Flash just 512k or whole 1 MB?

[toddtmw]

Okay, I have the 2.6 chip on order. I have the X2 5035 BIOS (for my 1.6 Xbox.). I have x2ool to set my settings and my LBA settings. I have X2BM Version 2.3. I have Flashbios 3.01 and Flashbios 3.03.

So, the X2 5035 is 512k, and the flashbioses are 256k each. But it looks like the 2.6 chip only allows me to choose one of two 512k BIOS'es.

Since I have a 1.6 XBox, I may only be able to use one of the BIOS's (I haven't looked at my ram chips yet.)

Can I write just the 512K X2 5035 BIOS to just the bank that has the BIOS that doesn't work on my XBox? Or do I need to burn a complete 1 Meg file that will over-write the whole thing?

In other words:
If I write a 512k bios to bank 1, will it only erase bank 1?
If I need to write 1 meg, how do I get 1 meg from one 512k BIOS and one 256k BIOS?

I've tried to read as much as possible to prevent having to ask these questions, but at this point, I just don't want to mess this up.

Thanks for any advice!

-Todd

 

[MKChampion]

you don't need to flash both versions of the bios

the X2 5035 has two different versions

vOld is for v1.0-1.5 boxes
v16plus is for 1.6/1.6b boxes

you must flash according to whichever box version you've got (1.6)

the X2.6 chip has 2 512k banks
when you do flash the 512k bios it will automatically be flashed to bank 1 no matter which bank you flash it from

your chip should come pre-flashed with flashbios and therefore you won't need to flash it onto your chip

 

[toddtmw]

the X2.6 chip has 2 512k banks
when you do flash the 512k bios it will automatically be flashed to bank 1 no matter which bank you flash it from

So, I can't flash anything to bank 2?

-Todd

 

[islander223]

You can flash to bank 2 if you will make a 1mb bios using x2bm 2.3, open x2bm and put flashbios 3.01 on bank 1 and it will automatically fill-up banks 1 & 2 (bank 1 on the chip), after that put X2_5035 on bank 3 and it will occupy banks 3 & 4 (bank 2 on the chip). Save this and give a name that's easy for you to look for when you flash it. The reason you want to do this is you will still have a flashbios to use that works on your xbox version on bank 1 and x2 bios on bank 2. After flashing you need to set your switch to bank 2 to boot on X2 config live...

 

[toddtmw]

Great! Thanks for the help!

Okay, the mod came in the mail last night and it is now installed and I can boot to the flashbios screen and I can boot to my soft-modded dashboard (with the chip disabled.)

It boots both 3.01 and 3.03, so I guess I must have a 1.6b XBox.

Anyway, my problem now is that I cannot navigate the menus on Flashbios. I read on the flashbios page about making sure only one controller is plugged in and all that and navigation still doesn't work. The only thing I haven't tried is a real XBox controller, (I tried a wireless logitech and an off-brand one I got with a starter kit they gave me when I bought my XBox.) My real XBox controller is at a friend's house and I'm going to get that, but wondered if anyone else had any other suggestions.

(The port still works because I can navigate menus in Avalaunch when I boot in soft-mod mode.)

Thanks again for all your help!

-Todd

 

[MKChampion]

Sometimes certain joypads wont work - ive yet to see one myself so i can test - but it does happen.

Simply use an original MS controller or just try another controller - it will work

looks like the ms controller is only way to get it going for now

 

[toddtmw]

Well, the real XBox controller did the trick!

I now have everything up and have my new hard drive installed too.

Man, I was NOT prepared for how TINY those holes that I had to stick the Xapt3r pins through were. I'm not sure I would call a one molecule void a hole! Looking at the pictures from the various tutorials, it looks so much bigger. I had a magnifying glass that had a little bubble in the corner that REALLY magnified things. I had to hold that sucker like 2 inches away to get it to focus on the board and then I could see what I was doing. An electron microscope probably woulda helped.

So, anyway, thanks to everyone for their input on this. The flashing was the one part I was still a little unsure on. I appreciate everyone's advice!

-Todd

 

[islander223]

Before flashing make sure of your xbox version...You mentioned earlier that both flashbios 3.01 & 3.03 is working on your xbox and if that's the case you have a v1.0 - 1.5.

Here's the reason why...v1.6 can only use flashbio3.01, v1.6b works only on flashbios 3.03...so if both flashbios version is working then you have an older xbox.

Check your xbox version first because you might need a X2_5035_vOld_512k.bin, an incorrect bios version can cause your xbox to "FRAG" so check it before flashing.

 

[islander223]

And BTW, if you can boot on both banks, there is no need to make a 1mb bios...just flash a 512k bios (preferably X2_5035) and it will be flashed on bank 1 and should anything happen you can still boot on bank 2 to reflash...