X-Ecuter modchip?

[nidge]

EDITED 24th March 2014

Hi guys, I just bought a 1.0 Xbox from my local British Heart Foundation. XBMC4xbox (ran from the Hexen disc) reports it as having an "X-Ecuter" BIOS, anyone know anything about these chips? I'm guessing it one of the so called "cheapmods". Can it be flashed?

Everything is working, reads discs, original and backups, except the front LED's don't light up??? The power on/off and eject buttons are working though.

So far I have tried... the LED board on a different Xbox, result it worked!
A different PSU (the one from the different Xbox) result no LED's.
I have removed the clock cap btw.




The LED board is not connected in the above photo.

[psyko_chewbacca]

Well it's not a cheapmod per definition since there is a CPLD controller onboard to emulate LFRAME logic. It's still serves the basic purpose of loading a hacked bios through the LPC port.

My guess is that this particular modchip only holds 256KB BIOS (common 32 pins TSOP chips cannot hold 1MB of data). Flash only 256KB bios on it.

As for the LED not powering up, you can completely turn the Front LED OFF in a configurable bioses such as Xecuter 2 4xxx, IND-Bios or Evox M8+. That's probably what happened here. Simply reflash your modchip with a 256KB bios you configured yourself.

EDIT: BTW, it looks like you have a FOXLINK PSU here. I would suggest some preventive soldering work to avoid any potential failure. Since you've already disassembled it'll take less time. Just look at this tutorial and rework the solder points described there : http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox ... torial.htm

[spicemuseum]

BTW, it looks like you have a FOXLINK PSU here. I would suggest some preventive soldering work to avoid any potential failure. Since you've already disassembled it'll take less time. Just look at this tutorial and rework the solder points described there : http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox ... torial.htm

I concur. I took this preventative action on my other boxes after discovering precisely this solder joint failure on a Foxlink. (Symptom was a buzzing noise.)

[Heimdall]

It's an Xecuter 1. It's pre-flashed with an Xecuter 1 BIOS, and you can't reflash it. The only sensible way to use it with large hard drives, or anything vaguely recent, is to set up PBL to load a newer BIOS. Let me know if you want to do that, and I'll see if I can dig out my notes.

[psyko_chewbacca]

It's weird a modchip would come with a BIOS that doesn't light up the front LED by default without any way to change this.

I would also suggest setting up PBL or remove the wire that ties the D0 to GND and flash your onboard TSOP. But the second solution requires soldering. You'd have to install a softmod while still booting from the modchip and flash your TSOP while booting from the sodtmod (without the modchip).

[spicemuseum]

...remove the wire that ties the D0 to GND and flash your onboard TSOP.

Yep, I'd do that too. It looks like a 1meg ST Micro TSOP.

[fxmech]

I would also use the TSOP and remove the chip. That is assuming the onboard TSOP is still healthy.

[nidge]

Latest Update

I have the Xbox mobo out, the X-Ecuter is soldered top and bottom. Because it is flush mounted I am not sure if I can de-solder it easily.
I have softmodded the Xbox, and locked the hard drive, so it should still work if I take the chip off.

The mobo has not been TSOPed, and looks very clean
I have re-soldered the PSU, although it looked fine.
Still no lights?

Any hints or tips for removing the chip without damagng anything guys?

mobo bottom


mobo side


Notice the two pins on the bottom chip that are soldered together, I wonder why?

Below XBMC4Xbox Hardware info screen.

[spicemuseum]

I have the Xbox mobo out, the X-Ecuter is soldered top and bottom. Because it is flush mounted I am not sure if I can de-solder it easily.
I have softmodded the Xbox, and locked the hard drive, so it should still work if I take the chip off.
The mobo has not been TSOPed, and looks very clean
I have re-soldered the PSU, although it looked fine.
Still no lights?

1. Softmod - your XBMC config picture shows that whilst you may have applied softmod files to the hard disc, the box is still booting the modchip BIOS. I'm not certain, but the green wire is probably the D0 connection (someone round here will confirm). Try snipping or de-soldering that.
2. Not TSOPed - what do you mean and how do you know? If you mean it hasn't had the original TSOP chip replaced, fair enough. But if you mean the TSOP has not had a replacement BIOS flashed into it, can you tell us how you know.
3. No lights - have you checked the four long traces on the underside front edge of the board are not corroded?

[asbo]

2. Not TSOPed - what do you mean and how do you know? If you mean it hasn't had the original TSOP chip replaced, fair enough. But if you mean the TSOP has not had a replacement BIOS flashed into it, can you tell us how you know.

probably because the the points near R7R3 haven't been bridged I suppose someone could have bridged them, flashed it and then unbridged them, but I reckon that's unlikely.

[spicemuseum]

2. Not TSOPed - what do you mean and how do you know? If you mean it hasn't had the original TSOP chip replaced, fair enough. But if you mean the TSOP has not had a replacement BIOS flashed into it, can you tell us how you know.

probably because the the points near R7R3 haven't been bridged

<FX: double-check pictures> Well spotted eagle-eyes!

[nidge]

Hi spicemuseum
In answer to your questions,

1. Easy one, the photo was taken before the softmod and before the wire was removed.
2. I mean the flashing points are not soldered, so i'm presuming not TSOPed?
3. Traces appear to be clean and not broken.

Here's the info screen with the green wire removed



Video link below, showing the LED's not working...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jIIhrgvSlw

[nidge]

2. Not TSOPed - what do you mean and how do you know? If you mean it hasn't had the original TSOP chip replaced, fair enough. But if you mean the TSOP has not had a replacement BIOS flashed into it, can you tell us how you know.

probably because the the points near R7R3 haven't been bridged

<FX: double-check's pictures> Well spotted eagle-eyes!

no worries

[spicemuseum]

1. Easy one, the photo was taken before the softmod and before the wire was removed.
2. I mean the flashing points are not soldered, so i'm presuming not TSOPed?
3. Traces appear to be clean and not broken.

Okay, all clear now.
No reason why you shouldn't bridge the write points and flash to TSOP.
...I'm out of suggestions ref the LEDs going AWOL.

[psyko_chewbacca]

Hello,

I would leave the modchip soldered in place if you don't have a hot air rework station. You have more chance of damaging traces trying to remove it with a soldering iron and desolder braid. Anyway if you want to boot the Xbox from the TSOP from now on, all you need to do is desolder the D0 wire (green wire) and your Xbox will boot from the Onboard TSOP; never from the modchip.

So I see that the softmod is working fine! You're all set to flash the TSOP now (provided you already bridged the necessary WRITE_ENABLE points)! You only need to find a TSOP flash package and configure yourself a 1MB BIOS. You can also split TSOP 2 or 4 ways with switches if you are handy enough with a soldering Iron. I always do that on my 1.0/1.1 motherboards. I usually go for X2 5035 on the first 512KB and IND-BIOS 5003 on the second 512KB bank.

For the front LED not powering ON, I would also look for traces corrosion on the bottom side of the motherboard. I had these on some units. It's usually an easy fix again if you're handy with a soldering iron (it's easier than installing a switch to split the TSOP). Anyway here's some info: http://fillwithcoolblogname.blogspot.ca ... epair.html. You can begin by probing with a multimeter for trace continuity.

[nidge]

It's an Xecuter 1. It's pre-flashed with an Xecuter 1 BIOS, and you can't reflash it. The only sensible way to use it with large hard drives, or anything vaguely recent, is to set up PBL to load a newer BIOS. Let me know if you want to do that, and I'll see if I can dig out my notes.

Heimdall you are of course correct
Took me a couple of days but eventually found this German website which has a photo and a little info about this modchip

http://warlock-xbox.htmh.de/html/_mod_c ... sicht.html

Scroll down to 3rd Generation mit Switch Xecuter 1.0 & 1.1. Only a very small photo but this is the one

Is there a way to load a newer BIOS, would it be any advantage to do so? Or would I be better to leave the D0 wire disconected and just TSOP and install an X2 or INDBios?

[Heimdall]

There is no way to flash it while on the Xbox, and I'm not even sure you could reflash it if you desoldered the chip from the PCB.

Running PBL to load a new BIOS is relatively easy. The BIOS on the chip runs C:\xboxdash.xbe as its only dash location. Just put PBL Metoo there, edit the BIOS to load C:\evoxdash.xbe as its dash, and your Xbox looks like any other Xbox with a newer chip and a new BIOS. Just make sure you can boot a rescue disc before you start.

[nidge]

Found this on http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?name= ... erby=dateA

X-ecuter Xbox Mod Chip Installation Directions
You must have:

* Flux - used for a better contact and to avoid dry joints
* De-solder Braid - used for cleaning solder from the board incase of mistakes
* Soldering Iron - see picture
* Solder - Obvious
* Screw Drivers - torx 10 & 20 to open the box
* Wire - A fine single gage wire, Kynar is recommended.
* A steady hand and good light

Trouble Shooting:
On/Off green red flashing light means you have one of the solder points through the holes not making a contact with the solder points on the board.

Step by Step:
1: Put some solder at the LPC port points at the Xbox mainboard.
2: Place the X-ecuter on it, so that the holes match the points of the port.
3: Put some solder on your soldering iron. Stick your soldering iron in a right angle into the holes - press.
4: Pull the soldering iron back.