bacus

@Fringle Sorry - A bit late replying - busy weekend. Tried options 0,1 & 2 in the cerbios.ini file but all the same results. Also tried changing dash paths back to the old format, but no joy there either. Not convenient atm to disassemble and remove the DVD drive as a test. If that did work for me, it wouldn't solve the problem though as I want to be able to use the DVD drive in an emergency. I saw your post over on gbatemp last august about the same issue and it wasn't resolved there, so maybe this is a bug we both have? I can always use the X2's other bank for a different bios in an emergency, so I'm not totally stuck. Thanks for your help.

Hi, Just wondering how big is the bios.bin file you are trying to flash? The X2 2.6CE supports either a 1x1024K or 2x512K banks. Either way, you should be creating a file of 1024K in size and flashing that. Since Cerbios is 256K, you could create your bios.bin file as 4 consecutive copies of Cerbios, or say 2 copies of Cerbios v2.3.2 followed by 2 copies of another bios (say Cerbios v2.3.1 or EvoX M8+). So, If you use a 256K bios 4 times, then copy 1 is bank one, copy 2 is just padding, copy 3 is bank 2 and copy 4 is just padding. I hope that makes sense?

OK, I just did that. Unfortunately, it still doesn't work, same as before.

@Fringle I modified the Dash Paths in Cerbios Tool and also exported to a cerbios.ini file too. So, since they are the same, I shouldn't need the cerbios.ini but I put it on C root just in case I wanted to try a few different settings. The section looks like this: ; Dash Paths (always falls back to C:\xboxdash.xbe) DashPath1 = C:\unleashx.xbe DashPath2 = C:\avalaunch.xbe DashPath3 = C:\evoxdash.xbe Since path 1&3 are valid, but path 2 does not exist, I'll dig out a copy of avalaunch to dump in C root and see what happens.

That's what I understand too from the docs, about it being UDMA2 in Safe Mode. The console boot fine every time in UDMA6 mode and runs all apps and games I try. I think the lack of the blue dogs maybe down to my TV not detecting/displaying the input quick enough, as this morning I just saw the briefest of flash for the first time. So lets ignore that one as its only cosmetic. I would like to get the Safe Mode working though. Great thought. So, I've just reinstalled c:\evoxdash.xbe and c:\evox.ini to test. Unfortunately, it doesn't help and the console still freezes in the same way when booting by eject. Then for completeness, tested the evoxdash separately under normal UDMA6 boot and it works fine.

Hi, Finally got some time to get back to the old Xbox, so first thing on my list was to update the BIOS from X2 v5035 to Cerbios v2.3.1. Modified the BIOS first in Cerbios Tool v1.2.2 to set UDMA6 as I have a Startech and 80wire. Also changed Drive Setup to HDD&DVD (mode 0) in case I want to boot from DVD, and changed Dash path 1 to C:\unleashx.xbe. Flashed to my Xecuter2 modchip. Uploaded the BootAnims folder and put a cerbios.ini (with same settings) in the root of C:. A press of the power button and it boots fine, but I don't get the blue dogs screen first, just straight to the blue/purple machine startup, then the big X, then loads the unleashx dash. Everything works fine after that as it did before. Next, I wanted to test Safe Mode, so a powered on using the Eject button. The tray opens, the LED ring turns red, the blue dogs appear this time with the words Safe Mode at the top, but thats it. It freezes on this screen. I notice it says in the notes that Safe Mode doesn't work on Xenium modchips, but this is an X2 so it should, right? So 2 problems really: No dogs on normal power on (but everything else works). Safe mode doesn't work. Any clues what I might be doing wrong? Thanks

Just for my information really , I thought FlashBIOS v3.x was only for Xecuter 3 chips, and that FlashBIOS v2.x was for the Xecuter 2? Is that right?

Just a quick note to say a massive thank you to @AlaskaCC for shipping me a replacement Xecuter 2. I've used your switch bank and cable with my modchip and all worked fine. Had to replace drive belt in DVD too, but all good. Here's how I left the Xbox all those years ago: The MS Dashboard seems a bit blocky, as does the big 'X' and 'Xecuter2' text after flubber(?). Slayers screen looks good, as do the couple of games I briefly tried. I am using an Kaico HDMI adapter with 480p and 720p (only) enabled. So, I'm thinking new BIOS first so I can play on Insignia. Then upgrade to a 1TB drive, 80wire and StarTech, which I've already got. I'm sure I'll be back for advice shortly. Cheers for now.

Thanks. I'll bear that in mind if my repair fails. If you find out what the postage is to the UK, let me know.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll just do the one reply to all. I found my old copy of X2 Bios Manager v2.3 and read the readme. I understand how you create the 1MB file with the various BIOS' in whatever order, its the flashing that confused me. I think you're saying it doesn't matter what bank the chip is set to during the flash, as it just fills the whole 1MB from zero. So then the bank switch is only used when actually booting from either of the 512KB banks. Correct? Thanks. Wiring is the same (for the switch bank) from the pinouts I've looked at and the switch bank has the same number L33-11678 as mine, just a different colour. I might try and fix mine, but if that fails, what would you want for it including shipping to the UK? Might try that. Got nothing to loose. I have a can of switch cleaner somewhere. Looks really fiddly. My eyes aren't what they used to be . Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, you remember the same as me, that you had to set the bank to 1. I think I've got an X2 bios on bank 1 and Cromwell on bank 2. Might join some wires together to check, while I decide what to do. Still got the console in bits though as the CD drive belt has gone brittle and egg shaped, so awaiting replacement...

I've had a brief look and cant find what the pins are called either. Anybody know? If I could do this, it would fix the connector, but I'd still have the broken switches to replace. I'll have to think about this. Thanks for your help.

Thanks. The first diagram diagram for the 2.3b is the same pinouts as mine. Reading that thread, it suggests grounding D0 on the board and not using the switchbank. Then the chip will be unprotected, and on bank 2 permanently. Now, from memory (and it was a long time ago), I thought when flashing this chip, I had to have it set to bank 1 and then flash a 1MB file containing two consecutive 512KB bios'. Is this right, or is the bank select only relevant during boot and so I can infact flash the same 1MB (2 bios) file with the switch in bank 2 position (where then the first 512KB would be irrelevant since I couldn't select it)?

Hi. Found my old v1.1 Xbox which I modded 20years ago with an Xecutor 2.3 Lite (see pics). Wanted to get it going again now that Insignia is running, so before even powering on, I've removed the clock cap and replaced the 5 CPU caps which were leaking. Powered on today, and it starts in microsoft dash. Hooray! Soldering successful, but no X2 bios. The 'X2 Lite Ext' board with the 3 switches on doesn't seem to work (switches are bad - checked with meter). Also the 5 black wires leading to the Ext board were frail and snapped off from the connector while testing . Luckily I caught it and labelled each so I know which wire does what. Question is, what to do? I doubt I can find another X2 Lite Ext switch board and cable. Does anyone know if any other switch bank works with my chip? I could just bridge the wires to force modchip enable and bank 1, or try to build my own new switch bank. Any suggestions if you've done this before? Thanks

Hi. I was having a clear out and found my old console that I modded around 20years ago. I thought, "You know what, it'd be fun to have another play with it". Just found OGXbox while searching around, so will probably be back for advice since I've forgotten almost everything I knew back then . I did find that I should remove the clock capacitor before powering on, so I'm going to do that first. Hope it's not leaked much. See you all later.