Hi Ho
Reviving 1 year-old post?
Since the probability for the original poster to reappear is pretty low, I am going to hijack this thread!
I have a similar error, yet not quite the same:
My Xbox is hard-modded (no clue about the chip: evo-x icon during booting, no HD-lock necessary, hold power-button to boot w/ chip).
The error it shows: ca. 3 seconds after power on, it shuts off. After ca. 4 seconds off, it goes on again, but this time without the chip. Since my new HDD does not support HDlock, this results in an error screen.
It is most probably that this strange behaviour is caused by a HDD/DVD Revorder, which is directly below the Xbox. I assume it is inducting electricity into the XBox.
This thesis is backed up by two tests:
1. A friend brought his softmodded Xbox, placed it right above the HDD-Recorder, where the chipped Xbox used to sit. After booting this Xbox showed a never-before seen dashboard-screen (seemed like it was related to ltools)
2. Keeping the HDD-Recorder plugged out and thus completely powerless, the Xbox does not show any funny behaviour anymore.
Nevertheless, if the Xbox is already "zapped" by the HDD-Recorder, it will stay so for some time, even after unplugging it and trying in another room. The HDD-Recorder even "zapped" the XBox over a distance of about 35cm (~14") when powered on. Even in standby it "zapped" the Xbox sitting right above it.
Sometimes, however, a "zapped" Xbox succeeds in booting. After the critical phase (first few seconds) even a "zapped" Xbox keeps running smoothly.
I think this is more like a posting of a strange error, aiming for awareness of hardly possible influence between different devices.
I want to know if this kind of influence is even possible. Or may it be that my trouble is caused by the multi-outlet, which supports the Xbox, TV, Receiver, Decoder, HDD-Recorder, PC, Beamer, lights and a subwoover with energy. Yet this has never caused a circuit break. But I have to mention that once, the beamer also behaved strangely: it wouldn't go into standby (locked up before).