X3 unknown flash! halting

[parnelli_97]

I really hate to add to this thread but mine is doing the same thing. I have tried using banks 1234, and 5678, I have tried the write protect switch both on and off just in case there was a problem with the switch. I even unplugged the switch and tried the write protect switch on the chip itself in both positions. I have tried the CD load, Hard drive load, and HTTP load for the bios, No matter what the configuration I get the same error "unknown flash! halting" I have tried all the old flashes for the 1.6 board, all the way back to 1957 and I'm having no luck. Does anybody have any idea what could be wrong?

P.S. this is a 1.6 xbox, and this is not my first mod, just my first 1.6. I've modded quite a few others without any problem from this chip. I know banks 5678 have an older bios on it from my last xbox, it was a 1.5. So I knew I would have to re-flash the bios. I have booted the cromwell bios and then switch to banks 5678, and I have also left it on 1234 with the same error. Out of desperation I have also tried the M8 bios in all the configurations with the same result. Also note that the hard drive and CD loads did recognize the disc and attempt to load the bios but were halted.

I know this is my 2nd post about this, I didn't realize the last forum I was reading was a sticky.

 

[ccclhanson]

I am having the same exact problem on the mod i am doing right now i've been trying to flash most of the same ways. i have done several other X3 chip mods without any problems at all this is also a v1.6.
I'm thinking about flashing one of my other chips to a 1.6bios and then putting it in this box or taking this chip and flashing it in one of my other boxes and then see if it flashes although i have been waiting to try to find an answer before i do this, the X3 seems to be tempermental about continuous reseating. PLEASE let me know if there is a fix for this or do i have a weak solder point on the rebuild?

 

[ccclhanson]

I just got my 1.6 to flash!!!!!!!! wooo hooo, Ayways if anyone else is having problems this is kindof wierd how i got it to work. with this chip i bought a X3 control panel and again this is a v1.6. i had the chip flash protect off and the control panel off so both were green and that would never work what ever i did. so i just now said what the hell and tried flashing it unprotected/protected. where the chip is turned to unprotect and the control panel button is red making your chip red so i was actually flashing protected i think. I flashed with X3 3294 v16plus and it freakin worked, I'm kindof excited i've been trying to flash this thing for three days with no luck till now. but i have one problem with the control panel, the LCD does not work does anyone know if i have to have a special app or bios for this to work this is my first LCD panel? you would think it would at least fire up with a backlight or something.

 

[Martin C]

There's a lot of confusion over the colours and what they represent.

Green = protected (i.e, you are safe to use the chip without it being flashed)
Red = unprotected (there is a danger you could flash over your chip)

Martin

 

[parnelli_97]

I know about the red being unprotected, because it says so right on the back of the chip But just to be safe I tried the chip on protect, with the switch set to protect, and unprotected, then the switch on unprotected with the switch in both positions and still didn't work. So that didn't help. I think it may be the chip, I ordered a new chip, if the new chip works fine then I know the problem. Question is I've heard some people have an external epromm programmer, would that be able to flash my chip? If so does anyone know anyone reputable who could check out the chip for me?... Obviously if I get the new chip and it has the same problem it's more likely a user error but at this point I'm doubting it. I've re-done my soldering 5x just to make sure. Once I went as far as using a desoldering iron to take the whole mod apart just to rebuild it with a new LPC rebuild board just to make sure that wasn't the problem...

 

[parnelli_97]

I tried to make an edit but couldn't, I realized I said something confusing. Just to clarify I put the chip on protect then the external switch I tried both switch positions for unprotected and protected, then put the chip on unprotected and tried the external switch in both positions with the same error no matter what the chip or switch positions. Also the light does change from green to red when it should but it always acts like it's in protected mode regardless the switch position or LED color.

 

[Martin C]

unplug the external switch for the time being - the X3 defaults to bank 1234 in this configuration, therefore eliminating the switch completely.

Try again - it's worth check both switch positions too!

 

[parnelli_97]

Same result with the external switch unplugged and the chip switch set in both positions.

 

[parnelli_97]

The new chip arrived and within 3 minutes it was flashed, must be a chip problem. Oh Whell... anyone want a chip with 1934 flashed on it but can't take a new flash... drop me a line lol.

 

[Johnx]

Um, Your backwards. Red=go, Green=Protect