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[SaintBen]

Hi all

Today I attempted to softmod my Xbox using the instructions here: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=496263

I attempted to hotswap the HDD, but my PC couldn't recognise it. Then I realised I'd plugged the IDE cable into my PC's motherboard the wrong way round. Now the Xbox won't recognise the HDD either.

Have I killed the HDD? Any advice on how to recover?

Thanks

[obcd]

QUOTE

Now the Xbox won't recognise the HDD either.

What do you mean by that? What happens if you boot the xbox with the harddisk in it?

In a worst case scenario where you damaged your harddisk, you have 2 options to recover.

1. You can install a modchip, either temporary to have access to your xbox eeprom, or permanent.
2. You can build yourself an eeprom reader to have access to your xbox eeprom.

In both cases, you will need a lockable harddisk of at least 8 gig's as a replacement disk.

regards.

[SaintBen]

Thanks, obdc.

When the HDD's connected, I will either just get a black screen or the opening animation will freeze part way through. Sometimes the sound file that accompanies the animation plays through while the picture is frozen. No error messages. Front light stays green.

Should I assume that I've encountered the worst case scenario and pursue one of the options you've outlined, do you think?

[obcd]

Try to boot the xbox without the harddisk and dvd drive connected. See if it boots into an error screen. If you have an old (pc) harddisk lying around, you can connect that one for a test. The xbox should boot into an error 5 screen (harddisk not locked). If all those work as expected, you very likely have the worst case scenario.

regards.

[SaintBen]

Just carried out both of your suggestions and each resulted in an error 7. Any idea what this could indicate given we were expecting an error 5?

[Bomb Bloke]

Error 07 means the console can't find a HDD installed. This is either because there isn't one, or the attached drive is dead. This "spare" drive you tested - Does that one work if you shove it in a PC?

Error 05 is thrown by a softmodded box with an unlocked HDD installed. This is what you'd expect that spare drive to have come up with (it would've at least confirmed that the X-Box was reading the drive correctly - since you didn't get an 05, that implies the console itself might be damaged).

Your symptoms are very unusual; it could be the TSOP chip is for who knows what reason suddenly dieing (in which case a modchip should fix the problem), or it could be a problem with the IDE cable. A bad line to the DVD drive, for example, has been known to cause "staggered" startups or false error 07s.

Remove all cables from the DVD and HDD, then re-attach them. Make sure there aren't any bent pins in the sockets.

[SaintBen]

Thanks, Bomb Bloke.

I've just checked the pins and they look fine. I also replaced the IDE cable, but to no avail.

The test HDD I used works fine in my PC.

Looks like I'll be paying for chip installed by a professional, eh?

[SaintBen]

This is interesting -- not sure whether it's related to my problem, though:

My Xbox is giving me electric shocks when I touch the metal chassis on my PC and Xbox at the same time even though both power cords are unplugged. It doesn't happen, however, when the Xbox's AV cable is disconnected.

Does this info provide any insights to anybody?

[obcd]

If a unit doesn't has a ground wire in it's power connector, it is possible that the chassis has a voltage that can be measured between that chassis and ground. Your pc power cable is disconnected, but maybe your pc monitor is connected, and that one has a ground wire. So, in that case, you have a current flow from your television to your xbox chassis, trough your body to the pc chassis, and trough the video cable to your monitor and GND.

Those voltages are dangerous when you do things like hotswapping.
For that reason they say you should connect the shield of your xbox to the case of your pc before you attempt to hotswap.

It's never a good idea to connect a PC without a proper ground wire either.
The pc chassis can carry a voltage, and when you connect something to that pc, the voltage can damage the port to which you connect that equipment. I even have an external USB harddisk that creates a little spark when I plug it's USB connector in the pc. The harddisk supply doesn't has a ground wire, so the chassis of the disk enclosure carries some voltage. The pc chassis is at ground potential.

regards.

[Bomb Bloke]

Very true. In fact, if I plug take my USB thumb drive out of my pocket and plug it into my compy, it's guaranteed to lock up on the spot (unless I first tap the metal connector thingy on the metal insides of the PC case, hence grounding it into that instead of my USB ports).

My motherboard is a piece of rubbish but you get the basic idea.

[SaintBen]

Thanks again, odbc and Bomb Bloke -- that's interesting stuff.

Anyway, I've dropped the Xbox off at a local shop to get a mod chip installed. Hopefully that will resolve my problems.