1.2 FRAG despite adequate soldering? (OpenXenium)

[Mu.]

I made the boneheaded mistake of flashing my backup 1.2's TSOP chip with a retail BIOS while the hard disk was unlocked. I ended up purchasing an OpenXenium that was pulled from another console (evidently a 1.6 based on the use of the 1.6 jumper).

After installing the pin header and connecting D0 to the chip on the underside of the board (I found continuity between the pad on the chip and the topside via for D0) I found that the console wouldn't boot. It was the typical 3 boot attempts before a 50:50 FRAG.

I'm unsure as to why this is happening, it was previously used which leads me to believe it was working just fine in the console it came from. The only thing I've yet to try is to install it into my main 1.2 and see if it has the same problem there, and if so, I can figure out if the CPLD needs reprogramming and the flash chip needs XeniumOS reflashed.

 

Has anyone else had an issue like this with their OpenXenium?

[KaosEngineer]

You did unsolder the 1.6 bridge on the OpenXenium?

Which pad on the bottom of the motherboard did you connect D0 to?  

Not to say you have it on the wrong pad but I have helped others before that had it off by one.

 

Edit: Post a pictures of the soldering.

[OGXbox Admin]

Most 1.6 bioses are not compatible with 1.2. That is most likely the case. 

[SS_Dave]

On 9/28/2021 at 3:57 AM, Mu. said:

I made the boneheaded mistake of flashing my backup 1.2's TSOP chip with a retail BIOS while the hard disk was unlocked. I ended up purchasing an OpenXenium that was pulled from another console (evidently a 1.6 based on the use of the 1.6 jumper).

After installing the pin header and connecting D0 to the chip on the underside of the board (I found continuity between the pad on the chip and the topside via for D0) I found that the console wouldn't boot. It was the typical 3 boot attempts before a 50:50 FRAG.

I'm unsure as to why this is happening, it was previously used which leads me to believe it was working just fine in the console it came from. The only thing I've yet to try is to install it into my main 1.2 and see if it has the same problem there, and if so, I can figure out if the CPLD needs reprogramming and the flash chip needs XeniumOS reflashed.

 

Has anyone else had an issue like this with their OpenXenium?

Tries to Boot 3x then FRAG

Usually due to a failed or improperly installed modchip or the IDE cable being plugged in upside down somewhere.    

Check modchip wiring and IDE cables. If you did not do any soldering, it could be a bad PSU.

 

If you disconnect the D0 wire from the board is it still fraging and them same if you unplug the mod chip, I suspect you have a short from a solder blob.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[Mu.]

47 minutes ago, SS_Dave said:

Check modchip wiring and IDE cables. If you did not do any soldering, it could be a bad PSU.

If you disconnect the D0 wire from the board is it still fraging and them same if you unplug the mod chip, I suspect you have a short from a solder blob.

Unfortunately disconnecting D0 or the modchip from its header just causes it to properly boot into the TSOP's own BIOS like normal. Plus this is happening with the original IDE cable completely removed as well as with it installed so I'm not sure if that's making a difference at this point.

As asked before I have some closeup photos of my soldering both on the chip and the point under the board (hopefully the orientation is clear).

Edited September 28, 2021 by Mu.

[SS_Dave]

It might be the camera angle but the chip looks like it's one row of pins toward the back of the board.

 

Can you clean the solder work with a tooth brush and isopropyl and post a new pic.

 

Is the led on the chip lighting up when you power on the Xbox? 

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[Mu.]

It's fitted to the pins closest to the front of the console (leaving two at the back), I'll be sure to scrub it and take another photo for you.

And yeah, the LED lights up red.

[SS_Dave]

13 hours ago, Mu. said:

It's fitted to the pins closest to the front of the console (leaving two at the back), I'll be sure to scrub it and take another photo for you.

Must just be the camera angle as the way you describe is correct.

 

Cheers

SS Dave

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

[KaosEngineer]

Try reflowing the solder on pins 7 and 11.  To me, they look like balls of solder sitting on top of the pin header pin instead flowing into the plated-through hole of the LPC debug port, not making make a good connection to the signal there on the motherboard.

While you are there, reflow pins 15 and 16 too. 

 

[Mu.]

I flowed each and every pin on both the header and the chip with plenty of flux and extra solder where necessary but nope, I'm still getting the ol' 3-boot FRAG.

[KaosEngineer]

1 hour ago, Mu. said:

I flowed each and every pin on both the header and the chip with plenty of flux and extra solder where necessary but nope, I'm still getting the ol' 3-boot FRAG.

Ok.  And, I see that pins 15 and 16 don't actually connect to the OpenXenium modchip only 14 of the 16 LPC debug port pins do.

How are you powering on the console?

Try powering it on with the front panel Eject button instead of the Power button.  Doing so is to boot into the XeniumOS installed on the modchip.  The previous owner may have non-compatible BIOS set to autoboot from the modchip.

[Mu.]

I'd used an OpenXenium in the past so I knew to give that a try, but it didn't seem to change anything. At this point I'm really not sure what it could be.

[Mu.]

The initial problem that caused this whole thing has been sorted out. I desoldered the EEPROM chip from the console, read its content using a CH341a programmer and then locked the hard disk using XboxHDM2.3. As for the modchip I'm really not sure what went wrong, the only thing I've yet to try it putting it in my main 1.2.