Original Xbox Laser Question Please Advice

[thegamezmaster]

I have the first xbox and the laser's bad. My question is which is better to do, just replace the laser assy or the whole dvd assy? How hard is to to just replace the laser assy? Never tried and wanted opinions of people that have. Thanks in advance!

[Rex Dart]

I'd swap the entire DVD drive unless you're getting a REALLY good deal on the laser assembly. Swapping the drive is terrifically easy.

[Emehr]

I agree. I did a laser swap only to have it still not work. I ended up just getting another Xbox.

[thegamezmaster]

Thanks! Any place sell them cheap or what should I expect to pay?

[Galeforcerm]

I bought one from ebay last year for around 30 shipped.

[thegamezmaster]

Tried ebay with little luck. Anyone know of any retail places to recommend that they have dealt with? Trying to keep cost down,thanks.

[mikeosoft]

i can sell you one if you need. pm me or checkout my marketplace thread

[sqoon]

Does Xbox take a special DVD drive, or will any model with proper connectors work? I have about three broken drive Xbox's I would like to get working.

[amiman99]

Xbox takes spacial DVD drive and there are 3 variations of it: Thomson, Philips and Samsung.

the best is Samsung, the worst is Thomson.

[the.golden.ax]

How do you know the laser is bad and just doesn't need the pot adjusted?

[thegamezmaster]

Have seen tutorials for that, changing just the laser assy, and the whole drive. Is adjusting the pot easy to do? Meaning don't want to mess it up. Some games play fine and others keep getting the dirty or damaged disc message. Checked all discs and see no real damage to any.

[Van]

Know this is an old thread, but thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I used a Samsung PC drive. It had similar specs to the Xbox drive, but had to re flash the firmware on the drive with the Xbox code. Xbox reads the drive backwards. Had to make up a cable adapter and reverse the tray motor, if I remember correct. The how-to was on the net (it's on my old Win98 machine also, I think, but it's been mothballed for years), but this was years ago, I think I have a few spare drives that I re flashed.

[19rsn007]

I agree. I did a laser swap only to have it still not work. I ended up just getting another Xbox.

 

uhm...what about the pot meter settings?

and did it happen to be a thompson drive?

If so, these are the most terrible drives ever used in the original xbox

 

@topicstarter:

If you can get a lens and you're technical enough, i'd replace the lens.

If it's a thompson drive, I would try finding a SAMSUNG drive for the original XBOX.

That's the best drive you could get.

Edited March 4, 2013 by 19rsn007