Original Xbox FAQ
Why does my original Xbox console stay on and won't turn off?
It's the clock cap
If your original Xbox stays turned on at all times and will never turn off, then this is a clear issue caused by a leaking clock cap on the original Xbox motherboard. Unfortunately this is also extremely bad news because once you start to see these signs, there is no going back and it will only get worse. For those of you who aren't sure what a leaking clock cap is or what I'm talking about, Then you can go here and check out this complete guide to the original Xbox leaking clock cap. For those of you looking for quicker answers then read on.
What can you do about it?
Once your original Xbox stays on permanently you only really have two options. The one and only way this can be repaired is by bypassing the damaged traces that are corroded by the leakage. You do this be wiring a wire (by hand) to the origin and finish point of that trace. This will basically bypass the trace on the mobo all together and transfer the data through the wire. This is an EXTREMELY time consuming process not to mention the fact that there will more than likely be multiple traces you need to bypass. Not only that, but you would also have the issue of MORE problems later because once the trace damage is that bad, you won't just have to worry about the console not turning off, and staying on all the time. You would then have other issues like controller ports not working, the front LEDs and buttons not functioning, and a complete frag of the console. More than likely you should consider replacing the motherboard and HDD with an original Xbox motherboard set like one of these.. The only reason it would be worth it to hand wire a bypass for the traces is if you have an extremely expensive console with rare mod chips and features installed. If you are worried about save games files you can easily transfer those save games to a USB stick that is connected to a USB - To - Xbox converter cable. (It plugs into a controller port and acts like a memory card) This would save those files and you can transfer them back onto the console once you replace the motherboard. This is essentially the best way to fix an original Xbox that stays on and won't turn off. If you have this issue feel free to contact me here with any questions you have, I love giving advice and answering questions!
One last thing I would like to add, if your original Xbox console stays on and won't turn off, it is NOT an issue with the internal power supply. Issues with the power supply do not cause your console to stay turned on, in fact it would do the exact opposite, it wouldn't turn on at all!
