ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 3:17 am Post subject: First post here: HDD died on modded original Xbox...
...and I'm trying to sort out what my options are (other than getting a new HD ).
,,,background: I've had this Xbox with an Xecuter 2.x Lite modkit in it, EvoX dashboard and a WD 120 GB hard drive, for a few years now. It had worked for however long (had been modded well before I ever got my hands on it) until about a month or so ago when I went to start it up and got the blue EvoX menu (instead of the accustomed green one), and going to the Launch Dashboard option gave me an Error 21. I researched the Error 21 and found that almost anything can cause that, including a corrupted .ini file. I removed the HD from the Xbox and connected it to my computer with an IDE-USB adapter and ran Xplorer360 and found out the .ini file was indeed corrupted--came up as 51 bytes instead of the normal 1.5k or so (have a RARed copy of the last EvoX package that I could take the .ini file from). Replaced the .ini file and put the HD back in and started the Xbox. (Now--it is worthy of note at this point that while I had the HD out I should have tried to back it up onto the PC, since Xplorer360 apparently would have enabled me to do that, but that may not have worked as will soon be evident...) Started the Xbox, got the blue EvoX menu again, but this time when I used the Launch option, I got to the green menu without any errors. Tried to run one of the games and after a short time the Xbox froze up, and when I tried to restart it, now I got a HDD error (07 or 09, don't remember which), Removed the HD again, connected it to the PC again and ran Xplorer360 again; now Xplorer360 came back with a 'No FAT-X drive detected', and the PC wasn't seeing the drive (had showed up as 'local drive E: before). Thus the drive is pooched and I need a new one.
...NOW: I have researched replacing a HD in one of these until I'm blue in the face and I am thoroughly confused. There are a litany of posts, tutorials, etc., on original Xbox hard drives covering the last 10-12 years and it's a BEAR trying to sort everything out. I do understand that I more or less have to start from scratch with another hard drive since it is impossible for me to recover anything from the old one; apparently having a modkit installed MAY make it easier, although I won't be able to try to FTP anything until I actually have a working HD in place with appropriate software installed (I think). So:
1. Can I prepare a HD for install into the Xbox directly from the PC? (Sounds like this AutoInstaller program I've seen mentioned can do this, and apparently I can directly transfer files between PC and HD using the Xplorer360 once the drive is formatted for FAT-X, so I don't need to FTP right away.) Or do I put the new drive into the Xbox and let the EvoX BIOS handle it?
2. What do I actually need to put on the HD for programs, utilities, etc. (most up-to-date versions, realizing some of this stuff has been around for a while)?
3. I have archives of three dashboard packages (EvoX, UnleashX, and Avalaunch) on this PC. Apparently I could un-RAR and put any or all of these on the new drive once it's prepared, but what would you recommend? Sticking with the EvoX since it's what I was using before or trying one of the others (Avalaunch in particular seems to be very highly recommended)? I did find out a while back that EvoX has problems with handling FTP and I actually had to use XBMC to do that...which I will also need to put on the new drive...
...apologies for the long post. I have tried to do some homework before asking any 'dumb noob' questions, but all it has done is make my brain hurt. Thanx in advance...
forahobby Administrator
Joined: May 22, 2003 Posts: 23947 Location: NSW, Australia
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:07 pm Post subject:
Since your xbox is modded with a modchip and more than likely it still has the correct bios flashed on it already, all you will need to do is install a new hdd and then download Auto Installer Deluxe and burn it to a DVD-r and it should let boot straight up from the DVD.
With your replacement hdd alrady installed and the jumper settings match the old one, you can boot up AID and click on FORMAT HDD.. Then do a full EEPROM backup, and install whatever dashboard you like. Simple.
BABYLON will work just as nice too, but AID has loads more add-ons at this stage. XBOX-HQ's own SPPV creator BABYLON so you can support for that irght if you choose to download that instead..
Eitherway, with your modchip fitted, it should be simple to replace your hdd and get your xbox running again.
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 3:32 pm Post subject:
...already have Babylon and HeXEn; now downloading the AID. I guess I have all the bases covered...!
...now: can I use something like ImgBurn to make the DVD-Rs (they have to be ISOs, right?), or do I need a different program to make Xbox-specific disks? I seem to distantly recall there was a special format (xiso, iso-x, or something like that) that is better for Xbox disks, and special building/burning programs for it...
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 3:36 pm Post subject:
...all RIIIGHT! I'm a VIP member now... ...woot...
Amiga1200 V.I.P. Lifetime
Joined: Jun 19, 2012 Posts: 461
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:05 pm Post subject:
you're on the mark, "xiso" is the fileformat for the xbox!
all you need to write an xiso to disk is "IMGBURN" (or any disk writing program really) and set it to "8x" write speeds then go!
cxbox tool, craxion and quix101 can create "xiso" images for xbox retrieved content! _________________ to all my friends... farewell and all the best to future prosperity... and remember, be excellent to each other!
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:48 pm Post subject:
...I have Qwix. But I need to be able to make xiso disks ON THE PC to use them in the Xbox.
...Also, I've got one of those Thomson DVD drives in here, and those seem to be notorious for being VERY fussy about what they will and will not read. 8x write speed sounds a little fast here; I've seen plenty of folks recommend no more than 4x when burning an Xbox disk...seems like the slower the better with the Thomson drives...OR...has someone found a way around that proprietary power cabling to enable using a better DVD drive?...
funnelweb Xbox-HQ Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 19, 2011 Posts: 36
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:26 pm Post subject:
It sounds like you are all ready to go mate. If you have both babylon and are downloading Auto Installer you have the best of both worlds.. The best thing about a modchip is you can always boot an auto installer and fix your xbox.
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:57 pm Post subject:
...one problem: the AID 4.53 package I DL'ed from here (VIP downloads) does not appear to have any of the stuff that's supposed to come with it (the emu packs, the dashboard packs, XBMC, etc.); only the ISO and documentation. Unless those things are all part of the ISO. It's something like 1.13 GB (does that sound right?). One of the alternate DL sites (initials FF) has the package split up into something like 23 parts (and that appears to be the archive that is referenced in the instruction manual), but apparently the site won't let you DL anything unless you subscribe to them (paid) first...
...btw, I'm pretty near literally half a world away from funnelweb country. I hear those critters are rather nasty...as are quite a few other Down-Under critters (Violin spider, box jellyfish aka Sea Wasp, Irukandji, Duck-billed Platypus, assorted snakes...ack!)...
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:44 pm Post subject:
...The X(box)-Files, continued...
...I've just answered my own question above. After I DLed C-Xbox Tools and test-ran it from within 7Zip, I was able to peek inside the AID 4.53 ISO...and it is loaded! Babylon is a much larger ISO than AID; I should probably do the same thing with it and see what it includes.
...The problem with ISOs and XISOs is that they use the same '.iso' file extension, and there is no readily noticeable way to tell which 'flavo(u)r' of ISO you actually have until you try to use a conventional archive program (i. e. WinZip, WinRAR, 7Zip, etc,) to look inside it...and nothing happens. Depending on the program you're using, it MIGHT throw some sort of 'unsupported file/archive' error message...or not. C-Xbox is one of the type of program I was asking about earlier where it allows you to explore (and inspect) an XISO while it's still on your PC before you burn it. (I probably could have done the same thing with Qwix, but that's on another computer, and C-Xbox is somewhat easier to use, including a clearly defined and readily available 'Explore ISO' function.) SO...I now have AID AND Babylon XISO discs ready to go (I hope!...keeping fingers crossed that the effing Thomson DVD drive behaves itself); just waiting now for replacement hard drive to arrive (have two 160GB WD drives on the way; can put one into the Xbox and keep the other as a spare...AND having a backup on a PC somewhere for rebuilding,,,am also trying to replace some of the games that were lost on the original HD...)
...anyway, thanx for the help and pointers. I thought that having a modchip might make replacing a HD from scratch easier, and you have confirmed that...
forahobby Administrator
Joined: May 22, 2003 Posts: 23947 Location: NSW, Australia
Joined: Sep 13, 2010 Posts: 2644 Location: Kamloops BC Canada
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:54 am Post subject:
ZedU54 wrote:
...The X(box)-Files, continued...
...I've just answered my own question above. After I DLed C-Xbox Tools and test-ran it from within 7Zip, I was able to peek inside the AID 4.53 ISO...and it is loaded! Babylon is a much larger ISO than AID; I should probably do the same thing with it and see what it includes.
...The problem with ISOs and XISOs is that they use the same '.iso' file extension, and there is no readily noticeable way to tell which 'flavo(u)r' of ISO you actually have until you try to use a conventional archive program (i. e. WinZip, WinRAR, 7Zip, etc,) to look inside it...and nothing happens. Depending on the program you're using, it MIGHT throw some sort of 'unsupported file/archive' error message...or not. C-Xbox is one of the type of program I was asking about earlier where it allows you to explore (and inspect) an XISO while it's still on your PC before you burn it. (I probably could have done the same thing with Qwix, but that's on another computer, and C-Xbox is somewhat easier to use, including a clearly defined and readily available 'Explore ISO' function.) SO...I now have AID AND Babylon XISO discs ready to go (I hope!...keeping fingers crossed that the effing Thomson DVD drive behaves itself); just waiting now for replacement hard drive to arrive (have two 160GB WD drives on the way; can put one into the Xbox and keep the other as a spare...AND having a backup on a PC somewhere for rebuilding,,,am also trying to replace some of the games that were lost on the original HD...)
...anyway, thanx for the help and pointers. I thought that having a modchip might make replacing a HD from scratch easier, and you have confirmed that...
Babylon is that size cause it includes the xtras rom packs, a built in tut video, every stable xbmc skin and most of my Ux video skins along with more diverse softmod optios. The chip utilities are very basic ,build a new hdd, install dashboards,and apps. No flash utility
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:55 am Post subject:
...Well. The HDs arrived today. One of them turned out to be bad, but the other is OK. Put the good one in the Xbox and loaded my AID DVD into the DVD drive...got an Error 13. Can't load dashboard. Found out that with my particular Xbox/Xecuter modchip combination I had to have the BIOS jumper in place on the modchip. Put BIOS jumper on and started; came up asking if I wanted to format the HDD. I was on my way. Did the format, then the AID screen came up. Started installing things...but when I was done the Xbox boots to XBMC. Now, I thought I had also installed Avalaunch, EvoX and UnleashX, but I can't find them...or at least their 'default.xbe' files...still have some work to do, but at least the Xbox is up and running to some extent...
...I have the above-mentioned dashboards RARed on this computer; if worst comes to worst I suppose I can un-RAR them and FTP them onto the Xbox...
...edit: also, did AID format the HD correctly? I have a C: (328.8 MB), an E: (4.41 GB) and an F: (120.5 GB), no G: (this is a 160 GB drive; since it is larger than 137 GB, there should be a G:, shouldn't there?), also, a Q: (??), also 4.41 GB.
1. Where did the Q: come from?
2. Should the C:, E:, F: and G: be the same size?
3. Should I just blow the whole thing up and start again?? ...it seems a little crazy..,
forahobby Administrator
Joined: May 22, 2003 Posts: 23947 Location: NSW, Australia
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:23 am Post subject:
ZedU54 wrote:
...edit: also, did AID format the HD correctly? I have a C: (328.8 MB), an E: (4.41 GB) and an F: (120.5 GB), no G: (this is a 160 GB drive; since it is larger than 137 GB, there should be a G:, shouldn't there?), also, a Q: (??), also 4.41 GB.
1. Where did the Q: come from?
2. Should the C:, E:, F: and G: be the same size?
3. Should I just blow the whole thing up and start again?? ...it seems a little crazy..,
Yes AID formats correctly..
1. Q Drive is your memory card
2. No they should not be the same size
3. No, just get an eeprom backup first and then you have a backup if anything goes wrong.
Just hang in there, you will need to configure your xbox a little. Also, if your xbox is not showing G drive, make sure it is turned on under the settings..
ZedU54 Xbox-HQ User Xbox Version: Xbox v1.0 Modded: Xecuter2.x Lite
Joined: Sep 07, 2013 Posts: 11
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:52 am Post subject:
>>What modchip bios are you running?
...obviously not the right one; BIOS Checker says X2 4976.02, and something else (I think it was XBPartitioner) told me that my BIOS does not have LBA48 support for larger drives and that I need to re-flash the BIOS with a version that does. I was actually trying to research that just now...it has led me to an 'M8+' BIOS that is recommended for this and should be on the HeXEn disc that I did a few days ago. I need to remove one of the jumpers on the modchip PCB in order to re-flash the BIOS...and maybe a few tips on how to do it right...
...edit: used HeXEn disc to re-flash the BIOS. Used the iND F/G BIOS and 256k size. Now I have a G: partition--with 0 free space. Now defaults to an UnleashX dashboard, and I cannot access XBMC...I can switch over to EvoX if I want, but I think I'd rather have that as my default dash (it's the only one that does 24-hour time, silly as that might sound)...probably just need to change a default.xbe file somewhere...and do some tweaking somewhere else to make that G: partition usable...I suppose XBpartitioner would do that, but I don't want to mess with that until I have a better idea of how (I only opened it up to check it out when it told me I had a wrong BIOS and then exited right away)...anyway I think I'm making progress...
SPPV V.I.P. Lifetime
Joined: Sep 13, 2010 Posts: 2644 Location: Kamloops BC Canada
Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:13 am Post subject:
forahobby wrote:
ZedU54 wrote:
...edit: also, did AID format the HD correctly? I have a C: (328.8 MB), an E: (4.41 GB) and an F: (120.5 GB), no G: (this is a 160 GB drive; since it is larger than 137 GB, there should be a G:, shouldn't there?), also, a Q: (??), also 4.41 GB.
1. Where did the Q: come from?
2. Should the C:, E:, F: and G: be the same size?
3. Should I just blow the whole thing up and start again?? ...it seems a little crazy..,
Yes AID formats correctly..
1. Q Drive is your memory card
LMAO boy it has been a long time huh? Q is the XBMC drive (usualy E, but will be whatever partition XBMC is on. notice the identical partition sizes betweenE/F or C and Q)
Now since you dont see G most likely reason is because it wasnt formated. XBMC doesnt require G enabled in settings like Ux does,it will see it automatically. Your best option is to either use AID, Babylon or XBPartioner to format the G.
On to the dash issue. Very best/easiest way to go multi dash is to install the one you want as main dash to C or E (depends on your BIOS settings) then install the others as applications. Just make sure each dash's executable (XBE) is named default and pop it in 1 of your apps folders. And something else you may wanna consider is installing Babylon. Its very easy to do and then you will always have a backdoor right on the HDD for fixing messups. And it can double as the latest Ux dash. Just sayin And you will also have the latest emus and emu makers "official" ROM sets (Xtras) and they go great with the Xtras Installers if you want all that spiffy eye candy like box art and video previews etc.
And also just so you know you arent missing much space. a 160GB HDD should format around 142-147GB Now F is 120.5GB, E is 4.4GB, C is about 330MB, and X/Y/Z are 750MB each. Your looking at like 14-19GB RAW which would be like 12-17GB formatted.
Last edited by SPPV on Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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