Keep Your Xbox 360 Cool, Save Energy, Heat Up an Area, and Use Your Own Hard Drive

Keep your Xbox 360 Cool, Save Energy, Heat up and area, and use your own Hard Drive, yes very long title, i know. But there was nothing else to describe this awesome project. Now, This whole project for me was completely FREE besides the intercooler. I used all salvaged parts. Lets get started. shall we?

Step 1: Things You Will Need

Whatchya' gonna need doc?

Well... Not much

You will need:

4 Various Computer cooling fans(I used two average sized ones, one jumbo, and one CPU fan from a Win98 Compaq.)

Wire (any type, it doesn't matter, i used my trusty stereo wire

Nyko TS intercooler (Newest and greatest one, for 20.00$, this automaticly turns on when heat is sensed and turns off when heat dissipates, and uses its own outlet, instead of mooching off of the Xbox power supply)

A box (suitable for holding the two average and one jumbo fans, i used my sisters mario kart wii box

Dryer vent tubing (Ya' know, the silver tubing that's behind your dryer to travel the heat outside)

12v DC 1 amp transformer(I got one from an old phone/answer machine

Fuse & 2 amp fuse (From my fathers old Benz auto starter)

These are optional

A HDD that can be used for your xbox (I had a 320gb Seagate EXHDD)

Ubuntu Linux Live CD (Used to format your HDD to FAT because windows refuses to format anything over 32gb to fat)

Step 2: Create the Box O' Fans

This is really simple, and i apologize, i created this a LONG time ago, so i have no steps on how to make this, but "It's so easy, George Bush can do it" (Yeah, GB was awesome... ><) The pictures can guide, you, as a picture is worth a thousand words... And i will try.

Step 1) I traced the size of the fans to the box and cut them accordingly

Step 2) Inserted the fans and used zip ties to secure

Step 3) Wired all connections of the fans and attached to the transformer, using a 2 amp BUS fuse.

Step 4) Cut a back hole the size of your duct.

Viola!

Just check to see if it works.

Place it a few inches away from the intercooler, too close, and the TS will sense "coolness" and shut off, probably doing more harm than good.

Now i know i said this will heat your room up....Let me touch up on that...

THIS ISN'T PROBABLE FOR HEATING YOUR ROOM PERMANENTLY...IN FACT DON'T COUNT ON IT HEATING UP A WHOLE ROOM AT ALL!

now...back to reality...

I tried it, it would warm a little area about 5 degrees when i played COD WaW on Live, that took about 1 1/2 hours... so i mean it would work a little.

Now attach the last CPU fan facing down, blowing air TO the Transformer. It used Electrical tape to secure it down. believe it or not, because im using an old one.. That thing can cause burns!

Step 3: Format Your HDD and Use It!

OK, now boot up from your Ubuntu Live CD, or if your like me, boot it up normal if it's already installed.

---
If your using the Live CD, make sure your BIOS is configured to boot up through CD.
After you boot up from CD, choose "Boot from Live CD" or if an older version "Try Ubuntu without harm to your system" ORRR if you have an ancient Ubuntu like 3 or 2, choose "Start Ubuntu"
---

OK, once in Ubuntu, go to the Partition Editor by going to System>Administrator>Partition Editor

Once launched, choose the HDD that you are using, (The only way telling is by knowing the size of your HDD, because Ubuntu names HDD like /dev/hdc/sda1)

Format it by right clicking on the partition, then click on Delete
After right click on the Blank partition again, and mouse over to Format to>Fat32 and click on it

Click on Apply on the top, and let Ubuntu Work its magic.

Download Movies and Music to your HDD and plug it in.

I put on a couple of .MP3's and Pinnaple Express, Dark Knight, and Accepted, my 3 favorite movies .