I want to do something with my XBOX

[Vadim]

I have an xbox sitting for almost two month now, just sitting here. I want to put in a mod chip, and start using it for something.. Perhaps downloading games.. etc..
Where do I start? Which mod chip to get? Uhh I hate the beggining...

[mrblack51]

I found that the easiest/cheapest thing to do was make my own mod. I used a SST49LF020 flashed with the evolutionX 2.2 bios, and attached it to the LPC points on the xbox motherboard. They are designed so you can install a header (which I did). By using a short, ie: 5cm, ribbon cable between the header on your modchip board and the header on the motherboard that you install, it makes a sweet install that works great.

If you arent in the mood to make one yourself, the xecuter is the easiest to install since it only has one small solder point, and it has the most complete hacked bios. Its a similar install since it uses the big LPC points instead of the tiny test points on the back of the MB.

Games are found in the same places as games for other consoles. Below are some good resources for basic hacking information.

http://www.xboxhacker.net
http://www.xbox-scene.com
http://www.backup-source.com/evox/

[Vadim]

Does this overwrite the original bios?

[mrblack51]

ah yes, the bios quesitons.

Enigma is a bios patch chips. The enable and disable themselves and the onboard bios as needed to patch the needed code into the bios.

Xtender, Xecuter, PC-BioXX, and all homebrew chips are full bios replacements. These modchip installs simply turn off the onboard bios and boot the one on the chip. your original is untouched.

I'm not sure if Pandora and Messiah are patch or full replacements.

If you use a non-LPC based modchip (anything except xecuter, PC-BioXX, or homebrew LPC mods), then you can bridge two points on the motherboard and flash the onboard bios using various homebrew images. Advantage? Well, if you installed a switch, you could try varoious bios images (EvoX 2.1, 2.2, Xtender 1.1, xecuter bios when its released, etc) on the onboard flash, but have the regular modchip available as a backup incase of whatever. Of course, the 'backup' option is only viable if you are using a full bios replacement chip, since a screwed up onboard flash couldn't be patched properly with enigmah or whatever.

[kcobra]

mrblack: Where did you buy the parts to make the cheapLPC homebrew mod solution? The Word document you provided list part numbers for a UK supplier but I am in the US. I have tried www.digikey.com but am having problems finding the parts.

[mrblack51]

kcobra: are you trying to do a cheapLPC programmer and use the SST49LF020, or are you trying to use a xilinx chip with a flash or eprom. if you are talking about the cheapLPC programmer, I didnt build one.

the rest of the stuff (PLCC sockets, DIP sockets, 0.1" headers, 0.1" 2x8 cable ends, 16 pin cable, etc) was available at my local electronics shop (good one, not RS). all that stuff is also available at digikey.

also, farnell will ship to the US, but you have to contact them via phone or email to get details.

[kcobra]

Originally posted by mrblack51
kcobra: are you trying to do a cheapLPC programmer and use the SST49LF020, or are you trying to use a xilinx chip with a flash or eprom. if you are talking about the cheapLPC programmer, I didnt build one.

the rest of the stuff (PLCC sockets, DIP sockets, 0.1" headers, 0.1" 2x8 cable ends, 16 pin cable, etc) was available at my local electronics shop (good one, not RS). all that stuff is also available at digikey.

also, farnell will ship to the US, but you have to contact them via phone or email to get details.

I am wanting to build the cheapLPC programmer and use the SST49LF020 PLCC chip. I guess my main problem is I am not a hardware guy and when I do find a part on digikey there are usually multiple ones to choose from. I am confused at which one to pick.

I emailed Farnell. Hopefully I will get a response.

[kcobra]

One other questions mrblack. You said you used a header on the xbox mb and on the modchip board. What is this header? I didn't see it mentioned in the Word document you posted.

[jasongt]

I also have an xbox that would be cool to hack. I have an old ps that has a mod chip that I can go rent a game and copy and play. Is that how xbox is? Can I start renting and copying the game to bin file or something then burn them to DVD once I get mod chip? If not how do you get backups?

Thanks

[mrblack51]

kcobra: the header is not there when you buy the xbox, the holes are. if you want to use a header and ribbon cable like i did (i would recommend it), then you need to suck the solder out of the LPC point holes, then solder in your 2x8 header (with pin 4 removed).

jasongt: evolutionX allows you to ftp into your xbox. this means that you can read the contents off of the xbox hard disk or an xbox game and transfer those files to your PC. Most backups are obtained via the internet via traditional sources, but with a little know-how, you can pull the files off of an xbox dvd onto a cd-rw,dvd-r,dvd-rw, or the xbox hard disk.

[thesentinel]

I am right in that you cannot FTP anything before evoX has been installed? How do you get evoX on to the box, after you have flashed your bios with Cromwell/xecutor?

[mrblack51]

I am right in that you cannot FTP anything before evoX has been installed? How do you get evoX on to the box, after you have flashed your bios with Cromwell/xecutor?

you boot your box with an evox disk. the easiest way is to get one of the evox installer programs - i think "slayer" put one together. check xbox-scene

[thesentinel]

Ok, here's the thing: The x-box comes on and says cromwell bios 2.28dev and then says "flashing mode - insert disc". I've just flashed it with the cromwell bios, although I must say it did appear to already have the cromwell bios on it, as it had this screen before I flashed it. The question is: am I ready to feed it a slayer disc? If I feed it a slayer disc will it boot with that or should it boot in to cromwell xbox startup - a friend tells me that it should boot up like the MS sequence but with Xecutor at the bottom? I thought that flashing mode would go once the bios was flashed up?

[mrblack51]

Ok, here's the thing: The x-box comes on and says cromwell bios 2.28dev and then says "flashing mode - insert disc". I've just flashed it with the cromwell bios, although I must say it did appear to already have the cromwell bios on it, as it had this screen before I flashed it. The question is: am I ready to feed it a slayer disc? If I feed it a slayer disc will it boot with that or should it boot in to cromwell xbox startup - a friend tells me that it should boot up like the MS sequence but with Xecutor at the bottom? I thought that flashing mode would go once the bios was flashed up?

cromwell is a linux bios. you want a hacked ms bios like the xecutor bios or whatever. cromwell can run linux and some other stuff, but not games. get a flash disk that works with cromwell and flash, or re-flash with an xecutor bios

[thesentinel]

ok, almost there i think now!