X2 2.3b lite modchip but no G: drive - BIOS related?

[am.i]

I recently received a modchipped Xbox v1.0 with an Xecuter 2.3B Lite modchip. I would like to install a 500 GB IDE (PATA) hard drive in it to replace the 160 GB hard drive currently installed. The modchip appears to be running the X2 5035 BIOS. Also, the modchip is installed with a pin-header (I think this is the right terminology - it is not soldered to the board), with only one wire soldered from the chip to the board.

I swapped out the 160 GB hard drive for the larger 500 GB one and have tried using both Hexen and Slayers Disc (2.7) to prepare the new hard drive. Everything seems to work fine, except that when all is said and done, the console reports the G: drive as having 0 bytes available. Strangely, Slayers Disc shows the G: drive and correctly reports the amount of space that should be there. I can boot with the modchip turned on and load EvolutionX (as the default dashboard), and I can turn off the modchip and it will boot and load the MS dash.

Is it possible that I need to reflash the modchip in order to make use of the G: drive? If so, what might be the best option for me? I believe the modchip has 4 banks (selectable in pairs using the switch on the front panel) and a total of 1 MB of space for the BIOS. A TSOP flash might also be an option, but I don't think my soldering skills are up to par so I would prefer to rely on the modchip if at all possible.

I have experience softmodding xboxes, but this is my first adventure with a modchip. As mentioned above, I have many of the common tools available already (Hexen, Slayers, AID, a USB adapter so I can connect a USB drive to a controller port), and I already know how to FTP into the xbox, etc. Just no experience with flashing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[psyko_chewbacca]

Since booting from Hexen disc correctly identify the G:\ partition, we can rule out any wrong partitioning or HDD malfunction.

X2 5035 will support any partition scheme, as long as it's config file is properly set (E:\x2config.ini). Look in that file for any setting that would relate to G:\ drive or partition management.

If nothing is found, you can also check the configuration of your dashboard when booting from the modchip. Some dashboards requires explicit configuration to enable G:\ recognition.

[am.i]

Thanks for the guidance psyko-chewbacca. I'll check it out in a few hours when I am back at home and let you know what I find.

Just to clarify though, the 'home' screen when I boot from Slayers is showing the G: drive information. I don't recall if Hexen was also showing it. Not sure if this makes a difference.

[spicemuseum]

the 'home' screen when I boot from Slayers is showing the G: drive information. I don't recall if Hexen was also showing it. Not sure if this makes a difference.

It doesn't. I'm sure HeXEn will report the same.

...the console reports the G: drive as having 0 bytes available. Strangely, Slayers Disc shows the G: drive and correctly reports the amount of space that should be there.

What do you mean by "...the console", what dashboard are you using?

[am.i]

Ok. Here is the update:

@psyko_chewbacca: I couldn't find the x2config.ini file anywhere - checked E: and C: (Using Filezilla - which also showed F and G partitions, but both were empty). However, I did find evox.ini, which I have attached to this post. Maybe the missing x2config.ini file is the source of the problem?

@spicemuseum: when I say 'the console' I mean the xbox booting from the hard drive as opposed to from a boot disc (sorry if my terminology is confusing) - it is running EvolutionX as the dashboard. I installed EvolutionX as the dashboard using Slayers Disc. EvolutionX reports that there is 5.1 GB free on E:, 213.5 GB free on F:, and 0 free on G:. It also indicates that the BIOS is 'unknown'.

[am.i]

Ok, so *.ini files can't be uploaded....

Here is what the first bit of my evox.ini file says. It looks like the G drive should be available.

[Misc]

# Upgraded HDD Script Created by SlaYer for the SlaYer's EvoX Auto-Installer v2.7 (FINAL)
AutoLaunchGames = No
AutoLaunchDVD = No
DVDPlayer = "f:\Apps\dvdx\default.xbe"
AutoLaunchAudio = Yes
#AudioPlayer = "c:\xboxdash.xbe"
MSDashBoard = "c:\xboxdash.xbe"
UseFDrive = Yes
UseGDrive = Yes
SkinName = SlaYers27
IGR = Yes
UseItems = No
ScreenSaver = 10
Fahrenheit = No
ShadeLevel = 90
EnableSMART = Yes
HDD_Temp_ID = 194
DebugTSR = No
ChameleonLed = 15
GameRegion = 0
TSR_Type = 1

[psyko_chewbacca]

evox.ini file is properly configured to use G Drive.

If you are really runing X2 5035 bios (you can tell by when your Xbox boots to a message saying "X2 config live loading" message on your TV and then the flubber animation starts), you should have a x2config.ini file in the root of your E:\ partition. No x2config loads the BIOS default settings which might force a partition scheme where G:\ drive is supposed non-existant.

Use X2 Config Maker windows app (or any other similar program) to generate a x2config.ini file and transfert it via FTP to your E:\ drive. Specify that you want to use G:\ in it.

What are the total disk space of F:\ and G:\ drives supposed to be? 231GB free on F:\ means that partition is bigger than the usual 137GB. Maybe you should review how you partitionned your drive. You could take a look using XBPartitionner 1.3.

[am.i]

When the xbox boots, I do get the message 'x2 live config loading', followed by flubber, then the 'xbox' logo with the added bit at the bottom saying 'rox your xbox', or something to that effect - I'm going by memory at the moment.

The F drive size looked unusual to me also.

I'll grab X2 config maker and give it a go tonight.

I'm wondering if I should also reflash the official 5035 bios to the mod chip just so I can be certain of which BIOS is actually running. I believe I could use xflash to do this? But, if I do this, will I need to patch the BIOS? I think I saw something in the readme file that came with the 5035 BIOS that alluded to this.

So my next step will be to generate the x2config.ini file and FTP it over. I'll post back later tonight.

[psyko_chewbacca]

When the xbox boots, I do get the message 'x2 live config loading', followed by flubber, then the 'xbox' logo with the added bit at the bottom saying 'rox your xbox', or something to that effect - I'm going by memory at the moment.

The F drive size looked unusual to me also.

I'll grab X2 config maker and give it a go tonight.

I'm wondering if I should also reflash the official 5035 bios to the mod chip just so I can be certain of which BIOS is actually running. I believe I could use xflash to do this? But, if I do this, will I need to patch the BIOS? I think I saw something in the readme file that came with the 5035 BIOS that alluded to this.

So my next step will be to generate the x2config.ini file and FTP it over. I'll post back later tonight.

You could reflash with the latest X2 Config Live bios (if you want to keep using that one) on your modchip in case a outdated version of X2 ConfigLive was flashed instead (I think there was 5032 release).

X2 Config Live BIOS takes all it's custom setting from a config file on the HDD. So, in theory, you should be able to flash the BIOS bin file without patching it. There was LBA patching involved with it but I think 5035 revision already integrates the patches by default. Someone else should be able to confirm that.

I don't know if EvolutionX dashboard supports flashing your modchip but there are other Xbox apps out there that does!

Just grab all the necessary files (eurasia.nu or Xbins are 2 reliable sources for BIOSes and tools) and flash away. Don't forget to check your HDD with XBPartitionner.

[am.i]

I found the following on eurasia: "X2 BIOS Build 5035". Would this be the one to flash to the modchip?

Similarly, should I use "X2 Config Maker v5035-0.3" to generate the x2config.ini file?

While I am at it, I will also grab XBPartitioner 1.3 and flashx v1.2

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks for the ongoing help.

[am.i]

I think I've got it now!

Popped the original hard drive back in, reflashed the chip using FlashX with x2_5035_vOld_512k (which I patched using X2 Config Maker), then reinstalled the new 500 GB hard drive and ftp'ed over the x2config.ini I made using X2 Config Maker .NET v0.5.4 to the root of the E:\ drive.

Now, when I boot the console, the EvolutionX Dashboard shows 123 GB free on F:\ and almost 356 GB free on G:\ (in the x2config.ini file I specified 137 GB to F:\ and the remainder to G:\ so this looks about right).

I still plan on checking/reformatting the F:\ and G:\ drives with XBPartitioner, but that can wait until tomorrow.

@psyko_chewbacca, thanks for all the help.