Recap guide

Recap the Original Xbox

On 1.0 to 1.4 boards the 1F clock supercap can leak alkaline fluid and eat traces, so remove it promptly. Other board caps date from the plague era.

Open the interactive checklist Tick off each capacitor as you replace it. It saves in your browser.

Worth a recap. Reports say it is a common and useful fix on this machine.

Which board do I have?

Boards changed during production. These notes come from the linked sources, and many are only partly documented, so check the board in front of you.

• Xbox 1.0 and 1.1 (High confidence). How to tell: Check the revision on the sticker; clock supercap sits behind the first controller port and is black. Capacitors: ConsoleMods says the black 1F 2.5V clock caps in 1.0 to 1.4 are low quality and prone to leaking. Capacitor list differs from other revisions: yes. Source
• Xbox 1.2 to 1.4 (High confidence). How to tell: Same clock cap location as 1.0 and 1.1; some later 1.4 units have a gold supercap. Capacitors: ConsoleMods says some later 1.4 units use gold supercaps that are less prone to leaking. Capacitor list differs from other revisions: yes. Source
• Xbox 1.6 (High confidence). How to tell: Clock supercap is gold and sits near the IDE socket. Capacitors: ConsoleMods says all 1.6 systems use the gold supercap, which tends to bulge rather than leak. Capacitor list differs from other revisions: yes. Source

Where to start

Clues from write-ups and forum threads, not a diagnosis. Low confidence means one thread or one repair; high means several write-ups agree.

• Clock supercap (High confidence). ConsoleMods says the 2.5V 1F clock capacitor leaks on 1.0 to 1.4 boards, while 1.6 boards are fine but can take a replacement. Two other write-ups also show leaks or a replacement supercap. Source
• Per-revision cap counts (Medium confidence). A preservation write-up gives cap counts and sizes per revision (V1.0/1.1, V1.2, V1.6) and shows trace repair after a leak. Source
• Early unit recap (Low confidence). One early unit was recapped with 3300uF/6.3V caps and a new supercap. Source

Tips, tales and maybes

Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us. Check part references and values against your own board.

• Story: Eject button flashes the LED then it shuts off (Low confidence). An AtariAge poster whose Xbox would not power on, with the eject button lighting the LED and fans for about a second, traced it to the leaking clock cap eating power traces on an older board. They removed the cap, patched the traces with wire and replaced five other caps, saying the damage needs magnification to see and that 1.6 boards are not affected. Source
• Tip: Several PSU versions (Low confidence). An older AtariAge Xbox repair thread notes there are around four PSU variants tied to the motherboard revision, and recommends checking for a corroded trace on the underside whenever the clock cap is mentioned. Source
• Story: Powers on by itself, eject cycles power (Low confidence). An r/originalxbox post (seen on the nyc1.lr.ggtyler.dev mirror) describes a console that powered on when plugged in, ignored the power button and cycled power on eject, blamed on trace rot left by the already-removed clock cap near the front edge. Replies suggested magnified inspection, jumper wires and an ultrasonic bath. Source
• Story: Clock cap brand (Low confidence). A poster in an AtariAge thread about old caps said the Xbox clock cap in a black PowerStor wrapper is the leaker, and that Nichicon replacements are more reliable. This is one person's claim. Source
• Watch out: 1.6 needs a working clock cap (Medium confidence). ConsoleMods says that unlike earlier boards, 1.6 and 1.6b consoles will not power up without a functioning clock cap and give error 16 if it is removed. It also warns that fitting it backwards risks fire (match the stripe to the board marking), that replacing a leaker with the same black model will leak again, and that old softmods may need a BIOS update to avoid clock-loop errors before removal. Source
• Tip: Choosing replacement caps (Medium confidence). The ConsoleMods capacitor page says to match capacitance, use an equal or higher voltage rating, keep impedance low (especially VRM caps), and that a 3300uF cap may be replaced by two 1500uF in parallel. It recommends staying with the original type rather than polymer, and notes bottom leaks may not show from above. Source
• Tip: Five edge traces (Low confidence). A preservation write-up says five traces along the motherboard edge are the ones eaten after a clock-cap leak, that the ground trace usually survives, and that the other four typically need a wire strap bypass. The author's symptoms were the DVD tray opening by itself and a dead power button. Source
• Story: Bulging pair near the CPU and GPU (Low confidence). One early Xbox had a heavily leaked clock cap plus two bulging 3300uF 6.3V caps near the GPU and CPU, and the author improvised a 1F supercap for the clock cap. The claim that units made after about April 2004 are usually unaffected comes from that one author. Source

Before you start

• Boards changed during production. Check your board number against the guides before you order parts.

Manuals and technical documents

Service manuals, schematics and datasheets for this machine, kept in our own library. Check your own board and part numbers against them.

• Xbox v1.0 Schematics - (Launch) (Schematic)
• Xbox v1.2 Schematics - (Xblade) (Schematic)
• Xbox v1.6 Schematics - (Tuscany) (Schematic)

All 3 documents for Original Xbox in the library

Guides we used

This page and the interactive bench are built from these. They have the photos and the full detail, so please read them and support their authors.

• Xbox: Clock Capacitor (Step-by-step) by ConsoleMods Wiki, CC BY. Has a capacitor list. Clear on which models leak, the 2.5V 1F spec and 1.6/1.6b options
• Xbox: Capacitor Replacement (List) by ConsoleMods Wiki. Has a capacitor list. Says a list of caps per revision exists and gives brand/part suggestions; the page showed no license footer
• Preserving an Original Xbox (Write-up) by XtoF. Has a capacitor list. Per-revision cap counts and sizes (V1.0/1.1, V1.2, V1.6) plus trace repair after a leak. License not stated
• Why you should take a look inside your original Xbox ASAP (Write-up) by Dreamcast.nu. Recap of an early unit with 3300uF/6.3V caps and a new supercap; copyright reserved, link only

Xbox logic board v1.0 and v1.1

Thirty-eight capacitors. Console5 lists C5A5 as an empty position, and C2F3 and C6E2 as v1.0 only. It also shows the 1 F 2.5 V clock capacitor at C7G10, which is not in its kit and is sold separately.

Xbox logic board v1.2 and v1.3

Thirty-five capacitors. Console5 lists C2E3, C2E5, C2F1 and C6A3 as empty positions. The 1 F 2.5 V clock capacitor is at C7G2 and is not in its kit.

Xbox logic board v1.4

Thirty-five capacitors. Console5 lists C2E3, C2E5 and C2F1 as empty positions. The 1 F 2.5 V clock capacitor is at C7G2 and is not in its kit.

Xbox logic board v1.6

Twenty-six capacitors. The 1 F 2.5 V clock capacitor is at C8C1 and is not in its kit. Console5 says a v1.5 board probably does not exist.

Delta DPSN-96AP and DPSN-96AP-1 power supply (100 to 120 V)

Twelve capacitors.

Delta DPSN-96BP power supply (100 to 120 V)

Eleven capacitors. Two have no ref on Console5's list.

Delta DPSN-96DP power supply (100 to 120 V)

Fourteen capacitors.

Minebea / NMB MS001A096EMJ power supply (100 to 120 V)

Nineteen capacitors.

Samsung PSCD101301A Rev K and PSCD101301B Rev F power supply (100 to 120 V)

Eleven capacitors.

Samsung PSCD101401A power supply (100 to 120 V)

Fourteen capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0001 Rev B power supply (100 to 120 V)

Ten capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0001 Rev C3 power supply (100 to 120 V)

Nine capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0001 Rev D and D1 power supply (100 to 120 V)

Ten capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0007 Rev B and Rev D power supply (100 to 120 V)

Nine capacitors.

Delta DPSN-96AP-1 power supply (220 to 240 V)

Twelve capacitors. Several refs are missing or marked with a question mark on Console5's list, so check your board.

Delta DPSN-96BP-1 power supply (220 to 240 V)

Eleven capacitors. Two have no ref on Console5's list.

Delta DPSN-96DP-1 power supply (220 to 240 V)

Fourteen capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0002 Rev B3 power supply (220 to 240 V)

Ten capacitors.

Foxlink FTPS-0008 Rev C power supply (220 to 240 V)

Nine capacitors. One has no ref on Console5's list.

Philips VAD6011/21 DVD drive

Ten capacitors.

Philips VAD6035 DVD drive

Ten capacitors. Console5 marks two refs with a question mark.

Samsung 605B DVD drive

Thirteen capacitors. Two positions, C234 and C205, have pads for either SMD or through-hole parts, and owners report either type. Console5's kit has four SMD and two through-hole parts here, so check the cap map for the orientation of C205.

Samsung 605F DVD drive

Five capacitors.

Thomson TGM600 DVD drive

Twelve capacitors. Console5 says CA301 may be an OS-CON or a miniature low-impedance electrolytic.

Shopping list

359 capacitors in all, grouped by value. Buy a few spares.

• 50 x 22 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 48 x 100 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 27 x 2200 µF, 10 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 22 x 10 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 21 x 47 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 17 x 100 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 16 x 1500 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 16 x 3300 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 12 x 1 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 11 x 1000 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 9 x 10 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 8 x 2.2 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 8 x 330 µF, 200 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 8 x 1200 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 7 x 3300 µF, 10 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 6 x 10 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 6 x 47 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 5 x 33 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 5 x 220 µF, 6 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 5 x 1000 µF, 10 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 5 x 1500 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 4 x 0.22 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 4 x 47 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 4 x 680 µF, 200 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 3 x 47 µF, 6 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 4.7 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 47 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 150 µF, 400 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 180 µF, 400 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 220 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 220 µF, 10 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 470 µF, 250 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 470 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 680 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 2 x 2700 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 0.47 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 4.7 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 22 µF, 50 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 150 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 220 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 220 µF, 35 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 330 µF, 6.3 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 470 µF, 200 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 470 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 680 µF, 10 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 680 µF, 25 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay
• 1 x 2200 µF, 16 V (check your board): Amazon · eBay

Skip the sourcing

• Ready-made kit: Amazon · eBay
• Already recapped: Amazon · eBay

While you are in there

• Need the machine itself?: Amazon · eBay
• A box of spare capacitors: Amazon · eBay

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

Step by step

1. Photograph both sides of the board before you touch anything. Zoom in on every capacitor. The photo is your map when you are three hours in.
2. Unplug it, take out the batteries and let it sit. Old power supplies and CRT parts can hold a charge. If your machine has a tube, leave the tube and its board to a professional.
3. Open it up and keep the screws sorted. A muffin tin or an egg carton works. Different screws go in different holes, and the holes never forgive you.
4. Look for leaks. Clean any sticky residue off with isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush. A leaked capacitor leaves brown crust and can eat copper traces. Look at the traces under it, not only the part itself.
5. Mark the polarity of every capacitor on the photo before it comes off. On an electrolytic, the stripe marks the negative leg. The board usually shows a half-shaded circle or a bar for the same spot.
6. Remove the old capacitors one at a time. Surface mount: add fresh solder to both ends and rock the part off, or use flux and a low-melt alloy. Through-hole: heat one leg at a time and clear the hole with wick or a pump.
7. Clean the pads and check for lifted pads or damaged traces. Clean flux off with isopropyl. A bad pad needs a jumper wire, not hope.
8. Fit and solder the new capacitor, matching polarity. Same capacity, same or higher voltage, and it has to physically fit. Work from the smallest parts up.
9. Clean the flux off and look at every joint. A good joint is shiny and shaped like a tiny volcano. A dull blob or a ball is a cold joint: reflow it.
10. With a multimeter, check for shorts across the power rails before you power it on. Use the continuity or resistance setting. A reading near zero means stop and look for a solder bridge.
11. Power it up and test everything: video, sound, controls, the lot. If something is wrong, check polarity first. It is the most common mistake and the easiest fix.

Tools

• Temperature-controlled soldering station. Steady heat so you do not cook pads. Most recaps are done between 320 and 350 C. Top: Hakko FX-951 · Mid: Hakko FX-888D · Budget: Pinecil
• Good solder. Rosin-core 63/37 flows and looks right. It is cheap and it matters. Kester 44 63/37
• Flux. Flux is what makes old joints let go and new joints flow. MG Chemicals flux pen · Chip Quik flux syringe
• Low-melt alloy (for surface mount). Melts old solder on both ends of a surface mount part at once, so it lifts off cleanly. Chip Quik SMD1
• Desoldering tool. Clears the old solder out of through-hole pads. Top: Hakko FR-301 · Mid: Engineer SS-02 pump · Budget: Solder wick
• Fine tweezers. For holding small surface mount parts exactly where you want them. ESD-safe tweezers
• Board holder. A third hand for the board, so both of yours are free. PanaVise circuit board holder
• Magnification. You cannot fix what you cannot see. Surface mount parts are tiny. Top: Stereo microscope · Mid: Head visor · Budget: Lighted magnifier
• Multimeter. Continuity, shorts and rail voltages. The one test that saves boards. Top: Fluke 117 · Mid: Fluke 101 · Budget: AstroAI
• ESR and capacitor tester. Checks old capacitors and your new ones before they go in. Top: Peak Atlas ESR70 · Budget: LCR-T7
• Isopropyl alcohol (99%) and a brush. For cleaning leaked goo and flux. Use the high-percentage kind. MG Chemicals 99.9% isopropyl
• Brass tip cleaner. A clean tip transfers heat. A dirty one does not. Hakko 599B
• Fume extractor. Pulls the smoke away from your face. Hakko FA-400 · Budget: Small bench fan
• Precision screwdrivers. Most old gear uses a mix of Phillips, Torx and security bits. iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
• Kapton tape. Heat-proof tape to protect parts that sit close to the one you are changing. Kapton tape

Safety

• Good airflow, or a fume fan. Solder smoke is not for breathing.
• Safety glasses on. Solder spits and clipped legs fly.
• Iron in its stand when you are not holding it. Know where the cord is.
• Touch bare metal first, or use a wrist strap. Static kills old chips.
• No tube, no mains power supply. Leave those to a professional.
• Wash your hands after, especially if you used leaded solder.

Values are shown as published in the guides above, and boards changed during production. Check the board in front of you. A recap involves hot tools and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.

More

• All recap guides
• The interactive Recap Bench
• Fix a dead vintage computer
• Xbox (Japan) on the timeline
• Xbox (Europe) on the timeline