Getting inside the Xbox 360 Slim models (2 pin power supply) can be annoying if you do not know the specific ways to unlatch the strong clips on the side or the correct order.

Start by removing the hard drive cover on the bottom.

Pull out the hard drive via the fabric tab.

Pull off the remaining grill.

Use a firm flat tool such as a screwdriver, pry tool or kitchen knife to lever the top grill up until it frees a few clips.

Then get your fingers into the gap and pull up the rest of the grill.

This part is tricky if done wrong, but if done correctly its very easy.

Grab a thin pry tool (or tweezers), and a thick pry tool / bar (to use as a lever).

Firstly, let me show you the idea; we need to insert the flexible thin pry tool between the big clip and pull it away from a hook on the console side wall.

There are 6 big clips, 3 on each side, at the edges and center.

Insert the thin pry tool into one of the edge holes to start with, pushing it down while against the outer shell wall of the console.

You should feel it sliding into the clip hole and getting a bit of tension.

Now push the pry tool outward to bend that clip into the console and away from the hook.

While keeping this pressure on, use the thicker pry tool to lift up the surround.

You will need to keep the thick pry tool under tension (lifting up) while you then move to the opposite edge and repeat the clip release.

Once you do this the surround will lift up enough you can just hold onto it with your hand and continue to release the clips with the thin pry tool.

The process is the same for the top and bottom.

The only difference is on the bottom there is a small clip on one of the inside clips by the hard drive, that the thin pry tool will not get down.

Either leave this one until last and simply pull the surround off from this clip, or use tweezers to get down the thinner edge. I honestly find it simplest to remove all other clips then just pull this one off.

Using a T10 bit, unscrew and pull out the WiFi card.

The clips down the side of the console come off next. Release the top side clips the same way as the surround clips, use the pry tool to lift them over the hooks and pull apart at the same time.

The bottom ones are a little trickier. Remove the big one that's visible near the end and pull open the plastic a little.

Then keeping that pressure on pulling open the console, push a thin tool like tweezers through a hidden hole in the sticker, to push the clip down over the last hook.

Once done the side panel just lifts off.

Before we release the side and front, lift up the blue plastic over the tab.

Then push gently the brown tab outward away from the PCB on the top and bottom to free the ribbon cable, which will then pull out completely.

Remove the screws B, C, F, H, L from the exposed metal cage with a T10 bit.

This releases the remaining side and front panel.

In order to remove the front / side panel you will have to push the front panel clips over and around the front of the console.

Unclip the SATA and power cables from the back.

The drive now lifts out.

Remove the screw from the rear and the T10 screw on top of the SATA connector.

Then T10 screw G from the rear.

Now simply lift out the hard drive holder plastic.

Remove the two T8 screws from the front PCB then remove it.

The fan cover just lifts off there is nothing holding it in place.

Flip the console over and remove all the remaining T10 screws A, M, N, P, R and T.

Remove the 4 X-clamp T8 screws D, E, J and K.

Now the motherboard lifts out, along with a small front bracket that is loose.

The final step is to remove the X-Clamp to get to the CPU.

With a flat head screwdriver insert it into the inside slot of one of the corners.

Now bend the screwdriver inwards to push the X-Clamp at the other end off its post.

You will see the clamp at the opposite end release.

Repeat this for the other diagonal, to free up two of the 4 posts.

Then wiggle the X-Clamp free.

The CPU fan now comes free once you disconnect the 4-pin cable.

You are now free to do what you like with the motherboard.