Aliddan Xt

[mattison1986]

Does anyone have any experience with this chip (pros and cons)/ recamendations  on any other chips?

[Danish_Elite]

It’s a decent mod chip. 256k memory, typically comes preflashed, easy to do hard drive upgrades right away. Plus, it’s cheap. It’s my first one. 
 

If you’re looking to do more creative mods, I’d do some reading and here is a good place to start. 
 

https://www.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/wiki/modchips

 

Currently, I would say OpenXenium is the next popular choice as it allows for more options like a larger memory for multi-bios setups. Also, this chip allows for adding an LCD to the Xbox.
 

I would checkout XeniumIce, which will be my next purchase, as it comes with a fairly sized massive bundle which adds color changing ports and power/eject buttons. Still runs an open source xenium. 
 

Beyond that, checkout just other mods like OGX360 and Xerc2. This will allow for using Xbox 360 controllers and using the old Xbox remote for On/Off operation vs its simplified use. 

[SS_Dave]

4 hours ago, mattison1986 said:

Does anyone have any experience with this chip (pros and cons)/ recamendations  on any other chips?

I find the 90-95% of users a Aladdin chip or a TSOP flash is all that's needed 

I have OpenXenium, Xenium, X3cp,X2.6,Xblast Lite,Xblast chip,Aladdin chip, and of my Xbox's that are in use 1 has a TSOP flash (1.0)and the other a Aladdin(1.6),and the X3cp(1.6) in the 3rd

I am not saying the Open Xenium chip is no good it just has more features that most will not use.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[CrispyWhispy]

@SS_Dave

Hey mate, long time lurker here, recently got back into the scene and seeing as this OP is regarding the Aladdin chips, seems like a good place to ask a question or two.

I have a v1.1 with an old Aladdin (circa 2003/4). After reading a lot of yours and many other comments around the web, I've decided I want to TSOP flash it.

From what I understand,

• I need to bridge the relevant points on my MB to allow TSOP write access 
• transfer the softmod files to my HDD (I hear Rocky is the go to softmod? Any special install if already using a mod chip?)
• disconnect the Aladdin
• then run a boot disc (AID, Hexen, Slayers) to flash the TSOP with a 1MB BIOS?

 

Great to see the community still ticking along. I've been out for a while but have a little experience.

I had to repair a few power traces a couple years ago after not knowing to remove the clock capacitor and she leaked on me. At least I assume that's what caused the corrosion. And I recently upgraded to a 2TB SATA HDD and made a component cable (from the 360 component cable). 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[SS_Dave]

That's about right although with the soft mod you can also add a TSOP flash app that can be run from the softmod,  I use either Raincoat or Xblast to flash chip's and TSOP's.

For the version 1.0-1.1 TSOP I use the X2-5035.67 bios and on the 1.2 -.14 boards I use either iND5004.67 or EvoxM8 plus.67 bios files as all 3 will handle a 2 or 3 tb hard drives.

You could also use the iND5004.67 or the EvoxM8 plus.67 on the 1.0 -1..1 if you wanted.

The X2-5035 and iND5004 both have a configuration file on the hard drive that can be used change the boot colors, flubber animation on/off and default dashboard among other options and the Evox can be changed via a PC program.

After you have hard modded (TSOP flash, Mod chipped) you need to load the install disk and remove the softmod as normally the hardmod and softmod don't play nice with each other.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

 

 

 

 

[CrispyWhispy]

Thanks heaps. A lot of good info there.

I had been using X2 4893.67 for over a decade, moved to iND5003.67 after the 2TB install, but hated the extra long boot time with the reading of config file.

Also noticed a longer boot time by having the SATA adapter (kingwin) installed. Now running M8 Plus.67, but the IGR is iffy.

I'm keen to try the X2-5035.67.

[SS_Dave]

On the 1.6 I am putting together at the moment it has the EvoxM8 with DVD check, Animation,Trade mark, Splash logo, Evox logo all disabled and the IGR set to more compatible with the 1st dash set as E:xbmc\default.xbe (xbmc4gamers location)

With a 500 gb IDE full  about 30 seconds to fully load xbmc4gamers

With a 500 gb sata full about 17 seconds to fully load xbmc4gamers

With a 3 tb sata 60% full about 23 seconds to fully load xbmc4gamers

That's using a chinese Sata to IDE and a 40 way ide cable and it was no quicker with a 80 way IDE cable.

The other 2 BIOS's can be as quick if you turn off the boot animation junk and DVD check.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

 

[CrispyWhispy]

Speaking of v1.6, I hear the clock capacitor may still leak, just less likely.

I picked one up the other day. If I hard mod the 1.6, do I still need the clock cap?

 

So here is my current M8 plus.67

I tried disabling the animation, x logo, trademark symbol and splash logo - when I did this, on boot it gave me Xbox Error code 7 (HDD took to long to get ready)

This was with the SATA/IDE adapter, 80 wire IDE and 2TB drive.

Swapped my old 80gig IDE HDD drive in, and reflashed back to the above.

So obviously a problem with either my SATA/IDE adapter, 80 wire IDE or 2TB SATA (WD Green). That setup takes about 20-30 seconds to boot.

 

With the IDE drive, it does the boot animation, takes an extra second to show "Microsoft", then (provided I have internet connected) straight into XBMC. Less than 10 seconds from hitting the buttom.

 

Thanks

 

Edit: The 80 wire IDE is obviously fine, cuz it still did the fastest boot with the 80gig IDE HDD.

Edited August 19, 2020 by CrispyWhispy

[SS_Dave]

28 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Speaking of v1.6, I hear the clock capacitor may still leak, just less likely.

Yes you still need it as the Xbox will not boot without it.

The gold clock caps used in the 1.6 and some 1.4's are going to fail and I have seen some that have bulging tops.

I have seen post where people remove the cap and add shorting link in place but I am not a fan of that idea and am thinking a 100-500 ohm resistor would be better.

36 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

I tried disabling the animation, x logo, trademark symbol and splash logo - when I did this, on boot it gave me Xbox Error code 7 (HDD took to long to get ready)

Try leaving the X Logo enabled, I leave it enabled so you can see that something is happening.

 

I have had quicker boot times when I had Evox as the dash but then you need to select xbmc4gamers.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[CrispyWhispy]

2 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

Yes you still need it as the Xbox will not boot without it.

The gold clock caps used in the 1.6 and some 1.4's are going to fail and I have seen some that have bulging tops.

I have seen post where people remove the cap and add shorting link in place but I am not a fan of that idea and am thinking a 100-500 ohm resistor would be better.

Ahh I see, so 1.6s are the worst on all fronts then. 

3 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

Try leaving the X Logo enabled, I leave it enabled so you can see that something is happening.

Good point, I might give that a go later tonight.

 

Thanks again 

[SS_Dave]

3 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Ahh I see, so 1.6s are the worst on all fronts then. 

I still fix them up I think I have about 5 X 1.6's in the 30+ in the cupboard waiting to be modded.

If the cap looks even remotely bad I replace it with a new 1 farad supercap but I might experiment with different resistors to trick the Xbox into thinking there is  a clock cap present.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[CrispyWhispy]

13 hours ago, SS_Dave said:

Try leaving the X Logo enabled, I leave it enabled so you can see that something is happening.

So I changed the M8 Plus.67 to have no flubber animation. Flashed it, reboot, no boot. Error 7. Put my old HDD back in, reflashed with Hexen.

Definitely an issue with my IDE to SATA Adapter I think, unless WD Green just takes an unreasonable amount of time to boot up? Pretty sure they're 5400rpm and my old IDE was 7200.

What IDE to SATA adapter do you use?

[SS_Dave]

With the WD Green I would recommend you disable the power save(green) feature by using a PC program called wdidle3.exe and that will basicly make the drive a WD Blue drive

The 1.6 I have on the bench at the moment has a EvoxM8 bios and I have tested a 500gb IDE and 500gb, 3 tb, 2tb sata drives and all drives are 7200rpm with a chinese adaptor and a Startech adaptor, and the kicker is it's still has the original 40 way IDE cable.

The end drive will be the 500gb IDE one that's why I haven't changed to a 80 way cable.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[CrispyWhispy]

Back on topic with the OP, I did the TSOP last night and pulled out the modchip, underneath the chip it says "Aladdin Advance". Pretty sure I got it installed around 2003.

It has served me well all these years, but ultimately decided to get rid of it.

It wasn't the cleanest install of a chip, and with me messing around with the motherboard more now I didn't want to make it worse.

I'll put a walk through up of the process I used later, for anyone out there who may be in the same boat - Going from Hard Modded (Chip) to TSOP.

 

56 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

With the WD Green I would recommend you disable the power save(green) feature by using a PC program called wdidle3.exe and that will basicly make the drive a WD Blue drive

Yeah alright, so with drives already formatted for use with the Xbox, can I just throw the SATA drive in my computer (or use a HDD caddy)?

I'm assuming it won't recognize, then we have to use Xplorer360 or something?

OR

Do I need to fully wipe the drive, format it for windows, then run the wdidle.exe, then throw it back in the Xbox and partition it again.

 

56 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

kicker is it's still has the original 40 way IDE cable.

Interesting. I was getting artifacting on text in AutoInstaller when I was using the 40 wire, SATA/IDE adapter and 2TB drive.

 

Bonus question - Are you getting new old stock of 500gb  (or any size) IDE HDDs?

 

Edit: After researching wdidle.exe I can see that you need to boot into it, but the question still stands, will the drive need to be reformatted back to NTFS to do this?

Edit 2: Upon further research I don't think the drive will be wiped as the wdidle.exe is just changing settings on the HDD controller right? Not actually touching the disk/data itself.

Edited August 19, 2020 by CrispyWhispy

[SS_Dave]

6 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Yeah alright, so with drives already formatted for use with the Xbox, can I just throw the SATA drive in my computer (or use a HDD caddy)?

I'm assuming it won't recognize, then we have to use Xplorer360 or something?

OR

Do I need to fully wipe the drive, format it for windows, then run the wdidle.exe, then throw it back in the Xbox and partition it again.

It should work as long as the HDD is not locked as it's changing a setting in the EEProm on the hard drive.

But I have never had w WD green drive.

9 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Interesting. I was getting artifacting on text in AutoInstaller when I was using the 40 wire, SATA/IDE adapter and 2TB drive.

It only seems to be the 1.6 that works with the 40 way cable or it might be a combination of the 1.6 board and the EvoxM8plus.67 bios as my X3c 1.6 Xbox I had to use a 80 way cable to get the 2tb drive to work 100%

14 minutes ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Bonus question - Are you getting new old stock of 500gb  (or any size) IDE HDDs?

The seagate drive I have been testing was sold around 2007 and is listed a s surveillance hard drive. I also have a WD 500gb IDE that is a 7200 rpm from 2007 that work fine and was later sold as WSD Blue drives.

I also think both have 16 mb buffer as well.

The 500gb seagate Sata has a 5900rpm speed with 8mb buffer that build date 2011, That drive was salvaged from a free to air recorder.

 

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

 

 

[CrispyWhispy]

Thanks for the tip on the wdidle.exe @SS_Dave, definitely feels quicker/more responsive now it doesn't rest the needle, which I guess has stopped the clicking noise too.

[SS_Dave]

1 hour ago, CrispyWhispy said:

Thanks for the tip on the wdidle.exe @SS_Dave, definitely feels quicker/more responsive now it doesn't rest the needle, which I guess has stopped the clicking noise too.

Good to here

My understanding is when it goes to power save mode the disk stops spinning and when you need to access the drive it takes a millisecond or 10 to get back up to speed. As the Xbox uses the hard drive a cache memory with X,Y,Z drives that could also cause problems.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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