x2config.ini Corrupt...Can't boot anything...please help!

[bloke23]

I flashed a 1 MB Xecuter2 5035 137 GB+ bios to bank 1, and installed and partitioned a 250 GB hard drive. No problems. Then I put an x2config.ini on my F: drive that I had updated with a tool that actually turned out to be the wrong tool (and it added a bunch of garbled text to my ini file!). I didn't realize this until after my xbox stopped booting correctly. It shows the "loading live config file..." text, then the screen goes blank and I can do nothing. I can't boot from auto installer deluxe. I can't access it via ftp. I tried creating an AID 3 disc that has a rescue.xbe, but it doesn't boot either. All I need to do is delete the .ini file or find a way to use the default settings. Is there any way to do this other than hook up the drive to my PC and delete the file there?

I have the original hard disk and it seems to boot okay using it, since there is no x2config.ini. Is it safe/would it work to hotswap the hard drive once I'm booted into AID?

Also, I tried switching to bank 2, but nothing is different. It just boots the same bios. I never flashed anything to this bank, so shouldn't it have FlashBIOS installed?

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Big_Whoopin]

Also, I tried switching to bank 2, but nothing is different. It just boots the same bios. I never flashed anything to this bank, so shouldn't it have FlashBIOS installed?

Not if you flashed a 1MB BIOS image, that would overwrite both banks. (they're only 512KB each.) So unless FlashBIOS was in the 2nd half of that image, poof. No more FlashBIOS on the chip. Are you certian that the media you are burning will boot in your Xbox, assuming the BIOS wasn't crashing? Remember that when burning bootable discs there are some general rules to follow (off the top of my head I don't remember the tips, but they're available at Xbox-Scene) and even if burning a pre-made ISO (AID) you may still want to set your burner to a s_l_o_w speed. Obviously use media that should be readable by your brand drive since they can be picky. If you can't get a disc to boot your best option will be to get a programmer and using a computer flash on a BIOS that doesn't need x2config.ini. (X2 4xxx series or Evox M8_plus if you have a 1.6 Xbox) To disable the chip and then sneak in there via softmod methods should be possible as well, but that introduces a risk of totally bricking your Xbox. X2 programmers can be found for less than $15USD, if you can't get media to boot I'd strongly recommend the programmer as your next fix method.

-Whoopin'

 

[bloke23]

I'm certain the AID disk I'm using will load, since I used it to partition my blank hard drive in the first place. But it won't boot with the corrupt x2config.ini in place.

I guess I shouldn't have blindly followed the instructions from mod-chip.com (where I bought the chip). They say to use 1 MB. Crap.

Is it possible/worth the risk to reflash with a 512 MB Xecuter2 and a 512 MB FlashBIOS? If the bank1 switch is on and I do a 512 MB flash, then do another 512 MB flash on bank2, will this accomplish the task?

Is there software available that will allow me to reflash (assuming I can get everything working after removing the x2config.ini)? If so, which is the easiest and best option?

For now, I'm leaning towards just leaving the 1 MB bios as it will fulfill my needs and then buying a programmer if something screws up later on. Any opinions?

 

[SunrayU75]

I'm certain the AID disk I'm using will load, since I used it to partition my blank hard drive in the first place. But it won't boot with the corrupt x2config.ini in place.

I guess I shouldn't have blindly followed the instructions from mod-chip.com (where I bought the chip). They say to use 1 MB. Crap.

Is it possible/worth the risk to reflash with a 512 MB Xecuter2 and a 512 MB FlashBIOS? If the bank1 switch is on and I do a 512 MB flash, then do another 512 MB flash on bank2, will this accomplish the task?

Is there software available that will allow me to reflash (assuming I can get everything working after removing the x2config.ini)? If so, which is the easiest and best option?

For now, I'm leaning towards just leaving the 1 MB bios as it will fulfill my needs and then buying a programmer if something screws up later on. Any opinions?

This is the one pain with version 2 of this chip. Without a flash bios installed and a corrupt INI file you need to get the chip reflashed with the correct flash bios. If you still have the original HD you can put that back which will let you boot the xbox again. Install Multiboot which comes with configmagic which I think will let you flash the chip again.

I had the same problem but fortunately I only ever wrote a 512K bios. To fix this I flashed bank 0 with flashbios and then tested that and then created a 1Mb with flashbios in 0 and Evo on 1 which is the only place it runs switched to that and then installed Multiboot.

Never used ConfigMagic but remember only do a 512K bios and test it before doing both. Flashbios will always start from position 0 irrespective of what bank you have selected, not sure about ConfigMagic.

 

[bloke23]

Thanks for your replies. I was finally able to get it working by connecting the hard drive to my PC and booting with Xbox HDM (hard drive maker). I don't remember why, but I had trouble deleting the x2config.ini itself so I ended up having to wipe my partition and then recreate it and format the F drive. Then I was able to boot into AID and continue from there. So at least I saved myself the trouble of having to buy a programmer and wait for it to be shipped.