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[MuscularPigeon]

ok i was thinking of doing the 128mb ram mod ut was wondering if thr xbox would boot with the regular M$ bios.
And if it does will M$ detect it and ban you from xbox live?
Ive searched some threads but have found no answer to this question.

[WeatherB]

The XBox will boot fine with the regular MS bios, but you won't have access to the extra memory until you use a bios that supports that option.

I don't think you'd have any problems using 128mb ram on Live.

[MuscularPigeon]

ok thanks man

[A@ron]

the MS bios will boot but only recognize that there is 64 MB of ram, hence if MS ever did check they would only think you had 64 MB of RAM. It's the hacked bioses (which are based on debug bioses) that are aware of the additional ram but using those on live will get you banned because of the bios anyhow Point being I've never been banned on my 128 MB box nor have I heard of it ever happening simply because of the ram, usually its user error while in a hacked bios mode.

A@ron

[MuscularPigeon]

ok i just wanted to know because i can only afford one xbox so i want to use that xbox to launch my apps and backups and play xbox live.
Thanks for the help

[A@ron]

I don't think Id attempt the ram upgrade myself if I could afford only one xbox. What if you mess it up?

A@ron

[lookformeb]

It's pretty hard to mess up a RAM upgrade to the point your Xbox isn't functional.  Even if you lift a pad where the RAM sits, it will still boot.

[A@ron]

yes meb you are correct but you have to remember the type of impatient people that read these messages here. Not to mention it is semi easy to knock off one of those small capacitors around the ram on the underside and mess things up. I mean if people can do it to the LPC resistors they can do it to the capacitors around the ram (about the same distance away too). My official stance is if you can only afford 1 mobo and cant really afford a screw up, find someone to do it for you like myself or soon lookformeb I believe will be doing them.

A@ron

[WeatherB]

Totally agree with A@ron... If you have any problems installing mod chips (especially D0), then do NOT attempt a ram upgrade.

I consider myself very competent when it comes to soldering, and this RAM upgrade made me go insane!  

[tester123]

I have to disagree with anyone who says it hard to mess up a ram upgrade. If you bridge the pad (can be microscopic), you're going to FRAG. Yes, even if you remove the memory you attempted to solder, you're still going to FRAG. Its VERY difficult to find and remove solder bridging a pad. I had to use a microscope (yes, a bridge can be that small) to locate the bridged pad, and a special low heat compound to remove it. Trust me; I fixed a plethora of memory upgrade attempts when I was fixing busted boxes here.

ONLY professionals should attempt such a feat, and even then it's still going to be tough.

This post has been edited by tester123: Apr 15 2004, 02:10 PM

[lookformeb]

A@ron, you're right... sometimes I forget about those little things... since I never mess with em.  

QUOTE

I have to disagree with anyone who says it hard to mess up a ram upgrade. If you bridge the pad (can be microscopic), you're going to FRAG.

When I said "It's pretty hard to mess up a RAM upgrade to the point your Xbox isn't functional" I meant, to the point where you can not recover your mobo.  But then again, I agree with A@ron.

QUOTE

Yes, even if you remove the memory you attempted to solder, you're still going to FRAG

Uhhh, why do you say that?

I will admit, the very first one I tried yesterday didn't go as well as I hoped.  Actually, all of it did but one piece of memory.  I managed to get excited towards the end (being the first RAM upgrade) and soldered it SLIGHTLY off center (which makes a HUGE amount of difference).  I could tell, at the end, I had some bridging going on just because of that, so I removed it all ouf of disgust and anger.

So I took a nice, lonh 4 hour break from soldering and gave it another shot on a different motherboard... this time with much more patience and attention to minute detail.  By doing that, it went much more smotthly than the first attempt.  It booted on first try.    

[tester123]

QUOTE (lookformeb @ Apr 15 2004, 10:44 AM)

Uhhh, why do you say that? I will admit, the very first one I tried yesterday didn't go as well as I hoped.  Actually, all of it did but one piece of memory.  I managed to get excited towards the end (being the first RAM upgrade) and soldered it SLIGHTLY off center (which makes a HUGE amount of difference).  I could tell, at the end, I had some bridging going on just because of that, so I removed it all ouf of disgust and anger. So I took a nice, lonh 4 hour break from soldering and gave it another shot on a different motherboard... this time with much more patience and attention to minute detail.  By doing that, it went much more smotthly than the first attempt.  It booted on first try.

Yeah, I under stand where you're coming from, but if the pads are bridged it will be hell cleaning them. Well, if you remove the the chips, you're more than likely going to have a solder bridge.

To salvage your other board, use "chipquik" to help release the memory chips (low temp SMD removal, the next best thing to a workstation). Then apply some flux to a q-tip, heat the pads and run the q-tip back and forth (right beside the iron). Then use a tooth-brush (firm bristle) to help scub away any residue or "floating" solder. Then repet until she boots back up.