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Winbond TSOP Flash Using Chimp 2618


HDShadow
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I was just wondering if this was possible/advisable and if anyone had done it themselves? 

Older Chimp versions, up until Chimp 261812 used the Gentoox loader. I never bothered to ask at the time about the other menu options there were and if they worked, including the Flash BIOS option.

As I still have archived and installed copies on a couple of less used Xboxes it seems like as good a tool to use as anything else but it is OK and safe to do.   

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I specifically don't want to use HeXEn (which I actually run installed as HexIns) because of all the dashboard stuff it messed up and having to sort it out afterwards. I even toyed with the idea of editing its Config.xml so that it does nothing other than flash the BIOS. But looking at it I decided that task was beyond my pay grade and what lead me to consider older Chimp versions using Gentoox instead.

HeXEn, I think, uses something called Resctoox to flash Winbond TSOPs which I've found out is a tool for rescuing broken Gentoox installations and, obviously, flashing BIOS. I wondered if that can be used as a standalone app. Wouldn't it be a good alternative Winbond flashing tool? It has a default.xbe so, presumably, could be used as an app.

I think all you have to do is install the bios.bin you want to flash the TSOP with in C:\BIOS.

If it is not advisable I'll use XBlast instead as that seems to be the current favourite universal BIOS flashing tool.

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Extracted Resctoox from Hexins, installed it as an app. Default display name is Linux. Rebooted.

Created a C:\BIOS folder, put my customised BIOS which used SS_Dave's EvoxM8+ 67 BIOS as the base, in there and launched Resctoox.

Followed the guides to using Gentoox and the flash was done successfully very quickly.

If you do not want HeXEn messing up your dash then its Resctoox tool seems to me to be a very good alternative flash tool option, ideal for Windbond TSOPs.

Only thing other thing you would need to do, which is normally done by HeXEn installing a hardmod dash XBE on C:\, is to ensure your BIOS boot priority included your softmodded dash XBE typically E:\evoxdash or wherever it is. Use the HBTool or EVTool to check the boot priority beforehand.

If you do not your new BIOS will be looking for a non-existent dashboard XBE on C:\ and eventually default to use the xboxdash.xbe which, in many (all?) softmods is not even the MS dash dash. It is typically re-tasked as the Online Updater Launcher.

Its not a disaster if you do not do this as your TSOP is good but you might think there had been a problem if it restarted to a blank screen or the MS dash.  If you don't have a working disc drive it will be more hassle that is why I'd recommend using a spare HDD when doing the flash and then install a HDD with pre-prepared hardmodded dash installation afterwards.

     

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9 hours ago, HDShadow said:

If you do not want HeXEn messing up your dash

I know all about that.

What Hexen is doing is replacing the 2 config files (the X2 and iND one) with its own and replaces the evoxdash.xbe with a shortcut, It's easy to fix if you know and have a backup.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

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Yes, and I have had to do that myself twice, once when just checking HeXEn's BIOS flashing options. I couldn't be bothered with that hassle again so I thought why not just extract the tool it uses for Windbond flashing. All turn out OK and I'm currently using that TSOP Xbox without a working disc drive and no real problems.

Front LED flashes green and the flubber at boot clearly stutters momentarily at the point the DVD check would have been made. The LED matter is easily resolved with the UnleashX Default and Busy options changed to constant green. But you do get it back when rebooting from an app until the main dash settings kick in. Its no problem.

The D:\ drive reporting the tray as "Open" annoyed me so I've even edited the main dash skin I use and my Apps dashboard's primary skins (EvoX and alternatve UX ones) to display D:\ as "Unavailable".  Quite pleased with that.  

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In the DVD plug pin4 is held high(3.3 volt) by a 10k resistor on the main board so linking pin 4 to pin 7 tells the motherboard and software the dvd tray is closed and has no disk.

If you press the eject button the led will flash once then go back to normal and the software will say tray open then closed.

 

1521485784_DVDdeleatlink.jpg.1fe90921746c6bd6ae27ff6abc75117c.jpg IMG_20200610_210131.thumb.jpg.42f0b12a05f81e47d879a723712a213e.jpg

Easier than changing stuff in the software

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

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Thanks, that sounds like a very interesting idea I'd love to try, however......................................

I don't want to sacrifice a DVD power connector lead/plug set and, obviously, I don't want to even try soldering in a permanent connection. But I can't think of any alternative ways of connecting those two points with what I have available. 

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Just been trying to find a matching micro socket plug at a number of places and I can not find anything even vaguely similar to a 14 pin, twin row connector for, I'd guess 0.5mm pins. But it occurred to me that if I traced back those #4 and #7 wires on the DVD drive power cabling to the plug the other end I could bridge them with some tinned Kynar wire.

It would probably need insulating tape to hold it in place but this would be a non-destructive solution.

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If you search for PHDR-14VS  for the 14 pin plug to mate with the DVD socket

The PHDR-12VS is the DVD side and the control port sockets on the main board end

A PHDR-10VS is from the switch panel.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/4/2020 at 3:54 AM, SS_Dave said:

In the DVD plug pin4 is held high(3.3 volt) by a 10k resistor on the main board so linking pin 4 to pin 7 tells the motherboard and software the dvd tray is closed and has no disk.

If you press the eject button the led will flash once then go back to normal and the software will say tray open then closed.

 

1521485784_DVDdeleatlink.jpg.1fe90921746c6bd6ae27ff6abc75117c.jpg IMG_20200610_210131.thumb.jpg.42f0b12a05f81e47d879a723712a213e.jpg

Easier than changing stuff in the software

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

I'm getting no joy with this cable mod. Just been trying to get it to work and it is not behaving as described.

Tracing the wires back I've bridged what I'm 99% sure are the corresponding sockets at the DVD plug end of the cable. Done with with a hoop of 30 gauge Kinar wire and when that didn't work I tried some thin x5 stranded wire.

I even tried swapping to pin/socket 5 in case I'd mixed up the eject/close connections somehow. In both cases the tray intially reports Empty but then changes to Open. Press the eject/close button and it goes to Init and the front LED starts green flashing  (Busy) and sticks there even after reboot.

I cannot work out what is wrong. I checked the pin/socket 4 voltage at the DVD drive end (using the exposed part on the side of the plug) and it reports just under 3.3v. Pin/socket 7 reports negligible voltage whether the bridge is in place or not which is odd as it should be connected to that 3.3.v supply pin/socket 4 supply.    

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7 hours ago, HDShadow said:

I checked the pin/socket 4 voltage at the DVD drive end (using the exposed part on the side of the plug) and it reports just under 3.3v. Pin/socket 7 reports negligible voltage whether the bridge is in place or not which is odd as it should be connected to that 3.3.v supply pin/socket 4 supply

That's right

Without the link pin 4 should read 3.3 volt and it will momentery read 0 volt(or close to 0 volt) when you either tap or hold the eject button and pin 7 will read 0 volt at all times.

With the link on both in 7 and 4 should read 3.3 volt and 0 volt when  you tap/hold the eject and then with in 1/2 second it should read 3.3 volt.

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

 

 

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I think I've found the problem and its that the wires I've been using, pushed into the corresponding sockets actually aren't making good contact. When I tested the voltage on the bridging wire it was showing zero so obviously not making good contact as the 4 socket definitely was at 3.3v.

I swapped over to using a pin header pin to check the voltage on 4 and that was fine and then it occurred to me I could actually fit a pin header with just the two required pins in place and soldering a bridge between them. Need to be careful to insulate it properly, can't have metal pins flopping around at the end of a cable anywhere near the MB.  But apart from that it seems like a good solution.   

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Damn.

Found the problem with the DVD status fix, sort of, if not the cause.

There is a fault of some sort with the DVD PWR system somewhere. I've never tested this Xbox thoroughly (bought for parts originally) with  a working DVD drive. When I have used one I've been using the eject/close button and that's working fine.

What is not is the dashboard (UX) eject/close options.

On initial boot it seems normal and you can eject the tray no problem but after that the dash option won't close the tray. To get that function back you have to reboot. Then you can't eject again without another reboot. The drive cold launches discs and plays them perfectly, it is just that the status reporting is wrong.

Although the front button works as it should the dash often reports Checking or Closing for ages then goes to Empty even though a disc is in the tray that's being read. Sometimes it reports Open when its closed and visa versa.

The disc drive is good so it is clearly a status reporting issue (wrong voltage/failed resistor?) which probably explains why I have not been able to get the no DVD status bridging fix to work.

Any ideas what/where the problem could be?

I've checked the MB for obvious signs of component failure around the DVD PWR MB connector, front and back and everything looks OK. No trace damage that I can see either.

Its no big deal because I was surprised to be able to get this Xbox working at all. I just didn't expect there to be another significant problem I hadn't noticed after all the work I'd put into it.

 

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v1.2/v1.3 MB.

Not sure how I can test the pin voltages with the DVD drive in place but with that removed the MB pins:-

4: 3.3v

5: 0.1v

6: 0.1v

7: 0.3v

With the DVD drive fitted on boot it reports: Empty

Using the dashboard Eject menu option it reports Opening continuously (no Green flashing Busy LED) and that doesn't change.

It won't Close from the menu. If you reboot the menu option to Close works but then you can not Eject from the dash menu without another reboot.

 

Using the Eject/Close button instead, on boot it reports: Empty as well.

If you Eject it will momentarily report Open then switch to Closing even though the tray is open. Green Busy LED flashing.

When you then press the button it closes the tray but momentarily reports Opening when its actually Closing but quickly swaps to Empty.

 

So to summarise:-

Front button works as normal but incorrect reporting of the tray status when open.

Menu option to Eject/Close works one time then requires a reboot. Different reporting behaviour but still wrong.

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, HDShadow said:

Not sure how I can test the pin voltages with the DVD drive in place but with that removed the MB pins:-

I am assuming you have checked for trace damage as that can cause strange DVD issues.

 

If you use a sewing needle to gently probe the back of the plug to get a voltage reading.

 

When pin 4 is low(0 volt) it tells the DVD to eject the tray, This should only be a 1/2 second pulse even if you hold the eject button

When pin 5 is High(3.3 volt) it tells the MB the tray is out(open)

When pin 6 is High it's saying there is a disk in the drive.

When pin 7 is High it's the tray is closed

 

Cheers

SS Dave


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

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Not sure if these figures are going to help as I can't make head nor tail of them and using the needle idea to get the voltages in DVD drive use I found worked but was inconsistent in result depending where the needle was placed.

 

There's doesn't seem to be a voltage difference on any pin whether I used the, fully working, manual Eject/Close or doing it from the UX menu. As said, it opens or closes, one time but then requires a reboot to be able to close/eject.  

PIn 4: shows 3.3v when the tray is opened and when you close it there's a consistent drop to about 2v which returns to 3.3v when fully closed.

Pin 5 (inconsistent readings): shows 3.3v when closed which goes to 0.5v when opening before settling on about 0.01v when fully open. When closed again it returns to 3.3v.

Pin 6: 0.01v rises to 0.5v on opening.

Pin 7: No significant voltage ie. 0.01v - 0.2v or change whatever the tray status. I tried again and again just to get a reading that was not 'low' but it reported those sort of minimal voltages throughout.

This would suggest a Pin 7 issue, yes? But what/

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No joy. Tried two different DVD PWR connectors and both the same issue. Nothing is showing on pin 7. There's clearly something wrong with that.

However whilst I'd like it fully functional I have been lucky. I didn't remember that when I'd taken the working (Thomson) DVD drive out of the softmodded Xbox it originally came from I'd replaced it with a broken but recognised one.

So I did have a spare, if non-working, DVD drive. For whatever reason when I put that broken one in the No DVD TSOP Xbox in question it reports Empty in whatever circumstance. If I press the Eject/Close button it reports Opening but quickly returns to Empty.

This is what I wanted right from the start so I've had the solution all along.

It still is not behaving as it should ie. if I use the UnleashX menu Open/Close it still only works once then requires a reboot. But what I'm going to do is simply remove that menu option so you'd never know it had a problem.

Still if I can find a way to fix the pin 7 voltage issue, whatever has caused that, I'd like to try.  

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