iFixit

Use the 1/4" drive end of the included 6-in-1 screwdriver with no bit inserted to remove the four X-clamp posts from both the CPU and GPU heat sinks.

Apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the areas highlighted in red.

If you have never applied thermal paste, we have a guide that makes it easy.

After applying thermal paste to the processors, it is time to reattach the heat sinks one at a time. In our case, we attached the CPU heat sink first.

This step is performed with the motherboard out of the chassis.

Insert a machine screw through each of the four holes around the CPU heat sink, with their heads on the back side of the board.

While holding the head of the screw, place a nylon washer then a metal washer over the threads.

• The order of the washers is important. Do not put the metal washer on first.

When attaching the CPU heat sink, be sure the fins are aligned with the air flow from the fans (as seen in the third picture). Having the flat side of the fins perpendicular to the air flow will cause your Xbox 360 to overheat.

Using the large flathead screwdriver bit, tighten the screws into the CPU heat sink. First lightly tighten the four screws in an X-shaped pattern as seen in the second picture, then follow the same X-shaped sequence to really torque the screws down.

Don't be afraid of over-tightening the screws - the pressure between the heat sinks and processors caused by sufficiently torqued screws is needed to squeeze the processors back against the board.

Repeat the same process to attach your GPU heat sink.

Use the edge of your small flathead screwdriver or another thin and sharp object to carefully pull up a corner of the blue or white plastic sheet covering the adhesive on the bottom of both heat sinks.

Be careful not to wrinkle or peel up the adhesive in the process.

Peel the protective sheets off the adhesive on both heat sinks.

Lightly clean the surface of the two chips highlighted in red on the first picture.

Be sure to position the heat sinks correctly before you stick them down, as the adhesive is extremely strong and sensitive to being repositioned.

Stick the two heat sinks down against the top of the two chips highlighted in red on the first picture, being sure the fins are aligned as seen in the second picture.

When reinstalling the optical drive, be sure both the power and SATA cables do not interfere with the heat sink attached closest to their sockets on the motherboard.

If your motherboard lacks RAM chips on its bottom face, it is not necessary to apply thermal pads.

Remove the clear and colored plastic backing material from all four thermal pads.

Stick the thermal pads down against the RAM chips on the bottom of the board.

• The thermal pads included in your kit might be slightly different colors than those pictured.

Reinstall the motherboard back into the chassis and reassemble your Xbox 360.