling. You want "dies".
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
pl. dies A device used for cutting out, forming, or stamping material, especially:An engraved metal piece used for impressing a design onto a softer metal, as in coining money.
One of several component pieces that are fitted into a diestock to cut threads on screws or bolts.
A part on a machine that punches shaped holes in, cuts, or forms sheet metal, cardboard, or other stock.
A metal block containing small conical holes through which plastic, metal, or other ductile material is extruded or drawn.
pl. dies Architecture. The dado of a pedestal, especially when cube-shaped.
pl. dice
A small cube marked on each side with from one to six dots, usually used in pairs in gambling and in various other games.
dice (used with a sing. verb) A game of chance using dice.
tr.v. died, die·ing, dies
To cut, form, or stamp with or as if with a die.
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
DIES. DIES DIES DIES. Yarrr...
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
The worst part is people reading the article who've never heard it used like that before (because it's wrong) are going to think you've got it right and will start saying it.xbdestroya - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
Seriously, is grammar commentary the extent of your thoughts on the article?