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I flashed a modified M8plus.bin with option for DVD Drive Check unchecked. The console takes ten minutes to load the dash if the DVD drive is disconnected. The dashboard load time is normal if the DVD drive is connected. Not sure where to go from here to troubleshoot. Here are the EVTool settings.

For novices I recommend TSOP using conductive paint. Software tools like TruHexen are very mature to the point that it's hard to foul this up. Once you get the hardmod bug, you'll probably want to graduate to a chip.

For softmod you have two options. PC-based tools such as fatxplorer and xboxhdm Chimp on Xbox The best tutorials I've found are YouTube videos. Look for videos by The Tech Hoarder and Mr. Mario 2011. If you get stuck, ask here.

If are happy with the BIOS you write to TSOP, you won't need the bridges down the road.

You don't need soldering skills for TSOP. Use conductive paint. No risk in lifting pads. TSOP not writeable? Wipe off the paint with IPA and try again.

If you have plans to TSOP, you should soft mod before that drive gives up the ghost.

I'm using UnleashX and WD WD1600AAJB IDE HDD. The problem only manifests if the DVD drive is disconnected. Can anyone comment on the correct Evox M8plus BIOS for 1.0 xbox? That the MD5 checksum doesn't match with the reddit wiki makes me nervous.

Sorry folks. I made a mistake in my post. The xbox version is 1.0, not 1.2.

Xbox takes about ten minutes to load the dashboard if I do not attach the DVD drive. I have more xboxes than I do working DVD drives so my goal is to build a working xbox that doesn't require the DVD drive. My issue seems to match a previous post. I used TruHexen 2021 to write 256K EvoX NoDVD to TSOP. From the previous thread, I see that KaosEngineer recommended using EvTool to customize the BIOS before flashing. I grabbed EvolutionX M8plus Bios.rar from xbins. I am paranoid about bricking my xbox. Before I flash, I wanted to make sure I am flashing the correct BIOS. Within the archive, I see a M8plus.bin file which I believe is the correct one to use for 1.2. The MD5 is 0xdfc6288f6b67fd021e1970491c64c0a0. This MD5 doesn't match the Evox M8 MD5 listed at https://www.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/wiki/bios/md5 of aa4d0820b932009090f780f0ee1d1b1c. Do I have the correct Evox M8plus BIOS for my 1.2?

Mr. Mario's YT tutorial is really good. Search for "How to Upgrade a Hard Drive in a Hardmodded Original Xbox | Xbox TSOP/Modchip HDD Upgrade Tutorial"