Jump to content
OGXbox.com

Duo X2 - Can't Launch Ms Dashboard


Norrecito
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone,

A week ago I've picked up an Original Xbox from a flea market. The seller said that it works just fine but he can't get the disc tray to open and that there is a game inside. Of course none of this was true :) The Xbox could not even start: after pressing the power button, it turned on and then immediately off and repeated this 3 times...and then it seemed to stay on but the LED was just blinking red and there was no picture. It is a 1.6. After narrowing down the issue to the motherboard itself (I have unplugged both the HDD and the DVD drive and tried another power supply), I decided to just replace the motherboard with another 1.6 I had for spare. I have never tried this motherboard before and it has (a fake?) Duo X2 modchip soldered in. Surprisingly, the Xbox powered on without any issues after that but it now gave me an error code. 

I know that HDDs are married to the motherboard so it made sense to me that this motherboard will not work with the original HDD of another Xbox. I've grabbed a 80GB (IDE) maxtor HDD I had and replaced the HDD. After putting in the the HeXeN 2019 disc, it recognized the new HDD and I was able to format it and install a dashboard. The Xbox no longer gave me an error code however there was only a black screen after the boot animation. (The Evox logo showed up on the upper left corner though) 

I have used Rocky5's "Xbox Softmodding Tool Extras Disc" (1.1.7) to install the UnleashX dashboard, MS dashboard and some tools and it was finally booting up as normal. Right when I thought I am done ressurecting this Xbox, I had noticed something: It could only play burned copies of games. I have tried 3 different, original games and all are recognized however as soon as I want to launch them it gives a black screen and returns to the dashboard. Even after clearing the CACHE.

I thought maybe I could see some kind of error message if I launch the game from the MS Dashboard (which could maybe indicate a DVD drive issue) however the "Xbox Dashboard" item is missing from the "Application" menu. I am sure that I have installed the MS dashboard from Rocky5's extras disc but I've re-installed it just to be sure but still there was no option to launch the MS dashboard. By this time I have also noticed that there was no sound when scrolling through the menus of UnleashX even though I have also installed audio from the extras disc.

I had an idea that maybe the custom BIOS was too old or something (It had Evox M8+ 1.6 137+ according to the dashboard) so I have even updated the BIOS from the HeXen disc to a 256K evoX but it changed nothing.

I had one final thing that came to my mind: Maybe mixing the HeXeN install with Rocky5's extras disc was a bad idea. I had an original Xbox HDD which had a proper softmod installed using only Rocky5's Softmodding Tools and the HDD key nulled out so I thought I could simply clone this HDD with Chimp (by setting the Maxtor drive to slave). It worked however I got the same black screen after the boot animation as the HeXeN disc. I went ahead and installed UnleashX and the MS dashboard from the extras disc again. The Xbox booted up just fine but there is still no sound in UnleashX and no option to launch the MS dashboard...

What I am doing wrong? :)

I would assume that not able to launch original games might have to do something with the (Samsung) DVD drive but the missing MS dashboard clearly should have nothing to do with this. Maybe this is something that has to do with the (Duo X2) modchip installed on this motherboard?

duo_x2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course! :)

I am not quite sure what is the best way to do this but I have taken some pictures of the root of "C" and "D" and the first level of the folders. (Except for "Backups", "UDATA", "TDATA") Please let me know if there a folder whose content you are interested in.

Is there a way to somehow print the file structure as a tree from the Xbox itself or is this something that can be done via FTP?

If you can suggest a guide that tells how to properly install a hardmoded Xbox, I would take a look :)

 

C_dashloader.jpg

C_media.jpg

C_NKpatcher.jpg

C_root.jpg

C_xboxdashdata.jpg

E_applications.jpg

E_dashboard.jpg

E_root.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Norrecito said:

Of course! :)

I am not quite sure what is the best way to do this but I have taken some pictures of the root of "C" and "D" and the first level of the folders. (Except for "Backups", "UDATA", "TDATA") Please let me know if there a folder whose content you are interested in.

Is there a way to somehow print the file structure as a tree from the Xbox itself or is this something that can be done via FTP?

If you can suggest a guide that tells how to properly install a hardmoded Xbox, I would take a look :)

 

C_dashloader.jpg

C_media.jpg

C_NKpatcher.jpg

C_root.jpg

C_xboxdashdata.jpg

E_applications.jpg

E_dashboard.jpg

E_root.jpg

yep you have a combo of hard and softmod files. I would load hexen and do a new hdd install, this will put m$ dash on c and in dash on e. Once done just use unleashx and navigate to dash and load m$ dash from there. 
Regarding playing the originals check which region video you have setup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You were totally right regarding the MS dashboard! :)

I did a new HDD install with Hexen and I can now launch the MS dashboard without any problems. I did not know that a hardmoded Xbox needs to be treated so differently. I assumed that it only allowed more freedom when compared to a softmod.

I have changed the video mode to "PAL" (I have previously set it to "NTSC" to have acces to higher resolution modes) but unfortunately it still cannot boot any original game I have. Surprisingly the MS dashboard does not give any clues why. It goes to a black screen and I am returned to UnleashX shortly after that. (Some kind of crash?) I was hoping for an error message or something.

The funny thing is that it recognizes the game. UnleashX even says which game it is (for example "Splinter Cell"). I could copy the game to HDD with "dvd2xbox" but the same thing happens when I try to launch it from there. (Black screen and it goes back to UnleashX)

My best guess is that the laser of the DVD drive is wearing out. Should I try tweaking the potmeter? I have tried this on multiple different systems in the past and it never solved any problems for me. I have never tried it on an Original Xbox though...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you say you try to launch it from DVD2Xbox what exactly do you mean?

Are you saying that when you launch DV2Xbox (no disc) open the tray, put the disc in and close it that it bounces you back to you main dash board?

That's unusual - normally if an original game disc can't be read DVD2Xbox would just report no disc found or something similar.

It does sound as if there is something seriously wrong with the disc drive.

The solution to getting games onto the HDD is simple enough: download Xbox disc images, extract the files and FTP them to the Xbox HDD.

BTW return the Xbox to NTSC - there is almost no purpose to using PAL. Most PAL Xbox games support NTSC display and of course that's the only way you're going to get the genuine benefit of using 480p, assuming you have a Xbox Component cable. 

 

Edited by HDShadow
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Norrecito said:

What I am doing wrong?

You Soft-modded for no reason

On the modchip remove the wire from the BT and the front panel and then link the BT to pin 9 and this will force the chip to be always active.

 

duo_x2.thumb.jpg.257a7dbc8de132f10da1f8f854680e41.jpg.20d77f3be931f12be79f380431a4e158.jpg

 

Now remove the softmod.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By launching it from DVD2Xbox I mean:

I put the disc in, start DVD2Xbox, choose "Copy DVD/CD to Harddisc". It recognizes the game and even copies it to the HDD. I then take the disc out and try to launch the game from the "Game Manager" menu (of DVD2Xbox). As soon as I try to start it from there, it gives me a black screen and I am returned to UnleashX.

The same thing happens when a simply put a disc in and try to launch the game (without using DVD2Xbox) from UnleashX.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

You Soft-modded for no reason

On the modchip remove the wire from the BT and the front panel and then link the BT to pin 9 and this will force the chip to be always active.

 

duo_x2.thumb.jpg.257a7dbc8de132f10da1f8f854680e41.jpg.20d77f3be931f12be79f380431a4e158.jpg

 

Now remove the softmod.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

 

I got rid of the softmod with the Hexen disc as Ging3rguy suggested. (MS dashboard problem solved) I really wish that I have asked this question sooner. I was struggling with this problem for 2 days.

I know almost nothing about modchips, I have never installed one but I keep on finding them on 1.6 motherboards.

Could I ask what is the purpose of forcing the chip to be always active?

Edited by Norrecito
Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Norrecito said:

Could I ask what is the purpose of forcing the chip to be always active?

With having the ability to not have the chip active you could boot to the M$ (stock) BIOS file and then use Xbox Live without getting banned.

The new version of Xbox live will work with a hard modded (TSOP Flash,Modchiped) Xbox as long as the hard drive key has not been Nulled (replace the key with 32 zeros)

So there is no need to ever use the onboard M$ bios.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Norrecito said:

By launching it from DVD2Xbox I mean:

I put the disc in, start DVD2Xbox, choose "Copy DVD/CD to Harddisc". It recognizes the game and even copies it to the HDD. I then take the disc out and try to launch the game from the "Game Manager" menu (of DVD2Xbox). As soon as I try to start it from there, it gives me a black screen and I am returned to UnleashX.

The same thing happens when a simply put a disc in and try to launch the game (without using DVD2Xbox) from UnleashX.

Have you tried launching the game(s) from the UnleashX file manager. Just go to the game's folder and click on the "default.xbe". Also check that there is actual content in the game's folder.

What games, specifically, are causing this behaviour?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, HDShadow said:

Have you tried launching the game(s) from the UnleashX file manager. Just go to the game's folder and click on the "default.xbe". Also check that there is actual content in the game's folder.

What games, specifically, are causing this behaviour?

 

 

Launching the game from the file manager is a clever idea but unfortunately the Xbox has the very same behavior here :( (Black screen and goes back to UnleashX) I have also made a photo of the file structure of "D" (this should be the content of the game disc) and it looks normal to me.

I have grabbed all of my originals games and tried every single one of them. At first I thought this is overkill but it was totally worth it.

Here are the results.

 

Games where a black screen happens as soon as they are launched and I am returned to UnleashX:

Burnout 3

Splinter Cell

Dead or Alive 3

Kingdom Under Fire The Crusaders

Kung Fu Chaos

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition

Halo

Project Gotham Racing

Star Wars The Knights of the Old Republic

Doom 3

 

Games that do "something":

Forza Motorsport (After being launched I am greeted by the "copyrights" screen then it goes to a black screen but I am never returned to UnleashX)

 

Games that WORK (yes they work without any problems and I also played them for a few minutes just to be sure):

Half-Life 2

Fable

Kingdom Under Fire Heroes

Halo 2

 

I am totally confused. What makes these games special? :) I don't think it's about scratches because the disc of Dead or Alive 3 is PERFECT yet my Xbox cannot launch the game. Could it be the modchip?

splinter_cell_file_sctructure.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Norrecito said:

By launching it from DVD2Xbox I mean:

I put the disc in, start DVD2Xbox, choose "Copy DVD/CD to Harddisc". It recognizes the game and even copies it to the HDD. I then take the disc out and try to launch the game from the "Game Manager" menu (of DVD2Xbox). As soon as I try to start it from there, it gives me a black screen and I am returned to UnleashX.

The same thing happens when a simply put a disc in and try to launch the game (without using DVD2Xbox) from UnleashX.

The dvd drive is playing back ups so that sounds like a software issue. The games that you listed are they original rips that you have done, as that seems to be a patch issue? What bios are you using?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ging3rguy said:

The dvd drive is playing back ups so that sounds like a software issue. The games that you listed are they original rips that you have done, as that seems to be a patch issue? What bios are you using?

Okay I have realized that the term "original" is quite overloaded in this context. I should have made this more clear. Sorry!

The games I was testing are not backups, they are retail discs that I own. I could call them "genuine" games if that makes more sense.

I never ripped any of these (except for copying some of them to the HDD with Dvd2Xbox).

I do own however some backup discs of different games from my childhood. For example, I own a backup of Forza Motorsport. I also have a  "genuine" one that I have picked up just recently.

If I put in backup disc of Forza Motorsport, it plays just fine but if I put in the "genuine" one, it goes to a black screen.

By this, I made a conclusion that the Xbox can play backups but not "genuine" discs...however I could be wrong because the backup could have a patch applied to it.

A few minutes ago as a sanity check, I picked up a backup of "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth" from the basement...and it goes to a black screen just like the "genuine" games so I most likely came to a wrong conclusion way too fast.

I should have tested more backups and see which works and which doesn't. I got plenty of backups in the basement.

I also own another Original Xbox with a Samsung Drive (it is also a 1.6) so I could simply replace the drive and see what happens. I need to replace the rubber belt in that one anyway.

Edited by Norrecito
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Norrecito said:

Okay I have realized that the term "original" is quite overloaded in this context. I should have made this more clear. Sorry!

The games I was testing are not backups, they are retail discs that I own. I could call them "genuine" games if that makes more sense.

I never ripped any of these (except for copying some of them to the HDD with Dvd2Xbox).

I do own however some backup discs of different games from my childhood. For example, I own a backup of Forza Motorsport. I also have a  "genuine" one that I have picked up just recently.

If I put in backup disc of Forza Motorsport, it plays just fine but if I put in the "genuine" one, it goes to a black screen.

By this, I made a conclusion that the Xbox can play backups but not "genuine" discs...however I could be wrong because the backup could have a patch applied to it.

A few minutes ago as a sanity check, I picked up a backup of "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth" from the basement...and it goes to a black screen just like the "genuine" games so I most likely came to a wrong conclusion way too fast.

I should have tested more backups and see which works and which doesn't. I got plenty of backups in the basement.

I also own another Original Xbox with a Samsung Drive (it is also a 1.6) so I could simply replace the drive and see what happens. I need to replace the rubber belt in that one anyway.

Swap the drives when you can so you can narrow the problem. Do you know what bios you have on the duo, try the other bank and see if you have the same issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, SS_Dave said:

If it was mine I would format the hard drive and start again with a clean install.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

 

When I mentioned that I did a new HDD install with Hexen I assumed that I did the very same thing.

I picked the new HDD install for hardmoded Xbox and it started by formatting the HDD. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Ging3rguy said:

Swap the drives when you can so you can narrow the problem. Do you know what bios you have on the duo, try the other bank and see if you have the same issue.

I happen to have a very busy weekend but I will try to swap the drives and let you know what happened.

I will also get the BIOS version and see what BIOS the other bank has.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Norrecito said:

I will also get the BIOS version and see what BIOS the other bank has.

The other bank will be for a version 1.0 -1.4 only well it is from factory anyway

 

Cheers

SS Dave


Soft modding is like masturbating, It gets the job done but it's nothing like the real thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not the DVD drive!!!

I have swapped the DVD drive with the other (Samsung) drive I got and the very same thing happens. I have tried a few games and what was working with the previous drive still works but what was not working is not working with this either.

I have put the drive of this Xbox into my main Xbox just to be sure and it works there without any problems. In fact I will just leave it there because it does not have any problems.

This I guess leaves us with two options: It is either something in the motherboard or the modchip itself. Not sure if it is a hardware or a software problem though but I would bet on software.

I have also checked what BIOS I have and it is "Evox M8+ v1.6 137 HeXeN". It is a 256k BIOS I have flashed with the Hexen disc.

I forgot to check the second bank of the chip though :( 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Norrecito said:

It's not the DVD drive!!!

I have swapped the DVD drive with the other (Samsung) drive I got and the very same thing happens. I have tried a few games and what was working with the previous drive still works but what was not working is not working with this either.

I have put the drive of this Xbox into my main Xbox just to be sure and it works there without any problems. In fact I will just leave it there because it does not have any problems.

This I guess leaves us with two options: It is either something in the motherboard or the modchip itself. Not sure if it is a hardware or a software problem though but I would bet on software.

I have also checked what BIOS I have and it is "Evox M8+ v1.6 137 HeXeN". It is a 256k BIOS I have flashed with the Hexen disc.

I forgot to check the second bank of the chip though :( 

It’s going to be a software problem, is your other Xbox a hardmod, if so make sure that both the hdds are unlocked and swap them, that will tell you if it is a software issue.

you could then just clone your c an e partition from the working hdd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have tried the second bank of the chip. The Xbox could not even start with it. It tries to start but turns itself off immediately and repeats this 3 times and after that it comes up with a flashing red LED. (It gives no picture)

This might be a very useful information to me though...the original motherboard of this Xbox (which I have replaced as I said in my first post) is having the very same problem. Maybe someone flashed the wrong BIOS to the modchip. It has a very different (and cheap) looking modchip though. Still I might be able to ressurect it if I buy and install another modchip.

My main Xbox is only softmoded. I was the first one who opened it up so I am pretty sure about this.

I don't have another 1.6 that is hardmoded. (Except for the dead motherboard that I have mentioned) I have a 1.4 which is TSOP flashed (no modchip in it) but it has the same incorrect installation which me made start this topic. That is...I don't have any reference HDDs that I could use. All Xbox's I have managed to buy on flea markets either have a dead HDD or no HDD at all.

By the way is the BIOS that I currently have the correct one? (256k "Evox M8+ v1.6 137 HeXeN")

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys I made some progress but you not gonna believe me...

I have searched for this modchip and found this page:

http://members.ziggo.nl/pve/duox2/duox2.htm

It tells how to start the Xbox with the modchip disabled (yes I know so little about modchips that I didn't know how to do this.)

This was a very usefull thing to do because it boots up to the MS dashboard and when I try to start a game (a retail disc) I finally got an error message:

"Invalid game region. Make sure the disc is an Xbox game. Remove the disc to continue"

ALL of the my retail games are PAL yet the ones which do not work are giving me this message. How is this possible? :)

YES it is a PAL Xbox and by looking at the settings of the MS dashboard, it is set to PAL (no option to enable high definition modes)

Edited by Norrecito
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The duo as Dave mentioned in an earlier post comes with 1 bank a 1.6 and 1 for the rest when sold so the other bank has not been reflashed that is why it frags. If you have a pal box set to pal it should run your pal disks, try changing the video from ntsc to pal with enigmah. Are you using unleashx as your mod dash?
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

Board Life Status


Board startup date: April 23, 2017 12:45:48
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.