Xbox mod

[ChadTower]

If you can't answer yes to both questions

If you can't answer yes, the answer is no...   

[ChadTower]

Got a chance to think on this this afternoon while I sat in a 90 minute meeting for which I had no input.

I figure the real problem is that the pins are just slightly short.  I did make sure that they are all just about exactly the same length before soldering in.  So, I can do one of two things rather than just brace the chip (which seems wonky to me).

I can make the pins "longer".  When I insert the chip, the plastic base of the pins meets up with the plastic housing of the female end.  If I were to slightly reduce the amount of plastic on the pin base, maybe a 16th or 32nd of an inch, the pins would be "longer".  Seems like a good solution on its surface but risky given how many fragile solder points are under those pins.

I can bend the pins outward just slightly.  That could provide enough tension within the female end to keep the chip in place.  It would reduce the lifespan of the socket/pin combo but I can't imagine I'm going to be cycling this much at all once I get it working.  I'd have to be very careful not to crack any of those new solder joints when bending the pins, probably doing it with two pairs of needlenose pliers (one to hold it steady, one to bend the upper part of the pin).

[Silver]

Well, after some busy soldering, I've got mine up and running. Not too impressed with the sturdyness of the header with the chip on it - fine stationary, but its going to come loose in transport - but otherwise quite straightforward...

Boots up either the Cromwell bios (linux), flashbios, or the Xbox original no problems.

Not tried anything beyond booting, or changed the HD.

Anyone tell about flashing - do I need to boot to Flashbios, then move the dip switch to cromwell to flash the cromwell bios? Or can I flash either bios anytime?

[ChadTower]

I think it depends on which chip you have.  I don't remember which one you have.

[NickG]

booting to Flashbios and using an bios cd works, certainly.  I think you can update the bios afterward via some installer cd's tools.

[Silver]

I've got a DuoX 2 chip - it has 2 banks (cromwell and flashbios currently).

Am wondering that when I flash, do I have to move the dip switch while the system is on?

[shmokes]

I've never used a DuoX chip, but my experience is that you have access to all of the different banks when your flashing.  I would think that you would want to boot into Flashbios and then open up a web browser and type in the IP address of the Xbox.  At that point I think you'll have access to both of the banks and can flash over Cromwell with a hacked bios.  Then, I guess you would adjust the dip switches to tell it to boot to the bank holding the hacked bios automatically.

I'm not really sure on this because I've always worked with chips that had a built-in OS so I haven't had to deal much with dip switches, etc., and the OS on the chips have a built-in web server so Flashbios isn't needed for the most part.

Maybe you should PM SNAAKE.  He's installed something like a hundred and fifty kajillion DuoX chips.

[ChadTower]

The X3 works with dips too.

[shmokes]

Yeah, but once it's all going the switches are completely superfluous.  I don't remember if I pulled that thing off or if I just stuffed it somewhere inside the box.  You don't need it at all.  Once you're able to boot into the chip's OS you can control what bank it boots to in software (as well as a ton of other stuff).

I have only a vague memory of dealing with the X3 dips.  I seem to remember I just had to have them in a default position which gave me Flashbios and then I was able to flash the banks from my web browser and that was the last time I ever had to do anything with them.  They're nice to have for recovery purposes if the OS becomes corrupt or something, but otherwise you don't need to fool with them.

[ChadTower]

Good to know.  I suppose the switchboard would be more valuable if a person were going onto Xbox Live a lot.  It's a clear indicator of which BIOS you're booted with.

[ChadTower]

Well that was a failure.  Tried the bend the pins a bit method... now no LEDs, eventually got intermittent 5v but no 3.3v.  Probably broke a solder joint or two underneath.  Crap.     Now to pull the thing out and retouch them all again.

[markrvp]

I've got a DuoX 2 chip - it has 2 banks (cromwell and flashbios currently).

Am wondering that when I flash, do I have to move the dip switch while the system is on?

Yes, boot it on the Flash Bios side and then flip the switch to the other bank before flashing the new Bios.  That way if you mess it up, you still have the Flash Bios side working to boot it up again.

[Samstag]

Chad, you got an Xecuter, right?

My experience with older (2.3) Xecuter chips was they had very poor quality control on the cables.  Check that the wires aren't loose in the connectors or even pulling out.  I ended up soldering most of the wires directly to the boards before I eventually tossed all 3 chips.

[ChadTower]

I definitely cracked a solder joint on a pin.  When I pressed on it it went down.  I'm fixing it now.

[Silver]

Yes, boot it on the Flash Bios side and then flip the switch to the other bank before flashing the new Bios.  That way if you mess it up, you still have the Flash Bios side working to boot it up again.

Nice one thanks - I take that the DIP restricts access? ie so once I've booted in flash bios and flip the switch, then I can only write to the other (cromwell) bios?

[Silver]

I definitely cracked a solder joint on a pin.  When I pressed on it it went down.  I'm fixing it now.

I was right - looks like my box did not survive the journey back home. Probably (hopefully) just the chip coming loose off the pinheader but we shall see! Otherwise could be a re-soldering job for me too - D0 looked iffy, but didn't want to tug-test that one with just 30AWG wire...

[ChadTower]

Now I get 5v lit again, but no 3.3v lit, and the switch PCB is out now.  This is dumb.

I need an LPC pinout so I can start using the DMM instead of those LEDs.

EDIT:  here

EDIT2:  If that stupid chart is right, I get 3.28v on the 5v pin and almost nothing on the 3.3v pins.

[ChadTower]

That effing pinout can't be right.  Maybe it's not for 1.6.

[ChadTower]

I think it is... but for 1.6 5v is coming in externally.  Pin 9 should pull 3.3v from pin 15 which pulls it from C702 nearby.  I'm getting buzz from 9 to 15 but not from 15 to C702.  A bit of solder touchup and now I get buzz from 15 to C702 and from C702 thru to 9.  So if I put this thing back in I should have 3.3v back.

I looked at the header pins for the switch connector and sure enough one of those hair thin pins was bent.  So that explains the suddenly dead switch.

 

[ChadTower]

Put the chip back in, now I have LEDs for 5v and 3.3v.  I get red switch LED if I power up quick press from power button.  I get blue switch LED if I power up quick press from eject button.  I get purple switch LED if I power up pressing both.

Something tells me the power/eject scenarios are reversed.  I have to look into that.

What I ended up having to do to solve the connectivity issue is find about 5 different partially labeled LPC rebuild images from either side of the board.  I pieced them together so I could buzz out the entire set of connections on both sides, found the ones that didn't buzz, and fixed them.  There's a lot of info out there but few places where there is enough in one place.

EDIT:  I do sorta have the power/eject button wrong.  Apparently if you push the power button "long press" it will automatically boot to the factory bios and the red LED means "chip disabled".  Its definition of "long press" is about .3 seconds, though.  You have to really tap the power button to get the chip enabled with it. 

[shmokes]

Yeah . . . that's one thing I find irritating about the Xecuter chip that I'm using now, compared with the SmartXX chip I was using up until a year ago (was forced to switch . . . didn't want to).  The SmartXX chip booted to the hacked bios with the eject button (which is a much nicer button for power than the one meant for power due to it being so much more prominent).  The long press on the Xecuter chip, like you said, is ridiculous.  Pressing it without triggering the factory bios is almost a videogame in itself.

Anyway, sounds like a saga.  I'm glad I didn't run into all that stuff cos I don't know much about circuit boards and multimeteres and soldering and pinouts.  I'd like to say that the hard part is done, but for you the hard part may be setting up XBMC.  It can sometimes be a pain setting up the shares and getting XBMC to see them, but the new 2.0 version of XBMC actually seems to make it much more user friendly.

[Silver]

Now I get 5v lit again, but no 3.3v lit, and the switch PCB is out now.  This is dumb.

I need an LPC pinout so I can start using the DMM instead of those LEDs.

EDIT:  here

EDIT2:  If that stupid chart is right, I get 3.28v on the 5v pin and almost nothing on the 3.3v pins.

Thats the exact pic I used, but I'm on a 1.3 so did not have to do the rebuild.

I know what you mean about the info being spread - the DuoX2 comes with 1 pic, and the install guide on the forums in Xbox Scene is actually wrong - or at least misses out several pics, making it very confusing at first...

[ChadTower]

Just downloaded the "Xbins Auto Tool" from the official X3 forum.  It set off my AV alarms like the house was coming down.  How crappy is that?  FYI. 

[crashwg]

Just downloaded the "Xbins Auto Tool" from the official X3 forum.  It set off my AV alarms like the house was coming down.  How crappy is that?  FYI. 

If you're even the slightest bit familiar with IRC and FTP it's easy to get stuff from XBINS without the "auto tool"

All you have to do is go to #xbins on efnet type "/msg xbins !list" (which it tells you in the chat room btw) and use the screen name and password it provides you (most likely going to be Login"chadtower" Password "emulation" )to log into the FTP server "distribution.xbins.org"

Simple really...

[ChadTower]

Yeah, I was trying to do it without downloading mIRC.  Turned out that was the best way to do it.  Got in via GAIM too.

[ChadTower]

SONOFABITCH.   

I just spent the last 90 minutes trying to flash this thing.  Won't work no matter what I do.  Finally I go check the forums and search on my error messages.

Turns out many of the PCBs are labeled incorrectly and have the flash protect setting reversed in the silkscreen.   

EDIT:   Yep.  File that away as a datapoint.  Some Xecutor 3 PCBs have the one setting that is silkscreened on the PCB, the really fundamentally important one, reversed.  For future reference:  Green LED = protected.  Red LED = flashable.  Not what it says on the PCB.

[lloydcom]

SONOFABITCH.   

I just spent the last 90 minutes trying to flash this thing.  Won't work no matter what I do.  Finally I go check the forums and search on my error messages.

Turns out many of the PCBs are labeled incorrectly and have the flash protect setting reversed in the silkscreen.   

EDIT:   Yep.  File that away as a datapoint.  Some Xecutor 3 PCBs have the one setting that is silkscreened on the PCB, the really fundamentally important one, reversed.  For future reference:  Green LED = protected.  Red LED = flashable.  Not what it says on the PCB.

I'm a bit confused.

You posted that if you install a modchip without flashing the bios then its ok to do so, but now you are flashing the bios.  So its not ok is it?

* Saint if you are reading this, please delete this thread*

[crashwg]

I'm a bit confused.

You posted that if you install a modchip without flashing the bios then its ok to do so, but now you are flashing the bios.  So its not ok is it?

* Saint if you are reading this, please delete this thread*

I didn't read anywhere that he was using an illegal bios.  Did you?   

I do agree with you though that this thread should be at least closed if not sent to PH.

I realize this is the "console" part of the boards but xbox-scene is really the place this type of discussion should be happening.

And in regards to the text directed at Saint...  There is a "Report to moderator" link at the bottom of every post on these boards.  If you really think a thread should be shut down, click that and let the appropriate persons take care of it!

[ChadTower]

I'm a bit confused.

You posted that if you install a modchip without flashing the bios then its ok to do so, but now you are flashing the bios.  So its not ok is it?

It all depends on what I flashed it with. 

You're awfully adamant for someone who can't be bothered to use the proper channels for such a complaint.

[JackTucky]

I'm a bit confused.

WhY?  It's ok in everyone's mind except yours.  Why don't you go to some forum where people listen to you? 

How did the responses from micrsoft go?  I bet they jumped right on your email when they found out someone might be hacking an xbox.  Amazing how Chad isn't in jail yet with your diligence.

-J

[pointdablame]

I'm a bit confused.

You posted that if you install a modchip without flashing the bios then its ok to do so, but now you are flashing the bios.  So its not ok is it?

* Saint if you are reading this, please delete this thread*

There you go making assumptions again.  Give it a rest, you've already proven to all that have read this thread that you are a bit ignorant and unable to comprehend simple facts.

The process of flashing a modchip is not illegal either.  You have no idea what Chad flashed to his chip and Saint has no reason to close the thread.

Go troll elsewhere.

[pointdablame]

Yeah . . . that's one thing I find irritating about the Xecuter chip that I'm using now, compared with the SmartXX chip I was using up until a year ago (was forced to switch . . . didn't want to).  The SmartXX chip booted to the hacked bios with the eject button (which is a much nicer button for power than the one meant for power due to it being so much more prominent).  The long press on the Xecuter chip, like you said, is ridiculous.  Pressing it without triggering the factory bios is almost a videogame in itself.

That's one of the nice points to the Aladdin chip I have in one of my Xboxes.  It's the opposite of the Xecuter in that the short push will load the normal bios and a long press will load the flashed bios.  It's much easier to hold the button for a split second than it is to tap it as quick as you possibly can.

[lloydcom]

I'm a bit confused.

You posted that if you install a modchip without flashing the bios then its ok to do so, but now you are flashing the bios.  So its not ok is it?

* Saint if you are reading this, please delete this thread*

There you go making assumptions again.  Give it a rest, you've already proven to all that have read this thread that you are a bit ignorant and unable to comprehend simple facts.

The process of flashing a modchip is not illegal either.  You have no idea what Chad flashed to his chip and Saint has no reason to close the thread.

Go troll elsewhere.

I'm sorry. Silly me and I thought you had to install the mod first before you could flash the bios.  Thanks for clearing that up.  I stand corrected.

[NinjaEpisode]

I'm sorry. Silly me and I thought you had to install the mod first before you could flash the bios.  Thanks for clearing that up.  I stand corrected.

There you go thinking again. 

There are chips available with a usb interface, that basically become thumb drives that you can then plug into a PC and flash without ever having to open up your console.  You would be well advised to at least make an attempt to research this topic before you condemn everyone for performing a deed that you deem "illegal."

[Silver]

Right well I've manged to flash my bios and that seems to work.

My xbox appears unable to read anything (I've been trying installer discs so far) I burn to dvd+r's, burnt at any speed, by any of 3 different burners. Reads cdrw fine though. It has a samsung drive inside. Is this just luck of the draw?

[JoyMonkey]

AFAIK Xbox drives have a hard time reading DVR+R's. I've only ever used CD-RWs and DVD-R's.

[Silver]

Aha - especially the samsung... "as far as I know samsung drive will not read +R or +RW unless your burner is setup the correct way with bitsetting and booktype adjusted. "

Luckily:

"Here are directions on how to Bitset or Change the BookType on Plextor, NEC, BenQ, LG, LITE-ON, Nu Tech/QSI and Ricoh Burners....."

we shall see...

EDIT: Yep, works a treat.

[ChadTower]

It's much easier to flash via HTTP if your chip has that built in.  I had no issues with that, just with the flash protection on my chip. 

[Silver]

It's much easier to flash via HTTP if your chip has that built in.  I had no issues with that, just with the flash protection on my chip. 

Yeh, I've just not hooked up the network yet. It's going to have to go through a wireless adapter which I have not got round to configuring. Once done, hopefully I'll start playing with the config files of xmbc etc... via ftp.

Anyway, just installed xbmc to take a look - very nice...

On a side note - what sort of temperature should the xbox cpu be running at? Mine appears to fly up to 60 degrees C (140F) just idling at the dashboard. Is that normal?

[ChadTower]

If it is normal for an Xbox it's high for this type of device.  My Tivos generally run in the low 40s.  If they approach 50 they start to show performance issues.

If you have a larger HD, especially a 7200RPM drive, that will increase the heat some.