How to Easily Update Firmware

No-Open Xbox 360 Firmware Updating

 Remove the upper metal sheeting from the top cover. To do this, use a dremel tool and cutting disc to quickly cut away the two melted gobs of plastic holding the sheeting in place. Pull up and remove.

Now all that's needed to do is add a couple SATA wires to the board. Connect a one foot long, 90 degree SATA cable to the board. Attach the Male end of a Male to Female SATA cable to the other end. Connect the Female end to the drive.

 Now all that is needed is a little rerouting of the wires beside the left side of the drive so that the M to F connection is outside the main enclosure, to the front left (where the hard drive will be sitting). Carefully put everything back together and you should have easy access to the Male SATA plug by just popping off the hard drive and the plastic cover.

How to Fix a Jammed DVD Drive Tray

I managed to fix my jammed DVD drive tray by opening the console, removing the drive, as well as the top and bottom metal housing. The drive was sticking and needed to be nudged every time to open properly, which was becoming a pain. A bottle of alcohol and can of WD40 was all that was needed. I cleared out all the dust, lubed up most the moving parts (only avoiding the drive belt, that wouldn't be good if it got greased up). The ejection bar was the problem, I think. Dirt mixed in with the stock grease (which by now is 4 years old) and made it difficult to lift the laser mechanism up to the disc, and release the tray. There are a few access holes that I swabbed with a WD40 soaked Q-tip, letting the excess flow down where it was needed. I manually ejected a few times by pushing the ejection bar horizontally and it seemed to loosen right up.