X3, already install worked until now...

[nutsak]

hey all, gotta problem... had my X3 installed since october. it has worked just fine, until tonight. i turned off the xbox for a couple minutes, booted it back up and now it boots like a stock xbox. the led on the external switch don't light up, doesn't make a difference if i hold both buttons, quick tap, or long tap. it acts just like it don't even have a chip in it. so now i'm wondering. how long do these chips work? do they usually just quit working? i haven't taken it apart yet as it's late... does anyone think it could be a solder point? the xbox just sits on the shelf, never gets moved or jerked around. anyways, just askin for ideas. i tried searching the forums but most posts are all about 1.6 xboxes. anybody with any idea will be appreciated.

Edit: last night and today it was played ALOT, alot longer than the usual amount of times it's been on, with the chip enabled playing games.
it looks to me like a solder issue, but i just can't imagine having a problem with soldering this long after the install. i had no problems with the install, i took it apart solder the pin header, lan and hdd led's, plugged the chip in, put it together and it worked perfect. had to add that bit of info.

here's the scoop:

xbox v 1.4
Xecuter 3 pin header install
1959 bios
stock locked xbox hdd (boots up and plays games just like stock, except has an X3 that's been working for almost 3 months)

i'll take it apart tomorrow... it would be nice to have some suggestions before i open it up again so i could have an idea what to look for, probabally just try to solder it all over again.

thanks ppl.

 

[C0Ld_BuG]

Definately check solder points. A volt meter would come in handy too.

 

[nutsak]

Definately check solder points. A volt meter would come in handy too.

to check voltage, should i remove the chip from the pin header, and ground the common to the metal around the case? is that a good ground spot or is there another spot?

and is it really possible for solder points to just go bad all of a sudden after that amount of time?

one more, if i read right, BOTH voltage led's should be on on the chip, even on a 1.4 xbox correct?

oh yea read the edit on my origional post.

 

[C0Ld_BuG]

I don't think a pinheader solder would come loose without a lot of movement...now the D0 possibly but the chip would still get power...thats why it might be the chip itself. And you can just check voltage you do not need to remove the pins.

 

[nutsak]

I don't think a pinheader solder would come loose without a lot of movement...now the D0 possibly but the chip would still get power...thats why it might be the chip itself. And you can just check voltage you do not need to remove the pins.

that sucks if it's the chip, it sure didn't last very long.
if the d0 came loose or went bad, would the front switch panel still light up?

cuz the front switch panel doesn't light up.

 

[C0Ld_BuG]

Yes it would...the power does not come from the D0.

It might have just slipped off of the pin header too, just a thought. Have you reopeded the box yet?

 

[nutsak]

no, gonna do it tomorrow it's late here.. i'll check this thread tomorrow then open it up and see WTF...
i don't think it came off the header, as the box never moves and it's a kinda tight fit on there.

 

[C0Ld_BuG]

I don't think it did either...I think the chip is bad.

 

[nutsak]

I don't think it did either...I think the chip is bad.

well, i looked it over and the 3.3 v led (i think it's the 3.3v, the opposite side of the contrast wheel) is not lit up. well it doesn't look lit up, hard to see when it's on the header. so i'm guessing the chip is dead or the pinheader came loose. i looked over the pinheader and they seem tight in there, not loose or anything. i'll check it with the multimeter when i can find mine...

i expected a 60 dollar chip to last longer than 3 months with only about 4 or 5 hours of use a day, except new years and yesterday...

that's deffinately f**ked.

hmmm the pic in this thread

http://www.teamxecuter.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=21588

i'd appreciate input from some other users too!!

 

[nutsak]

i checked more, the box boots up exactly the same with the chip on the pinheader and off the pinheader. still no 3.3v LED. i'm looking for my multimeter. Can i just check voldages with the chip on on top of the solderpoints on the chip? and is grounding to the metal inside the case good enough or should i use one of the mobo screws?

 

[nutsak]

anybody?

 

[nospmohtkcin]

do you have pin 9 and 15 connected together?

 

[nutsak]

no i do not, should i try this? and would this maybe fix it? it was working for a couple months and just suddenly quit working...
very odd, i suspect the chip died, but who knows i'll try anything. the company i bought it from refuses to exchange the chip

 

[nutsak]

ok i looked at the chip while the xbox was on and the 3.3v LED deffinately doesn't light up. so, now the pinheader could have a bad connect on one of the 3.3v connections, or the chip died.
could not getting 3.3v to the chip cause the problem i'm having??

 

[nutsak]

anybody else?

 

[nutsak]

well, i went over my pins another (100th??) time and dropped a little extra solder on the questionable ones, and now it works. most deffinately.

now i deffinately believe solder connections can just quit working after a few days, weeks or even months!!! thank you guys for helping me.

 

[C0Ld_BuG]

Good job...