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[opjose]

1 - Failure of the connectivity test is NOT a mod chip issue at all!

The connectivity test SHOULD succeed even if your box is chipped.

If it fails there are kerberos/handshaking problems at work which may be related to misconfiguration or problems at MS's servers.

The failure will occur with new non-modded systems as well, and seems to be somewhat random.

2 - Upon an initial XBLive connect via a game (if connectiviity is good), your Xbox will receive an "update".

This update is capable of detecting the Mod chip and retail CD.

It does NOT matter if your XBox is chipped or not, during the update process.

3 - After the update if you start an XBLive game (and connectivity is good) your mod chip will be detected if on. This will prevent your from connecting to the game servers. The troubleshooting dialog will still NOT report any trouble.

4 - If you turn OFF the mod chip on the same machine (without connectivity issues) the same RETAIL games will play fine.

5 - The problem is NOT related to ANY software on the hard drives nor kernel & Bios VERSIONS.

I've run 4034 bioses on 3894(?) machines and XBLive works fine.

The Dashboard used once the update is complete is the SAME for all Xboxes.

I've unlocked and swapped out hard drives from IDENTICAL working and nonworking Xboxes, then relocked. The problem ALWAYS travels with the motherboard itself.

6 - Machines are NOT detected and BANNED over time. I've had units WITH mod chips on line since the start of the retail period.

Simply turning OFF the mod chip restores game operation on retail games.

7 - Accounts are NOT detected and BANNED over time. I've used the SAME accounts in all cases as a further check.

8 - This is NOT an IP or MAC address issue. I've swapped both on many non-working and working machines, again the problem stays with the motherboard.

It MAY be related to the serialization of the motherboard's EEPROM.

E. G. Certain serial numbers are not being accepted or more correctly replied to by the servers.

9 - This (connectivity) is NOT related to how old the machines were or if they EVER had a mod chip installed.

Old machines both work and not work as observed above.

10 - This is NOT a "banned" serial number problem.

New unchipped machines, old unchipped machines exhibit identical problems.

In all cases the machines never get a response from the server.

A banned machine will receive a not-authenticated reply from the server. This never happens (YET!).

11 - MS is spreading FUD about this entire process.

They are purposely misreporting what is occuring and/or their techs are not up to speed, etc.

The on-line techs also seem not to know what is going on.

12 - This is occuring with great frequency on non-modded Xboxes.

It is unlikely that MS will take back 30% of all Xboxes out there for repairs since they do not work on XBLive.

13 - Bottom line:
If you get connecitivity in the Xblive tab, turn off your mod chip and PLAY!

14 - You will need to be able to disable the mod chip via a switch or other type mechanism to go onto XBLive games.

15 - There are no ill effects to be had by leaving your mod chip ON.

[opjose]

QUOTE (Kickace1616 @ Nov 16 2002, 01:54 AM)

ok but how do you get connectivity in the first place to update?? you said that after the update, if you turn off ur modchip, you will be able to play games fine, thats if you can connect in the first place. If i accidently forgot to turn off my modchip once & it doesn't let me play--would i never be able to use xb live again or would all i have to do is turn of my modchip & retry?? Another question: What happens if you connect for the first time with the modchip on & try to update??

                                    I don't understand how I can be more clear about this.

CONNECTIVITY is not a mod chip issue.

GAMEPLAY via LIVE -IS-.

If you get NO connectivity via the XBLive tab, then you are screwed until MS gets around to fixing the problem, (if ever).

The key is that VERY VERY LAST ICON on the test page!

If you GET connectivity via the TAB then you can play XBLive w/o any problems IF and only IF you turn OFF your mod chip.

Doing so requires that your hard drive be locked of course.

XBlive does NOT care about larger locked hard drives.

[Satan00]

opjose anyway we can boot backups?
like boot the backup and then turn off your mod while xbox is on?

[Malafax]

Perfect explination of the problem OPJose! I can only imagine how long this took you to map out so exactly. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks.

In addition though, I have the connectivity issue on my chipped box BUT I was able to connect to the XBL service before like 11/12/02 for a couple of days. My point being that the situation is not hopeless I was able to connect before but now I am not.

[pike-old]

Most folk who fail the connectivity test, DID, AT SOME POINT, HAVE A CONNECTION, AND A CHIP TOO!


Folk with a chip and still getting connectivity have got a design of chip that will work if switched off - fair play and well done to anyone with a modchip that has a switch or is a mode 3 matrix


BUT, you MUST accept, if someone did have a working connection and a chip, and their setup has not changed, and now they get 'not found'  then their chip HAS been detected and they have been zapped - the only thing to have happened in between being the MS forced update....


Finally if you have a virgin box and no connection thwen you have a tech support issue and the right to satisfaction/refund

[opjose]

QUOTE (Kickace1616 @ Nov 16 2002, 02:00 AM)

i knew that conectivity is not a modchip issue, i was just simply asking if someone found a way to get conectivity. once again: if i have my modchip on once i get conectivity, i know i will not be able to play---but will all i have to do is turn of my modchip & retry or will it never work since i tried with my modchip??

                                    I did answer your question in the original post.

It doesn't matter if you EVER connect with a mod chip or not.

Connectivitity is NOT mod chip related.

Game play -IS-.

Disable the mod chip (if you have connectivity) and play away.

Didn't you see the line where I said this?

Enable the mod chip and try to connect, and you'll eventually be brought to the "XBLive could not connect" screen in the game.

This offers you the opportunity to try the troubleshooter.

If you try the troubleshooter it will report NO problems whatsoever.

Turn off the MOD chip and reboot, and you are fine again!

[Satan00]

can you disable the mod while hte xbox is on?  iwanna boot my backups and then disable mod

[opjose]

QUOTE (pike @ Nov 16 2002, 02:04 AM)

Most folk who fail the connectivity test, DID, AT SOME POINT, HAVE A CONNECTION, AND A CHIP TOO! Folk with a chip and still getting connectivity have got a design of chip that will work if switched off - fair play and well done to anyone with a modchip that has a switch or is a mode 3 matrix BUT, you MUST accept, if someone did have a working connection and a chip, and their setup has not changed, and now they get 'not found'  then their chip HAS been detected and they have been zapped - the only thing to have happened in between being the MS forced update.... Finally if you have a virgin box and no connection thwen you have a tech support issue and the right to satisfaction/refund

                                    GAWD! ARE YOU FULL OF IT!

I've now replied to this trite trash soo many times I can't believe it.


IT HAPPENS ON NEW UNCHIPPED XBOXES!

NEW, meaning never used!
NEVER CONNECTED.
NEVER CHIPPED!

WHAT IS NOT TO UNDERSTAND?

This is -NOT- a mod chip detection issue.

PERIOD!

[opjose]

QUOTE (Satan00 @ Nov 16 2002, 02:05 AM)

can you disable the mod while hte xbox is on?  iwanna boot my backups and then disable mod

                                    Nope: Way ahead of you.

I tried this, it doesn't work.

You wouldn't believe all the difference combinations I tried since early this morning.

It pays to have 6 machines laying around to facilitate this.

[Kickace1616]

thanks for the very fast reply

do you think i shoudl attempt to flash my eeprom with the anonymous eeprom since you said that it may be the serial that is causing the connection problems??

what are the chances of my xbox breaking?? do you think i should take the chance??

[opjose]

QUOTE (Kickace1616 @ Nov 16 2002, 02:00 AM)

Thanks for the post, it will help alot of people. i knew that conectivity is not a modchip issue, i was just simply asking if someone found a way to get conectivity. once again: if i have my modchip on once i get conectivity, i know i will not be able to play---but will all i have to do is turn of my modchip & retry or will it never work since i tried with my modchip once?? You said this: It MAY be related to the serialization of the motherboard's EEPROM. E. G. Certain serial numbers are not being accepted or more correctly replied to by the servers. ----Do you think i shoudl flash my eeprom to the anonymous eeprom release?? i have never flashed my eeprom, what are thw chances of my xbox not working??

                                    According to Xboxhacker.net, changing the serial numbers does not seem to work (yet).

It may be that they simply utilized non-working or inappropriate serial numbers in the EEPROM though.

[Malafax]

So if the problem with connectivity follows the MB hardware and not the moded xbox then M$  must be obligated to fix the problem. The connectivity problem we are seeing then is related to some kind of oversight on M$'s XBL server farms and not the fault of consumer xbox's, modded or un modded.

If we have the connectivity problem then we simply have to wait and see what happens over the next few days.

[opjose]

QUOTE (pike @ Nov 16 2002, 02:10 AM)

OPCODE - I have some mist clearing. My mates xtender xbox has no connectivity issues. You say, fit a switch and it will work I suspect 'leave it a week' and it will revert to 'not found' How, then, under your system, do we explain his 1 week working xecutor with switch, that now is 'not found'.... Finally, his xtender 1.1 - disregarding fitting a switch. He has an untouched drive and whatever bios came with the xtender - it's not evos or anything - looks like the normal dash. Would you recommend burning a virgin dash to cd to try and revert back? Under your theory that should work? No?

                                    NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

I too have a machine that worked before, then quit working last week during the switchover, and no longer works at all, mod chip or not.

The machine was NEVER on long enough last week to receive any update or have the mod chip detected, yet it's stopped working. Prior to that it worked just fine.

Now even with the update it doesn't work while other chipped machines do.

CONNECTIVITY is a seperate problem. It IS NOT related to mod chip detection.

Please re-read the above sentance until you understand as I keep saying this over and over to you!

If his machine fails the connectivity test, then currently NOTHING you can do will work.

Nada, zip, zero (as of yet until someone figures out something I'm unaware off!).

[Satan00]

has anyone been blacklisted yet??

[opjose]

QUOTE (Malafax @ Nov 16 2002, 02:14 AM)

So if the problem with connectivity follows the MB hardware and not the moded xbox then M$  must be obligated to fix the problem. The connectivity problem we are seeing then is related to some kind of oversight on M$'s XBL server farms and not the fault of consumer xbox's, modded or un modded.

                                    This may very well be.

We don't know for sure, though if you think about it, it is a VERY likely scenario.

How long it will take (if they do attempt a fix) may be dependant upon how many people complain about NEW (and old) unchipped machines not working.

If they get a deluge of complaints, then they may actually do something about it to all of our benefit.

Bottom line: Turn off Mod chip, XBLive works if you have no connectivity issues.

Think about it.

This is all M-I-C-R-O-S-O-F-T needs!

Now you need to go out and buy the games if you want to play online.

Good solution for them, an inconvenience for us, but not a horrible problem.

After playing a game I just might indeed like it enough (if I'm addicted to on-line play) to go out and get it for this reason.