My Problem
I purchaced a 1st generation Xbox 360 with "Red Ring of Death" on eBay just to tinker with it and see how difficult it was to fix. Several of my friends have experienced this malfunction firsthand but I didn't want to try repairing theirs and potentially void their warranties until I knew for sure I could do it.
My Fix
I'm a "Do-it-yourself" kind of guy. I routinely take on major home, automotive, and commercial HVAC-R repairs, the last one for a living. I had some minor trouble opening the case, even with the tool provided. I expect it was just unfamiliar territory. If I had to do it again I am confident that I would find it much simpler. As for the rest of the repair, the combination of proper tools, quality parts, and clear guides made the whole thing a breeze. I went from a "doorstop" to a functioning game console in under 3 hours, including the time it took to re-flow the solder and let the board cool. I was so impressed with the process that I'm looking for a PS3 to try next. Thanks, IFIXIT!
My Advice
Follow the guide. Don't skip ahead. Acetone doesn't touch the thermal paste, you might try Goof-off or some kind of petrolium based solvent. Just make sure you get off all of the thermal paste and solvent residue before applying the new paste. You can scrape much of it off with the spudger, just be careful not to damage the board.
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