Gen1 XBOX wont display on screen

[mike boss]

Dug out one of my old Gen1 XBOX consoles the other day.
Tried hooking it up with the old component wire, but nothing would display on screen.
I tried the wire with another XBOX and I got an image on screen. So I know the wire isnt the issue.
Getting the XBOX to output an image, is that an easy fix ?
Also noticed with this one unit that you hear it boot up, but it wont stay on. But if you hold the eject button the console stays on. Easy fix ?

This is an "altered" console, upgraded hard drive, wondering if I should just get an old unit off Kijiji and swap out some parts?

[mike boss]

The frontend on the console is Slayers 2.7
Off memory I recall having to boot into the original XBOX dashboard and adjust the video settings.
It has been SOOO long since I've used it I do not recall how to boot into the original dashboard.

I tried the console in question again, made sure to hook up both the audio and video (some people had said they hear the audio, but don't see the video) ..... I tried with both the standard RCA connection (RED, WHITE, YELLOW) and component..........no dice !

[Malenko]

what if you boot it with a game in the drive?

[mike boss]

Oddly I think the disc tray was not working.
I'll try that tonight.
I'd like to get this fixed.

I think if I hold the power button down for 3 seconds it should boot to the original dashboard.

[Malenko]

Oddly I think the disc tray was not working.
I'll try that tonight.
I'd like to get this fixed.

I think if I hold the power button down for 3 seconds it should boot to the original dashboard.

Same idea, having a disc in the drive skips the dash and boots to the game.

[mike boss]

I'll mess around a lil tongiht. See if I can find a resolve.
Not sure if it is worth looking for an XBOX on the cheap and doing a parts swap.

[ark_ader]

Open her up and check if the clock capacitor has leaked on the board.

Find an AID 4.0 installer and reinstall the dash to avalaunch.

[mike boss]

I'll try and get it apart this weekend.
I KNOW %100 this console was working.
But now disc tray wont open, and no video.
Disc tray I dont care as the unit has been "altered" and has tons of stuff on it (the rest I can move via FTP)....but the video.............that is an issue.

Thanks all

[SlammedNiss]

Open her up and check if the clock capacitor has leaked on the board.

Find an AID 4.0 installer and reinstall the dash to avalaunch.

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I have a v1.0 I need to remove the cap. Last time I checked it was still ok, but I know I'm on borrowed time.

[mike boss]

I'm not to familiar with the innards of the old XBOX (or new one for that matter). My hope is to get one cheap on Kijiji for replacement parts. The hard drive I know is good, but I assume the video in on same main board (a board that would contain the mod chip ?)

[northerngames]

check the time cap like suggested first becuase it is either a broken trace to the video chip or the video chip itself is shot or one if it's legs has came loose.

if your not into the inside of them and have no clue on how to solder then just look for another console becuase it is not going to be an easy track down or repair even for the skilled 

to have it repaired would cost the same or more as another stock working console so if your not in the know just get another one.

if it was softmodded your on your own there as I never bothered with that but if it is then the tsop is probably corrupt and what happens with that method.

[sharpfork]

Have you figured out if it is a hardmod or softmod?

[mike boss]

I know 100% it is a hardmod. That much I know.
The chip name however I can not recall.
Years ago I could have told you the chip name, everything, now I do not recall.
But again, hard mod %100 ! It has some chip in it.

[lilshawn]

the xbox relies on the date and if the date was reset... it would get stuck in a bootloop ... since the system attempts to boot the time utility to reset time  for the dashboard (which possibly no longer exists.)

this clock loop business has been solved by a later release of the Xbox font exploit files called "Bert & Ernie Reloaded". They resolve this issue by simply hard setting the date of the Xbox upon every boot. That way the time utility never starts, and you never begin the clock loop in the first place.

[mike boss]

I'm wondering if I am better to seek out a used XBOX off Kijiji/Craigslist, look to softmod it and simply swap out the hard drive. I'm not sure if my hard drive loacded  with games, emulators, XBMC would simply plug and play.
I cant see the hard drive needing the chip to work, just the mod ?

[ark_ader]

I'm wondering if I am better to seek out a used XBOX off Kijiji/Craigslist, look to softmod it and simply swap out the hard drive. I'm not sure if my hard drive loacded  with games, emulators, XBMC would simply plug and play.
I cant see the hard drive needing the chip to work, just the mod ?

You need a chip to do that.  I had the same problem with UK  240v Xboxes.  All the goodwill ones I found were 1.1 and the power connector was different, so I swapped the chip over and installed the hdd.  Otherwise it will be a hit and miss with XHDM.  Is the mod soldered to the board? Do you have the stock hdd?

[pbj]

Before we get too nuts here, are you 100% sure you didn't set it to HD output mode via component and now you're trying to hook it up to an SD TV? 

Easiest way around that SNAFU is just to hook up a composite cable.  Not a combination RCA/Component cable, straight RCA cable.

Been there, done that.

[mike boss]

That is what is driving me crazy, I did set it to HD.
I can recall from memory (somehow) booting into the default dashboard and setting it to HD. However now when I try to display it on an HD TV I get no image.
I tested the HD wires with another XBOX and got picture, which confirms to me the cable is not the issue. I then took the XBOX with no HD output and used the basic RCA (yellow, red, white) wires, but no dice, still no image.

I actually recall that I have at home boxed an old XBOX from my brother in law.
Had it for years and it has never been out of the box. So I do have a spare for parts.

Off memory the chip was soldered and off memory I think I do have the stock hard disk drive.

NOTE - I've tried using both HD and non HD cables to test this on one of my TV's. Either way I get no image.
As noted the unit has a few issues, the power board and the disc try. I have a spare XBOX (non modded)
and I figure what is the best thing to do here ? Simple HDD swap, chip the other one and swap HDD ?

[lilshawn]

if you softmod with SID then the first thing it does is dump the HD key so you can use that to create a new HD for the xbox.

once you have the original drive key, your golden...you can do whatever you want. just FTP into the box and copy the key out of the file onto your computer.

really to download or rip the games onto the drive again is nothing. SID installs a program to the xbox so you can insert the disk and rip it right onto the drive.

[mike boss]

I remember one more thing, the chip had the CROMWELL BIOS on it.
I'm trying to see if I can jog my memory with respects to the kind of chip.
I think the XBOX has the Xecuter 2 chip.

Anyway, I'm going to try and open this up this weekend when I have time.
See if I can pull the disc try from my other xbox, same deal for the power button.
Worst case I'm going to pull the hard drive, see what is installed and FTP everything off, adding it to another xbox.
I know one of the consoles I have was RAMMED with games, emulators, mugen builds, etc.

[pbj]

Just yank the hard drive and get another Xbox.

Life's too short.

[mike boss]

Just yank the hard drive and get another Xbox.

Life's too short.

Agreed. But if I softmod the XBOX would I get the Slayers dashboard and the ability to use the HDD ?

[pbj]

Softmod is for chumps.  TSOP flash the thing.

[lilshawn]

Softmod is for chumps.  TSOP flash the thing.

well...still technically a softmod, you just hard mod the TSOP AFTER it's been softmodded. 

http://www.biline.ca/xbox_mod.htm

softmod is good if you don't have the patience and just want to get running. TSOP mod is good if you REALLY have no idea what you are doing and tend to screw things up because you piss around with it.

[mike boss]

I actually had an XBOX I got years ago from my brother in law that he could not  afford to "alter" at that time. I've had this for years boxed in the closet.
SOOO I guess I'll use this as a replacement. I'm hoping I can find someone local (cheap) to pull and reinstall the chip. Would it need to be flashed again ?

[Malenko]

I actually had an XBOX I got years ago from my brother in law that he could not  afford to "alter" at that time. I've had this for years boxed in the closet.
SOOO I guess I'll use this as a replacement. I'm hoping I can find someone local (cheap) to pull and reinstall the chip. Would it need to be flashed again ?

open it up and post a picture of the chip.  I distinctly recall there being solderless chips, you may be able to just move it yourself.

[mike boss]

Will do!
Thanks guys

[mike boss]

I'm going to try and get this apart this weekend.
I'm also going to ask my buddy to ask his buddy if he can do the mod for me if required.
YEARS ago I bought my first "special" unit from him, $300 for the green Halo version of the 1st XBOX, tons of games on disc, 80GB HDD and tons of controllers.
I was so stoked ! Only thing I wonder now, an XBOX mod is so few and far between I dont wanna pay more than $10 to do it. At $10 it aint worth his time I'd bet.

[mike boss]

Busy weekend, I'll try and get this apart and pics posted tonight.