Noob Needs Help Hdd Upgrade!

[DaveB]

Ok, so I've downloaded XeniumOsv2.3.1. There's 2 files, 'Recovery' and 'Recovery Reset Factory Defaults'. It' just the plain old 'Recovery' one I need, right? And is it better and/or easier to Ftp it to C drive, E drive, or burn it to a disc and do it from that? I'm incredibly anxious that I may mess up the xenium chip or the whole xbox, hence all the annoying questions! Sorry!

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[TEK Nemesis]

Stick it on your C drive.  I'd do a factory reset so that you return to known state.

[DaveB]

The Xenium menu gives me the following options: "Original bios.  Evox M7 ef.   Evox M7.   Bank 3.    Bank 4. Reboot.    Shutdown.    Configuration."

I chose 'configuration'.

Next menu:   "Settings Menu.   Bios/bank configuration.   Eeprom Tools.   Recovery Mode.   Main Menu."

I chose " Recovery Mode". (have I done it right so far?). 

I then get a screen that says "Safe mode", with "loading.." in the top left corner, then after a few seconds it says "Loading...HALT!" It freezes at that screen, not responding to any button presses at all! I turned the xbox off and tried again. Same result. 

Am I going wrong somewhere, should I be picking the "Bios/bank configuration" option?  (or is it the chip screwing up?!)

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[TEK Nemesis]

Learning is about trial and error sometimes.  Did you place the XeniumOS 2.3.1 recovery.bin file to the root of the E drive like @KaosEngineer suggested?

[DaveB]

I created a Bios folder on C and ftp'd it to there.

 

[TEK Nemesis]

OK.  So, I'd stick the future BIOS' there but I'd do as @KaosEngineer recommended first.

[DaveB]

Ok, I've Ftp'd the  "recovery factory settings" bin file to a 'BIOS' folder on E drive (should I delete it from C drive now before I do anything else?). So, should I try "Recovery" menu option and try again, or is it the "Bios/bank configuration" option I need to go to?

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[DaveB]

Also, the manual says that flicking the switch on the chip is for "emergency" if you can't access recovery mode from the menu. Is that why I got the "safe mode loading...HALT" screen? Do I definitely need to open it up and flick the switch to do it? 

[TEK Nemesis]

1 hour ago, DaveB said:

Ok, I've Ftp'd the  "recovery factory settings" bin file to a 'BIOS' folder on E drive (should I delete it from C drive now before I do anything else?)

Pay specific attention to this statement:

"Place the XeniumOS 2.3.1 recovery.bin file to the root of the E drive like @KaosEngineer suggested."

[DaveB]

Oh ffs, another problem! I haven't opened it up and messed with the switch or anything yet, but I just turned it on and it no longer boots up or runs normally! Incredibly slooooowwww going through bootup screens (several minutes) and once it's finally going, if I click on any options (eg 'file manager') it's taking it several minutes to even actually do anything! Is it something I did, or is the hard drive packing in?!

[TEK Nemesis]

Did you place the XeniumOS 2.3.1 recovery.bin file to the root of the E drive and then this happened?  If not, what led to this? 

[DaveB]

And yea I misread and put the file in a folder in the root drive instead of just putting the file there d'oh! Having said, the xenium menu only let me navigate to the C drive on hdd. Doing my head in! I'll ftp the file to root of E and try again....

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[DaveB]

Apparently the chip OS menu only gives the option of navigating to either C drive on hdd or to a disc on D. Xbox is working at dying snail's speed. What now? I've obviously screwed it up somehow. Also, when I try to tfp the bin file to E, it just fails unless it's to a folder on E. 

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[DaveB]

Ok, so I burned the 'recovery factory settings' on a cd, then tried the 'bios/bank option. But when I try to flash the BIOS file (burned as per the manuals instructions), I get the error "Bios is not properly sized!". Does this mean that I just can't update from 'XeniumOs v1.0'  to 'XeniumOs v 2.3.1'?!

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[DaveB]

Update- the xbox has started running at normal speed again, thankfully! So, I've basically wasted an entire day just to get back where I started. I give up.

[Ging3rguy]

you can still update your bios from the v1.0 software. You need to ftp a bios to your hdd, then in the xenium flash menu you need to navigate to it.

[DaveB]

Thanx, but I tried everything. I try to flash it, I get " error bios not properly sized" which the manual says means it' s too big to fit in 1 of the 4 banks of 256k. So I used the configuration to change it to 2x256k banks an 1x512k banks. Same error. I tried configuring to use 1x1mb bank - same error "not properly sized"! Itried with both the 'recovery' bios file and the 'recovery restore factory defaults' file. Same error. I tried doing from the iso version on a cd - same result. 

[Ging3rguy]

Check your bios size or it will not load. These are the sizes you need 256k BIOS files are 262,144 bytes in size. 512k BIOS files are 524,288 bytes in size, and 1MB BIOS files are 1,048,576 bytes in size. If it is not one of these sizes it will not load.

[DaveB]

I used the " XeniumOs v2.3.1" bios files as instructed. Could there be a problem with them? Like just not compatible with the chip or something? How do I check the size of the actual bios file inside the .bin file?

Edited March 30, 2019 by DaveB

[TEK Nemesis]

I'm at the point where I need to see pictures.  LOL!  I think there's a switch on the chip.  I'd open the box up and switch it to the opposite position and then see what happens.

[DaveB]

After the damn thing doing a dying snail impression for a while before going back to running normal speed (no idea what that was all about!), I'm kinda reluctant to tinker with the bios any more! What next if flicking the switch doesn't work? More importantly, what if it goes fubar on me?! Aaaaargh!!!!

 

[DaveB]

I can't remember if the chip even had a switch or not when I was in there.....

Well I'm calling it a day and going to bed, and I'll continue this epic fail tomorrow!

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by DaveB

[TEK Nemesis]

1 hour ago, DaveB said:

What next if flicking the switch doesn't work? More importantly, what if it goes fubar on me?

You keep trying.  You mess things up.  You learn more.  You try something different.  You wake up in the morning at 2am with an idea.  You try one more thing and then you have a breakthrough.  You finally did it and you feel great.  You try your luck at something else.  It gets messed up.  You do some more research and you see how people carry out similar things.  You try your hand.  Mess it up.  Buy a $5 modchip on eBay.  Buy some solder, flux, wire.  Buy an old junky XBox on eBay.  Start tinkering.  Bammo!  Something worked!  You did it!  Then you go back to that other XBox and you mess around again and boom!  All of a sudden it starts working too!  You feel great and want to learn and tackle more.  You come back here to share your success and are overwhelmed by the responses to your story.  You see someone new on this board asking for help and now you too have the experience to assist.

This is what it's all about.  No one is perfect and not everyone got it the first time but we persevered and one day we had success.

Edited March 31, 2019 by TEK Nemesis

[Ging3rguy]

Just had a look at my xenium chip and there is a write protect switch on it. Crack your box and hopefully you have the same, try flashing to it with the switch in the other position.

[DaveB]

Ok, a new day, gonna give it another go. Just one more stupid question - should I flick the switch before I power it up and go in to the xenium os menu, or power up and flick it when I'm already in the menu, just before I try to use the flash option?