X2 chip...new Xbox, won't read HD's...

[stealthdurag]

Here are the tools I am using:

2 Xboxes. My personal one, already modded (v1.4,X3, 80GB Maxtor). One just purchased today (Either v1.0, or 1.1, didn't confirm which, but it has the fan on the GPU and the Conexant chip, 120GB Maxtor, X2 w/ solderless adaptor)

The goal here is to successfully get the new box up and running. Using my personal Xbox I ftp'd UnleashX, the MS Dash etc onto the 120 GB to get it ready for the new box. I've also hot flashed the X2 chip. It all boots up ok when connected to my Xbox. The problem I run into is the new box will NOT read any hard drive save the OEM one that came with it. I can't even get it to read a different known working OEM drive. I connected it all back to my Xbox again, and sure enough it all boots fine. For that matter I can attach any HD along with the X2 to my Xbox and it will boot fine.

This tells me (a)The chip was flashed properly and (b) the hard drives themselves aren't bad. I was running into an issue where the new Xbox would FRAG when I attached the X2 chip. I resolved this by removing the d0 pin. Chip still lights up normally. Thought I'd add that in case it mattered. Anyway, if I attach the OEM drive with the X2 set to ON and the MS dash pops up. Turn chip off, same result. Again, drive seems ok, so does the chip. Now I attach one of the Maxtors both of which I confirmed work, turn the box on....then it FRAGS and gives error code 6.

This has pretty much thrown me for a loop. I hot flashed the chip repeatedly, that never seems to fail so I don't think the X2 is my problem.

All hard drives ARE locked, I confirmed this by attaching them to my personal box and checking in the X3 bios. Just to be double sure, I unlocked and re-locked them. This new box just will not accept any drives outside the one that came with it. I've modded quite a few Xboxes and I am stumped. Any ideas? It will def. be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Big_Whoopin]

You're going to kick yourself for this one...

Error code 6 - kernel - Cannot unlock HDD

The 2nd Xbox cannot unlock the HDD because you have it locked to the 1st box. The HDD lock is keyed to the EEPROM (I think) installed in the Xbox. Unlock that HDD on box #1, install it in box #2 and boot from the X2. The mod BIOS (X2CL 5035 right? ) should boot with the unlocked drive. You can then lock it either with FlashBIOS if it is still on the chip or with a number of software utilities.

This is why it is important to make note of your HDD key. If your Xbox goes belly up and your drive is locked, the only (free and easy) way to get into that drive again is by unlocking it with the proper key.

Oh yeah, to prove this you can take that original HDD from #2 and throw it into your X3 box. You'll get error 6 again since it isn't unlocked or locked to that box.

-Whoopin'

 

[stealthdurag]

Heh, thanks for the response. I'll have to try it later. I didn't think the keys + EEPROM meant anything outside of XBL. I thought a locked HD is a locked HD is a locked HD.

I'll post up letting you know the result. Thanks.

 

[stealthdurag]

You're going to kick yourself for this one...

Error code 6 - kernel - Cannot unlock HDD

The 2nd Xbox cannot unlock the HDD because you have it locked to the 1st box. The HDD lock is keyed to the EEPROM (I think) installed in the Xbox. Unlock that HDD on box #1, install it in box #2 and boot from the X2. The mod BIOS (X2CL 5035 right? ) should boot with the unlocked drive. You can then lock it either with FlashBIOS if it is still on the chip or with a number of software utilities.

This is why it is important to make note of your HDD key. If your Xbox goes belly up and your drive is locked, the only (free and easy) way to get into that drive again is by unlocking it with the proper key.

Oh yeah, to prove this you can take that original HDD from #2 and throw it into your X3 box. You'll get error 6 again since it isn't unlocked or locked to that box.

-Whoopin'

Looks like I hit another snag. I unlocked the drive in box 1, connected it to box 2 with X2 attached, booted up and got error code 5 (drive not locked).

I tried your other suggestion, connected the HD from box 2 to box 1, and yea I got error code 6. Learned a lil' something there. Also, I'm not using X2CL 5035, I was using 5032 because I usually try not to deviate from versions that have worked for me previously. So here's what I'll do tomorrow:

1)Update X2 to v5035. Flash flashbios to bank 2. For whatever reason I have 5032 flashed to both banks. This was done some time ago...why I have no idea.

2)Connect 120GB Maxtor to box 1 (that uses the X3) and re-format it completely.

3)Unlock the drive, FTP dashboard etc onto it.

4)...Hope it works when I connect everything back to box 2?


If you see any problems in the above plan, please advise...Thanks again.

 

[Fantmx]

If you are getting an error 5 it means your chip isn't working. Flashbios, and 503x don't care if the drive is locked or not. Why go through the trouble of formatting and rebuilding the drive?

 

[stealthdurag]

If you are getting an error 5 it means your chip isn't working. Flashbios, and 503x don't care if the drive is locked or not. Why go through the trouble of formatting and rebuilding the drive?

I'm confused, if this chip isn't working then why will it boot if I attached that same HD and the X2 to my personal Xbox? I'll try flashing it again but this made me wonder.

 

[Fantmx]

Your install could be bad. The switches could be bad. The wires for the switches may not be properly plugged in. There are a lot of reasons, but the bottom line is in order to get the error 5, you must be booting to the retail bios.

 

[stealthdurag]

In trying to re-flash the X2 (hotswapping with my X3), everything appears to go ok with the flashing process but it ultimately fails. After it re-flashes, the box powers off.

I turn it back on but there is no output to the TV, no sound either. If I turn it off then back on (chip still attached) the box will boot, but not using the X2 Bios. When flashing I get the confirmation on the screen that the X2 is attached. So it does seem the problem is with the chip. I don't know what else to do though.

 

[stealthdurag]

Another odd thing, if it matters any is that the LED's turn on when I switch it to the off position, and turn off when I switch it to the on position. Everything is definitely inserted properly. Don't know what else could be the problem.

 

[stealthdurag]

In the interest of starting completely over I've done the following after verifying the second Xbox will boot with all OEM parts, and it does. So here's what I've done:

1)Removed stock HD and DVD drives, fitted solderless adaptor, connected d0 point as well. It is the same adaptor pictured here:

http://modchipsource.com/proddetail.php?prod=X26CESOLDERLESS&cat=9

2)Connected X2 chip and powered Xbox on. Issue here is Xbox will turn off then on about 3 times then FRAG. Chip is powered on at this point. Ok, so I removed the d0 wire per my first post and powered Xbox on again. Now it will boot, but it doesn't seem to recognize the chip though it is STILL powered on. I say this because it will not boot an unlocked/locked drive. Attempting to do this will result in error code 6.

So, this seems to be the first part of my problem. Why won't the Xbox boot the chip with the d0 wire connected? It should, shouldn't it?

3)Moving along I attempt to hot flash the X2 using another Xbox w/ the X3 with version 5035. Hot flash seems to go ok, FlashBios recognizes the X2 and completes the flashing process without any errors. Xbox then powers off normally. Now to test and see if my issue is the X2 itself, I left it connected to my personal box, connected a HD and DVD drive and attempted to boot. This fails, because again, chip isn't being recognized. Error code 5 this time. The hard drive is locked though this shouldn't matter if the chip is working properly. Also a correction to what I posted earlier, another odd thing is the switch's LED's will turn on if I place the switch in the "off" position, and turn on if I do the reverse.

Herein lies (I believe) the second part of my problem, maybe the switch is bad?

Any thoughts? This is driving me crazy...

 

[stealthdurag]

*bump*

Anyone?

 

[Big_Whoopin]

With D0 disconnected the Xbox will try to boot from the retail BIOS... you *must* have a circuit with D0 in order for the box to boot off of the chip.

When you had the X2 in the box that normally has the X3, if you didn't move over the D0 wire you're going to get error code 5 again if the drive isn't locked to that Xbox.

The off/on switch that you are talking about is the smaller switch, the one that is different from the other 3 correct? Yes, this is labeled backwards. It isn't a big deal as this only controls the ground return for 5 of the 6 LEDs. It serves no purpose in regards to turning the chip on or off. That's what the enable/disable switch is for.

With D0 in place you boot to a FRAG, this could be for any number of reasons as Fantmx pointed out. You're going to want to start checking basic "FRAG on new install" troubleshooting. Make sure the solderless adapter is secure and that the contacts of the LPC holes are clean. Make sure the switches are plugged in correctly and the plugs fully seated. Read through my switch schematic thread and use a multimeter to check that the switches are functioning they way they should. I would say to just leave in the stock HDD (the one locked to that box) and all other stock components and keep trying to isolate where your problem is. If you keep FRAGging with those components you've still got an install problem, or BIOS problem since you've already been flashing the chip.

If possible you may want to see if you can put the X3 into the new box and use that to troubleshoot (and possibly rule out) the solderless adapter. Since you know this chip boots properly in another Xbox, if you can get it working in the new box then you've ruled out everything up to the chip.

-Whoopin'

 

[stealthdurag]

Tried another box, same result. Chip will not power on with d0 point connected. It will turn on then off, then back on....about three times then FRAG. It is connected properly. I'm guessing it's possible the chip may have never flashed properly but who knows? I tried hot flashing it probably about 15 or so times, seriously. Adaptor seems fine, no bent pins, breaks etc. I'd solder in an adaptor but when it's connected to my Xbox w/ the X3 it still doesn't work, and that is a full solder install. Again it will flash, Xbox just won't boot back up. I can't really think of anything else.

Anyways, thanks for your help but it looks like the chip wins this one, to ebay it goes. If anyone here happens to be interested it's a Maxtor 120GB HD and X2.6 w/ solderless adaptor. Whole thing for $150 + shipping.

 

[Big_Whoopin]

Be careful what you sell on eBay. I'm pretty sure they have a fairly tight policy regarding modified consoles and components to modify them.

-Whoopin'

 

[stealthdurag]

It's cool. I did it before and it wasn't an issue. I think they jump on your case if you're selling say, a modded Xbox with games pre-loaded. Mod chips aren't illegal, I'm sure you know. I decided to keep the HD anyway, just got a little frustrated so I wanted everything out of my sight for a sec. There isn't anything wrong with the HD, just the chip.