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Flashing your Xecutor 2.x Bios |
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Flashing your Xecutor 2.x BiosPublished by  lookformeb on 2003-12-04
Category: Xecuter | Page Views: 21,030
Preparation:
- You should have the BIOS of your choice already downloaded. I would recommend an original X2 4977. One with modified colors, fan speeds, and/or the LBA48 patch will work just fine if you follow the guide step-by-step.
- Acquire the following: Nero 5.5 (or greater, Compatible CD-RW Media, Xecuter2 BIOS Manager , SimpleX ISO, the latest version of the EvolutionX dashboard and EvolutionX for Dummies. If you are having troubles burning and you're not using Nero, don't cry to anyone about it. Nero works best for what you are about to do.
- Create a dummy file 50mb or larger. A dummy file can be anyfile simply renamed to ABC.DAT or 1.DAT.
- You need to have some way to transfer files via FTP to your box. EvolutionX for Dummies describes how to do this.
Setup:
- Your Xbox must be hooked up via RCA cables. This is the most reliable way since FlashBIOS wont output video any other way reliably. I've heard about people having problems getting a good video output with FlashBIOS but my experiences have always shown this is because they are using some aftermarket video kit. Every time I booted the Xbox there was a clean signal (I booted it many times).
Phase 1 - Creating the BIOS Update CD:
- Open the Xecuter2 Bios Manager and fill the first two banks with the EXACT same BIOS by choosing -Bank->Import BIOS into Selected Bank. Make sure the "Image Size" is 512k and choose -File->Save. Save the file as BIOS.BIN.
- Open up Nero (don't use the wizard). Select "CD-ROM (ISO)" and click New. Move ABC.DAT and BIOS.BIN over into the ISO compilation. Click -File->Write CD and make all of the settings identical to the following pictures: Multisession Tab , ISO Tab, Label Tab, Burn Tab. If you can go lower than 4x, then do it. It's always best to burn at the slowest speed possible. If for some reason Disc at Once doesn't work for you then try Track At Once.
Phase 2 - Flashing:
- Power up the Xbox with the mod chip on, unprotected with bank2 selected. Your drive tray should eject and your screen
though look like this: FlashBIOS Screen Shot. Put the CD in the tray and close it. FlashBIOS should tell you the CD "BIOS" has been found and begin to load your new BIOS. It will automatically shutdown when done.
- If your CD isn't recognized (doesn't tell you the name of the CD), then go back into Nero and try the Track at Once burning method. If that still doesn't work then go to http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?act=ST&f=11&t=12727 and find out what media works best for your DVD Drive.
- If you CD is recognized and it tells you "No BIOS Found... Halting!" then go back and recheck the names of your files and make sure bank2 is selected along with the BIOS being unprotected. If all that is correct then try a larger dummy file. If all else fails, you are still doing something wrong... probably something very simple you are overlooking.
- After the flash, you should have X2 4977 on bank1 and the original FlashBIOS on bank2.
Phase 3 - Loading EvolutionX:
- Read EvolutionX for Dummies and configure everything as described, especially the networking portion. Make sure you
rename EVOXDASH.XBE to DEFAULT.XBE.
- Check your skins directory for any folders that begin with a number instead of a letter. If so, rename ABC.DAT to 1.DAT. This makes sure that the dummy file is written before all the other files.
- Gather the SKIN directory, your dummy file (either ABC.DAT or 1.DAT), DEFAULT.XBE, and EVOX.INI into a new folder. Open SimpleX ISO, click "Make an ISO" and point it to the new folder you just created. Save the ISO you are creating to the desktop as EVOX.ISO and close the program when it finishes. Open Nero and click -File-> Burn Image and select EVOX.ISO from the desktop. Make sure you are burning with the settings as pictured here (if Disk At Once doesn't work, try Track At Once).
- Use the switch settings of on, protect, and bank1. If your Xbox frags or the BIOS still says "Microsoft", go back to Phase 2 and reflash the BIOS.
- Power up the Xbox and place the dashboard cd in the DVD tray. The EvolutionX dashboard should load. If it doesn't, check to make sure the mod chip is on and the Xecuter2 logo comes up on boot in the place of the old Microsoft logo. If the dashboard doesn't boot then you proabably burned it wrong.
- Once the EvolutionX dashboard comes up, load your favorite FTP program on your computer (SmartFTP, LeechFTP,
FlashFXP). Login using xbox as your user and pass. BACK UP YOUR C DRIVE. DO NOT FORGET TO DO THIS. After you've done that, you can upload evoxdash.xbe, evox.ini and the skins directory to the C drive.
- Close the FTP, eject the CD and choose the reboot option from the dashboard.
Phase 4 - Final Phase:
- The EvolutionX dashboard will now load. You're done! Congratulations on a successful install!
Note - Playing on Xbox Live:
- You must boot your Xbox with the mod chip OFF to play Xbox Live. Microsoft looks for modified BIOS' and will ban you as soon as they recognize a foreign BIOS. You could flash the original Xbox BIOS into one of the banks and still play on Live as long as you boot from that bank but that is pointless. Use the led that the Xecuter Team gave you so you are sure you don't ever get on Xbox Live with a foreign BIOS running.
- If you plan on replacing the hard drive, remember that you have to have it locked in order to play Live. True, you can
theoretically try play Live with it unlocked but in order to do this you would have to have your mod chip on. Obviously, this
wouldn't work out well in the long run.
Related URL: bmforums (more help) |
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