I have been using the Xbox 360 as an extender for Windows Media Center for a few years now. I have heard alot of people complain that it makes too much noise, but not until recently did I have the same problem. For the most part my 360 has been pretty quiet, but a couple of months ago I really started noticing how much noise the fans were making. Recently it got unbearable. I couldn't even watch TV with the volume turned up fairly high without hearing the fans. The other night I decided to take it apart and see what was going on.

Here is a good guide to help you disassemble the 360.

What did I find out? One word - DUST. I really shouldn't be surprised as I have to clean out my pc every 3-4 months, but the XBox was FULL of dust. I took everything apart and washed everything that could be cleaned with soap and water (top and bottom panels, detachable metal panel, and the air plenum). I also wiped the two fans down and cleaned them with a q-tip. I would highly recommend buying a can of compressed air. I didn't have one on hand, so I just blew or wiped the dust away. Needless to say I made a mess. It was everywhere. All in all it took about 30 minutes to take everything apart, clean it up, and put it back together.

What was the result? Well, I can now actually hear what I am watching. For real, it was a lot quieter. I can still hear it if I am closer than 5 feet, but it is very quiet. So, if you have never taken your 360 apart and given it a good cleaning then now is the time.

P.S. Don't waste your time just blowing it out with compressed air. There are tricky little places that dust gets caught in and you will never get it out unless you take it apart.