New nand-x install - non xenon, "could not detect a flash controller"

[Profound_Darkness]

Probably a bit of a long read... I am quite new to this aspect of 360 moding... Attached 2 pictures hastily taken to show soldering job. Not my soldering btw (I can't do that worth anything) as that seems to be a common request from people offering help.

Already read the thread: http://www.team-xecuter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54748
so have been assuming something wrong with soldering (and something was) but tests seem to indicate that it's ok now (at least from a continuity perspective).

Solder is 60/40 rosin core (not sure the thickness). Iron is AUYOE Int 2900, thin tip (350c IIRC). Flux was used (not sure what type but I believe it doesn't require cleanup).

Had a bit of a problem with the normal jtag path (got the wire in place fine once but then bumped later and it came loose, couldn't get anything to stick since so went another route, see below).

QSBs used (as seen in pictures).
Continuity from bottom of board to top of solder points (ohms tester) for all points (related to nand read/write) is good. Specifically tested j1d2 and j2b1. No cross talk (continuity between 2 different points) except where expected (on the j2b1 - compared with an un-moded board).

Drivers installed, tried both the drivers that come with nandpro 20d (that included signed drivers for nand-x) and nandpro 20e generic memory device.

Tried longer USB cable (easier to work with) and shorter cable that came with nand-x.

Something I picked up from the 'net - tried powering on the 360 and then issuing a request to read the nand (nandpro usb: -r16 orig.bin) causes the console to shut off... powered on or off (in the off case, power supply light is amber) still get the error message. Not only is power supply plugged in durring attempts but drive is also plugged in (data and power) just in case.

As for the small yellow wire on j1d2, original attempt on that path was bad (I don't know the details exactly) and while repairing, damaged the trace on the QSB. Continuity on that wire is good though from back of the board to through the to the pin on the QSB... (person doing the soldering has done repairs like this previously when traces got damaged).

As for the jtag - it's the aud clamp + DVD tray (might have that wrong but from what I understand the jtag aspect isn't in use yet since I can't even read the nand).

I don't know for sure what the board is but I know it's non-xenon. (mfg 2008, HDMI, elite).

Oh, I have 2 nand-x and tried them both, also tried different computers just to see if that might have anything to do with... anything...

winxp btw (32 bit).

The only thing (I can think of) I haven't tried is having it plugged into video while trying to read the nand.

Would love some tips on where to go next (preferably without having to remove the QSBs, am worried that tape could pull some traces from the board). Pin headers are an option (have wick) but direct wires not so much. Also would love to know if the jtag aspect has any role to play trying to read the nand for the first time.

 

[rocket8080]

If your computer recognizes your nand-x in device manager and youve used the nandpro v2.0d drivers then it probably the soldering causing your the problem. Most " cannot detect flash controller" errors are soldering related. Never turn your xbox on aswell when tring to read the nand as you can either screw the nand-x or your xbox. You should have the av cable plugged in aswell, dont use the HDMI as it will not work. Personally I would remove the qsbs clean the board up with alcholol and install the pin headers. People seem to find the pin headers easier from what ive read. Having the jtag wiring installed will make no difference to reading the nand. The alternate wiring method your using is also the best way as its more stable and gets rid of the E79. If you dont like typing the commands manually for nandpro then try coolshrimps jtag tool 1.74. If your not sure that the flux your using is no-clean you should clean the flux off after soldering.

Good luck

 

[manwithoutname]

While the main cause for the 'could not detect flash controller' message is bad connection/soldering. Lately there have been a number of boards that has the same issue regardless of the soldering. This is most probably board related and no one has come up with a reason to why this is happening, also similarly some boards read and write the NAND few times and then stop working.

If you are confident and certain of your soldering skills, then you might want to try one last thing to eliminate the soldering factor. Leave the QSB as they are on the board and use direct wire method and solder to the points below the board. If you still get the same message then nothing else will work until someone figures what has changed in the whole console board circuitry to cause this.

The JTAG part has no effect what so ever on the NAND reading/writing process and you don't need to have anything else plugged into the console apart from the power supply.

What's the history of this console, where has it come from and what has been done to it so far?

If you having problems soldering the yellow wire (GND) to the board then you can use any GND point on the board including the metal casing, copper sections where the screws go through or metal shielding where the power plug in.

You don't have to worry about the JTAG part until you sort out the NAND reading/writing else you're not going anywhere.

PS. Don't you think those finger nails are bit long? Could do with a clip

 

[rocket8080]

The problematic boards that people are having troubles with are generally falcons and jasper arent they? Ive seen alot of threads about falcons playing up.

 

[manwithoutname]

xenon's too suffer from them, I my self got 3 of those. Had 2 falcons as well, last one was almost brand new dumped nand 4 times and then won't read what so ever.

 

[rocket8080]

What a strange thing to be happening. Has this just started to occur randomly or is there a pattern emerging? like maufacturing dates, board revisions, nand chip models?. I hope a soultion can be found as that would proper be annoying having a jtaggable xbox that you cant do anything with. Shall keep this in mind as im doing a friends falcon that he bought of ebay this weekend. Thanks MWN

 

[jhgerm7300]

I just soldered mine's without the boards after hours of trying to make them work.. hope it helps

 

[Profound_Darkness]

I went ahead and hooked it up to video... Also tried W7 x64 - still get the error.

I think I will set this board aside for now and try another board. The board I am now working with is an older board but has hdmi (elite). I wonder if cygnos setup would work on this thing - worth a try? That last post seems hopeful to me so I think that will be next for this board (from the back side).

The current board (box) was bought off a friend who had used the console for quite some time up until about a year and a half ago... he stopped playing it (and live gold) a little while before the untagable update came out. It was a bit abused and the dvd drive is dying - I planned to swap it out (relatively trivial task IMO). System is a bit abused but I figured it a good candidate to try this out on.

The other board I planned to try this on is an old pro model, again from another friend. I gather the pin header install is a good one (and seems a bit easier from my limited perspective). I think we will skip the jtag part until I can dump the nand...

Should I 'resurrect' this thread if I have any progress (positive/negative) on the first board? It might be a while before we work on that one again. Also if it will help - how would I ID this board? I initially thought it was a Falcon but it has HDMI and my limited knowledge suggests that Falcons were pre-hdmi.

 

[rocket8080]

Did you try what MWN said and try to read the nand by soldering wires directly to the motherboard on the points underneath? Its definately worth a shot before you give up on it, people have less problems with the pin header method, its good for those with not much soldering experience . Falcon boards do have a HDMI connection. check out the attachment, hope this helps.

 

[Profound_Darkness]

I haven't given up on the board... just setting it aside for an indeterminate period (maybe/probably)... Thanks (very much) for the image - I have seen it before but am keeping a link and copy local since I couldn't find it again. From that image, it's a Falcon - from reading this seems to be the board a lot of people are having issues with (if they have issues). On the plus side the other board is a Zephyr and I haven't seen anyone with issues from it. The person doing the soldering seems to think the straight wiring process would be easy... and I was wrong about the flux, they did clean up afterwards...

Edit:
To my surprise - The fellow that does the soldering just removed the QSBs and did direct wiring... it's working fine now... (just started my 3rd nand dump)...

Thanks everyone (tried to go through and hit thanks on all the major tidbits).

Gonna see if I can't mark this solved now.
OK, I don't see how to mark the thread answered/fixed (answered seems better)...