HDShadow

I'd be wary of updating the BIOS using any HeXEn based disc here without expert advice from those who know about this sort of stuff. There are apparently problems with some BIOS on older HeXEn type discs and I think one version of 'TruHeXEn' in particular. So my advice would be to wait for advice on what tool and what BIOS to use.

Wouldn't it have been better to start your own thread rather than add to this three year old one? It's not the same problem or, possibly, even a problem. It looks as if you're probably using a type chip (Aladdin?) with an v1.6 Evox M8+ series BIOS already on it. Flashing the BIOS using a HeXen disc should be a simple matter of launching the HeXen disc (DVD-R/ImgBurn) and going to the BIOS flashing tools menu. Alternatively: using EvoX or XBlast installed as apps booting either of those. That's only if you've installed a dashboard already of course.

That will depend on your softmod and exactly how it is launching XBMC Emustation. Iif you're using a Rocky5 softmod he puts almost everything on C:\, protected by using a Virtual/Shadow C. So how and the path it uses to boot the main dash is very different from, for example, SID/AID. By default that installs (vanilla) XBMC on E:\ ie. in its own folder and boots the default.xbe in the XBMC folder by using a shortcut XBE: E:\evoxdash.xbe.

Was/is XBMC Emustation your primary dashboard? Do you have FTP access or can you cold boot an installer/rescue disc. Rocky5's dashboards etc, like XBMC Emustation, may have some sort of backdoor recovery options. Whether that is correct and applicable in this case I do not know. You'll need advice from somebody who knows XBMC Emustation. Are you using Rocky5's softmod? That's important because it is automatically set up to launch XBMC Emustation from C:\, E:\ or F:\. If another softmod was used it is likely the thing was being launched from a shortcut.xbe inside the XBMC folder. If that is pointing at F:\XBMC\default.xbe and the XBMC folder is now on E:\ that would explain the problem. It depends on what files you actually moved but I'm thinking that the error message is not indicating just a problem with the guisettings.xml which could be bypassed by tools built into XBMC and its variants. Its basically telling you the installation is messed up. It is probably going to be quite simple to fix with FTP/disc based file manager because, sweetdarkdestiny has also just posted, all that likely needs be done is to replace everything you moved from F:\ to E:\. You can then get advice on how to move it to E:\ safely if you're still wanting to do that for some reason.

This is not my problem but its not something I've come across before so I'm hoping somebody here has an explanation/solution because I'm stumped. Its from a Reddit user so I hope it is OK to post the link:- https://old.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/comments/x2rn3u/help_dashboard_is_missing_how_do_i_fix_it/ The title says it all - the guy has FTP access now and, I think, that's due to a SID/AID disc and FTP access. He posted a link to a screenshot of his Xbox drive content and it it looks to me as if there is no E:\drive. Using SID rescue options I have zero experience so if somebody here has that knowledge and/or a solution it would be useful general Xbox information worth posting here for the future reference of all OGXbox users.

I prefer AS MX4 - proven exceptional longevity (8years before you need to consider replacing it) and no curing required (unlike AS5). Essentially: use it and forget. I have two MX4 pasted PCs, used regularly, one about 6 years old the other over 3 years and particularly during the summer I have temperature reporting software running all the time. The reported temperatures of the older one are no different from what they were at the start. However, as I probably said earlier in this thread, I've replaced one Xbox's CPU's thermal paste with MX4. The temperatures reported by UnleashX and XBMC showed no difference from the factory paste temperatures. That thermal paste must have been at least 14 years old and that's why I too question whether redoing the thermal paste is actually necessary. There's also the chance that in getting the heat sink off and/or cleaning up the old paste you're going to damage the chip. That's another reason for leaving it alone, particularly if the reported temperatures are not indicating an overheating problem. Found my original post here from 2020 and didn't really need to add to it :- https://www.ogxbox.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2753-xbox-gpu-repaste-is-pointless/&do=findComment&comment=18482

Maybe I missed it but as I've read it no dashboard has yet been installed so you're going to get some sort of error at boot although I expect error 13 or 14. Sometimes I've had to cold boot the installer disc to get it to run when I've replaced the HDD on a chipped machine with a completely empty, new one. I'd try that if not already done. It is my understanding from the info provided that the OP has not been able to use HeXEn 2020 ("I have a Hexen 2020 disc at the ready burned using Windows built in tool." ) so the BIOS is not a HeXEn flashed one. It surely can't be anything other than the original 'Aladdin' one. An installer disc (DVD-R/ImgBurn default settings) or any original Xbox game disc should cold boot on a chipped Xbox. If either doesn't it is most likely there's some other hardware problem involved.

I think we just about covered everything in that other thread but the fact your Philips DVD drive was already unreliable with burned discs does not auger well. As said in that thread DVD-R (almost any brand seems to work) + ImgBurn "Write Image file to disc" ^ option should produce bootable discs from an installer XISO file or a XISO created from installer files using Qwix or the C Xbox Tool. I've used multiple burning programs apart from ImgBurn like BurnAware, DiscJuggler, CDBurnerXP, InfraRecorder all successfully so that is unlikely to be the cause of the problem. The only thing that you don't mention is the DVD-RW disc burning device: twice I've come across similar problems where replacing the PC's DVD-RW drive solved it. DVD-RWs age like anything else and the lasers can weaken not producing good burns, at least not good enough for Xbox use. My favourite internal burners are the Samsung SH-SS2* range but they're not manufactured any more. I've used Asus and Liteon (iHAS124) ones for burning Xbox discs, in fact it is my standard test for any DVD-RW I've bought to burn a bootable AID v4.53 disc. The Asus ones are significantly noisy and feel/sound far less well made than the Samsungs but they passed the test OK on two PCs. Samsungs are still available used too and often very cheap but even if treated well, the laser could still be past its best. You're always taking a risk with secondhand PC equipment in my experience.

Can XPR Express actually pack XPR's? Yes, I think so. I have Rocky5's updated version with 64bit OS support and it unpacks things like the XBMC Textures.xpr without issue using Windows 7 64bit. But packing I thought not .......................it actually says in the GUI "Compressing N/A". It does have a Compress option tab but I found initially if you use it with the same Win7 Pro 64bit OS you received error messages at some point during the compression. However (and I've just checked to confirm this) I found that if you took a typical XBMC skin Textures.xpr and unpacked it then used the Compress button option it would repack it as long as you used the desktop as the destination for the new Textures.xpr. I've unpacked that test XPR too and all the items (PNGs) inside open as they should. In the past with the Xbox font maker I've found the tool used does not like too many folder levels to be involved in the final destination path. It is better to use the desktop as the location for the new file. So I thought that might be the problem and it looks like it is with XPR Express too. So it does work with Win7 Pro 64bit. I did a quick test with WinXP (Mode) - the free to install Win7 Pro cut down XP (32bit) OS and I couldn't get XPR Express to work at all. To begin with it reported it needed a missing DLL - MSVCP71.dll, which is a sister .DLL to the MSCRVR71.dll that is often missing from post WinXP OS and the cause of Xplorer360 reporting a missing .DLL error. I installed both on the XP VM and tried again. This time XPR Express (32bit) started to unpack the same Textures.xpr I'd used before but stopped with another error message relating to a temporary file issue. As I had XPR Express working with Win7 Pro 64bit I did not bother to pursue this any further.

Sounds like a really obscure problem but glad to read its now sorted.

Yes, he tried XBMC Error Recovery Mode (White/Y) and UserData Reset (L3/R3) on Monday - no joy with either. Also did CACHE and X/Y/Z TMP file delete later too.

Rocky5's XBSMT is considered one of the best softmods but you'll get others suggesting one of the updates to HeXEn - I think TruHeXEn is usually recommended. Me I stick to what I know; its old, has some minor but annoying issues but it still works well and that's SID (Softmod Installer Deluxe v5.11/12 or, if you qualify for the download, the genuine SID v6.00 which fixes at least one of those problems). Its big sister AID (Auto Installer Deluxe) is designed for both hardmod dash installs and softmodding using SID. SID is probably the nearest thing to what you're using now but that's not necessarily a good thing. I don't use any of the softmod protection options it it includes (unlike others it is your choice - yay!) but I do have everything backed up, often twice and in two cases I can just put in a mirrored HDD if something ever goes wrong. Sixteen years of SID/AID use and, fingers crossed, never had to do that.

I think we're coming down now to the only explanation being something to do with the XCalibur softmod itself. But what? I won't even speculate. It is a bit of a cop out, and I hate not being able to work out what the problem is, but my solution now must be to buy a new HDD, install a fresh alternative softmod on it by one means or another. Then use Chimp or other methods to lock it to the Xbox in question. You still have the original XCalibur softmod installation on the existing HDD so the content, if needed, is still available. But with the tools there are, even using XSelect if you're wedded to that type of set up, you can get the new softmod to do everything the previous one did and actually work 100% without the hassle you've had in this case.

KE: Can you see anything obviously amiss in the logs provided? Lo2301: I'd suggest trying this: delete the E:\CACHE, X:\, Y:\ and Z:\ drive content ie. not the actual folders. It won't do any harm; sometimes the temporary stuff there can interfere with other Xbox functions. Then boot using the F:\XBMC\ default.xbe again. I'm not optimistic but worth a go.

Whatever the problem is I don't think it is a regional one. By default XBMC is set to Auto so as long as the skin being used has not been mucked around whatever regional setting and resolution XBMC should be displaying it correctly. I was hoping you were using RGB SCART and NTSC rather than a SCART AV Composite adapter because some TVs (predominantly EU ones) don't support RGB with NTSC. I had a 20" Grundig 4:3 CRT which had that problem. A TV resolution support issue doesn't really fit in with the other evidence anyway. The TV does have Component inputs and if you can get hold of a Xbox Component cable and swap the Xbox to NTSC you'll get far better picture quality than the present AV Composite via SCART arrangement. But that's just a side comment, it doesn't help with the XBMC problem. Lets hope the XBMC logs tell us something.

Damn! I was so hoping that was it. Thinks: what on earth is preventing XBMC from launching? Running out of ideas. Let's go back to basics:- What region is the Xbox set too ie. NTSC or PAL? What AV cable type are you using for the Xbox - AV Composite, SCART, RGB SCART, Component? If Component/NTSC: what resolution ?

If it is this I won't be surprised: don't launch it with either of those ancient old crocks of file managers. Just use the built in UnleashX dash file manager (File Explorer as it is usually listed). It should be in the main menu somewhere but that may depend on the softmod. If the XCalibur softmod has omitted it for some reason then: shame on the creator(s). Sorry about this pic - not my own, but it shows the default UnleashX dash skin and menu which is the important thing.

I think bypassing the shortcut and the existing installation of XBMC entirely as a further test is the way to go. You need to install another fresh copy of XBMC4Xbox using a different source for the download too. Your F:\ drive is now working, yes? If so I'd create an "Apps" folder on that (F:\Apps) and put the fresh copy of XBMC in there. Reboot and try to launch it from its "default.xbe" using UnleashX's filer manager. It will be using the default XBMC settings so there is no reason I can think of for it not to work. If it doesn't then there must be something preventing it, something specifically to do with the XCalibur softmod. This returns us full circle to the need to have advice from somebody who actually knows that softmod. EDIT I've just downloaded and installed the XBMC v3.5.3 copy found at Digiex (Google). Make sure you "Download XBMC4Xbox v3.5.3" not one of the other download options that might pop up there. Just unpack the XBMC4XBOX-3_5_3 (65MB) zip directly on PC and you should have a single level "XBMC" folder (109MB). FTP or transfer by other means that to F:\Apps and test it as described. It is using the blue themed Confluence skin by default which a lot of people seem to like and it launches perfectly on the SID/AID softmodded Xbox I use for testing stuff like this. Hopefully it will work as easily for you as that and if it does then we can think about getting it installed as a main dash.

R3/L3 are the two joystick buttons - you click down on the joysticks at the same time during XBMC's boot and it should reset everything to default. I've only needed to do it once myself years ago (a skin issue) but I think you get a dialogue box which asks whether you wish to proceed before it actually does it.

How can i do that ? The method is in the hyper-link Error Recovery Mode. I'd try launching XBMC from its default.xbe using the UnleashX file manager and use the method described: holding down L3 and R3 during boot. As warned it will delete all your previous settings whatever they are.

There's a possibility with XBMC not launching that it is a skin or user data problem. Did you delete the existing XBMC installation (in fact I'd suggest renaming it to XBMCOrg in preference to deleting it) before copying in the new installation.? If you used the Copy option it should overwrite/replace existing files but it would not delete some UserData and other files which [b]may[/b] be what are preventing it launching. Normally leaving the UseData files untouched is desirable as the most common reason for copying in a new version of XBMC is to update an existing installation. But if that installation is faulty in some way then the new installation will likely experience the same problem. An alternative solution would be to try XBMC Error Recovery Mode but doing that will reset to default all your previous user settings which is why I suggested renaming the existing installation instead before copying in a fresh XBMC one. BTW this forum is far more active than the XBMC4Xbox one and whilst you might be lucky and get a solution from a genuine XBMC guru whose knowledge on the such matters is the size of a planet chances are the only person there who'd actually reply would be me under a different name. KaosEngineer here is pretty much as good as it gets on all Xbox matters so you're getting some of the best trouble shooting advice already.

Have tried launching the new XBMC install direct from its "default.xbe" using the UnleashX file manager? If it does not boot then I'd be surprised and a bit flummoxed as to what the problem might be. As long as your XBMC install is in a single level folder in E:\Apps and has a default.xbe it should work (E:\Apps\XBMC\default.xbe). So check the name of the folder is just "XBMC" and make sure that when you unpacked the no doubt .rar, .zip or .7zip download you didn't accidentally put it inside another XBMC folder. But if it does work OK you know the problem is with the shortcut. What I'm not sure is if that "default.cfg" configuration file in the XBMC Multidash folder is there for informational purposes or whether XSelect has its own shortcut system that requires that separate .cfg. As said I do not know XSelect. The more commonly encountered Xbox XBE Shortcut Maker does not need a .cfg. XBMC used to come with a ready made shortcut to E:\Apps\XBMC\default.xbe so XSelect must be doing it differently. In short you need probably need advice from somebody who know your XCalibur softmod and XSelect.

I was going to post that it could be using XSelect but apart from what it is for and what it does I have no practical experience with it. AID (Auto Installer Deluxe) has a XSelect install option "Install XSelect + UnleashX Dashboard" which is probably very similar but I've never used it as I'm happy enough launching alternate dashboards or using the UnleashX controller/remote shortcuts feature instead. As I thought might be the case XBMC is/was being launched by a shortcut in the Multidash folder rather than a full copy of XBMC located there. If you do not have a working copy of XBMC in Apps ie. E:\Apps\XBMC\default.xbe it is not going to launch when you use the XSelect menu Slot#3 (X) button option. It looks like to me as if you should be selecting the QuickPick Dash menu option to be launching the other alternate dashboards. The E:\dashboard\altdash folder content looks like that is indeed where your alt dash: EvoX is located. That's the full dash, not a shortcut. From the previous E:\ drive content pics that would suggest the E:\Dashboard folder contains your current primary dash UnleashX launched from the "default.xbe" there alongside the "skins" folder and config.xml, item.xml and french.xml. If you really want XBMC back as your primary dash the important thing to do first is to make sure you have working copy of that, and preferably the last version XBMC v3.5.3, in E:\Apps. You can launch that using UnleashX's file manager by clicking on its "default.xbe" in the E:\Apps\XBMC folder. If it is not working then you need to get a fresh copy.

It looks to me as if this XCalibur softmod is using dual boot to give the user a dashboard selection option. How is the 'alt' dash enabled? My guess is by using the Eject/Close button rather than the Power button which is how SID/AID sets up dual boot but limits it to the MS or Installer dash as options. Here its more interesting, it looks as if you can choose, at set up, which dash from the Multidash folder is launched as the 'alt' dash. It seems over complicated the way it has been done though: there's that Multidash folder with a default.xbe but there's also an "altdash" folder inside the E:\dashboard folder. So where the actual 'alt' dash being used is located and how it is being launched, as KE said, needs to be understood before making any changes to replace either main or 'alt' dash. You do appear to have XBMC in the Multidash folder. Again it would help if we could see what's in E:\altdash and, just to confirm its not some elaborate shortcut set up, see what's in the E:\Multidash\XBMC too.

Looking at the drive content C:\ looks normal for a softmod so nothing to worry about there. The F:\ drive formatting issue is a completely separate one from the dashboard problems described .....................unless the XBMC dash referred to was on F:\. The E:\ drive is a bit messy but it is impossible to tell where your primary dash is located: its probably in E:\Dashboard but what that E:\Multidash folder is doing I don't know. Never seen that and could mean some sort of custom set up may have been used. Its certainly not a Rocky5 or SID/AID softmod and it doesn't look like the HeXEn softmods I've seen but I'm no expert on HeXEn so I'd edge towards that as being the most likely original softmod. It still not clear to me what dash actually boots when you turn on the Xbox (using the Power button not the Eject/Close one) - UnleashX or XBMC and you've mentioned EvoX too. Again some pics of the "Dashboard" and "Multidash" folders' content might help as would a screen shot of the default dashboard or video of the Xbox booting. BTW it does look as if you used ConfigMagic for the locking/unlocking mentioned - those "EEPROM......." backup files spewed onto the E:\ drive like that are typical of ConfigMagic.