How to tell if the external switch is bad?

[deb]

I've put in a couple of chips before, but this is my first Xecuter. Never had a problem before, but i'm getting the awfull FRAG! I checked the lpc with a multimeter. All good. d0 is fine. The chip should boot, but all it does is turn on the LEDs flash on and off 3 times then FRAG. I am down to Two possible problems.

Problem 1 - I think that the external switch might be bad from all the info I gathered from the forum.
Problem 2 - I replaced the motherboard and hard drive in this xbox (matching pair). I don't think this is the problem though because it boots fine with the chip disabled.

My question Is "Does any one know how to check if the external switch on a 2.6ce chip is bad?" Remember i don't have an extra to just try and replace it.

Thank you guys. And i know if any one can figure out my problem it is the guys at this forum.

 

[Martin C]

Make sure the switch cable is firmly plugged into the sockets at either end. A 'bulge' in the connector plug indicates that it's not connected as it should.

Martin

 

[deb]

The plug are in nice and tight.

 

[Martin C]

It's more likely that something isn't connected properly than the actual switch being faulty. However, the only way to tell for sure is to get a replacement.

Contact your supplier and explain the situation to them.

Martin

 

[deb]

I know that it is very likely not the chip that is malfunctioning, but I don't know what else to check. Do you have any other ideas on what to problem could be? I tried to plug in my old aladin chip from the previous mother board. It didn't want to work either, but i'm not so sure it works anymore.

 

[Martin C]

Is this a pinheader or wires installation?

Martin

 

[deb]

pinhead, but i tried wires earlier with no change.

 

[Martin C]

It could well be a soldering issue still. Check over everything and re-touch points if you're not 100% sure of something.

Martin

 

[deb]

Well, I tried to completely installed the wire harness. made sure every wire had the proper voltage. 3.3 on most about 1.5v on the 1 pin. Ground conected to the case. i tested the D0 by puting one end of the tester on the top d0 point and the other end of the tester on the connection on the chip. Works great. Tested the wires between the switch and the chip. all good. Even prayed for a while. Just scuffed up my knees. I couldn't get my old aladin chip to work either so i think that the mother board has something funky going on with it. I guess i'm gonna try to sell this xbox as a normal one and try to put the chip on a different xbox.

 

[VintageGold]

I had the same problem recently on TWO different switches. Fortunately I was able to verify it was the switch and not the chip because I had another chip and switch to test against. I was able to get a replacement from from my supplier, www.system-mods.com, but it took forEEEEVER to get the replacement from them. I'd say if yo ucan get your hands on another switch, test it with you chip and then test the faulty switch with a working chip. Not always easy, but worth it to do.

 

[deb]

did your bad switch light up the leds and every thing?

 

[m-sport]

I have similar problems, and i got a replacement switch very fast, and it was just the same. I can guarantee it is not my install, because i triple checked everything twice, and when i got to frustrated i raped my own xbox and the problem box boots nicely with my x3. Digistore.no who sold me the chip, said they had gotten a batch of bad switches. The switch lights up, but it still frags, sometimes the switch doesnt light up at all, and i have to veeery slightly touch the chip on switch. When i boot with chip disabled, all is fine, but the red light on the switch sometimes "vibrates" as it is a bad connection, or doesnt come on at all.

Another test i did, was to only install the chip and the 5v cable, not ethernet,ide or d0, and it still fragged. would that be the switch, given that my install IS ok ?

 

[deb]

I got a new switch. It didn't help. I got a new chp all together. It worked, but only for like 2 hours. then it started doing the same thing as the old chip. I think the 2.6 ce chip just has a high faulty rate.

 

[Big_Whoopin]

I hope to have a 2.6CE switch bank that I can poke around with soon, but for the meantime here is a schematic I made last night for the 2.3B Lite switch bank. I would assume that the 2.6CE switches are similar. There will be 2 more wires to the board, these are for the HDD and LAN LEDs. I believe there are 7 wires from chip to switch, right? If you understand enough about electronics to read this diagram without difficulty then you should probably be able to quickly apply it to the 2.6 switches as well.

Bring on the multimeter!

-Whoopin

 

[deb]

big _whoopin i have an extra external switch if you want. If it is going to go twards figuring out this faulty switch problem I will be more than happy to mail it to you.

 

[Big_Whoopin]

Unless you want me to test your switch with a multimeter and confirm good/bad connections don't worry about it. I should have a couple 2.6CE's in a day or two at which time I will be making a new schematic.

If do want me to test the switch, PM me about it. Once I get the circuits worked out it shouldn't take long to give it a go. Would probably be all of $.37 to mail it.

-Whoopin'