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[Bomb Bloke]

BIOS files can either be flashed into the console's TSOP or onto a modchip. To make the TSOP flashable you need to open the system, and likewise if you wish to put a modchip in there.

You already have the chip, so odds are the system doesn't need to be opened again.

There are a few different types of Xecutor chips. I assume the flash process is the same between all of them, but never having used a modchip I wouldn't know. On the other hand, on what basis are you saying the system has an Xecutor chip? Because the console comes up with that logo during boot, or were you specifically told by the guy who setup the system that that's what's in there?

Many dashboards have a "system info" page hidden away somewhere that will have a go at identifying your current BIOS. If they don't recognise it, they'll usually say it's "unknown" (there's quite a few different ones out there).

[Heimdall]

Are there any external switches on the Xbox (like the one top right, third picture down here, or seventh picture down here, or at the bottom of the third picture down here)?

Install and run BIOSChecker, it will give you a chip ID that can be helpful in narrowing down the chip type - or at the very least allow you to work out what size BIOS the chip can hold.

[k8track]

It's definitely an Xecuter chip; the logo comes up on the screen at startup, and there is an external switch module.  Heimdall provided a picture of the exact one in the third link (I've cropped it):

(IMG:http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y218/k8track/xecuterchip.jpg)

I went into Settings and couldn't see any explicit mention of which BIOS it's using, but under Settings - Main Options - Misc Info, I did see this: Xbox 1.6 detected.  Does all of this help to narrow down things somewhat?

Should I still go ahead and install and run BIOSchecker, and if so, could you tell me how to do that?  Or if not, any suggestions on how to proceed from this point?  Is this either an Xecuter or Avalaunch issue, and should I post a question in one of those forums?  Thanks.

(SO close!)

[Heimdall]

So you have an X3 - that's excellent news. Press and hold the white controller button while you boot, and if you have an X3 BIOS it should load X3 config live. At that point you'll be able to check the BIOS version easily, reflash a new BIOS, set up how the BIOS uses the disk, etc.

This post has been edited by Heimdall: Apr 8 2009, 04:29 PM

[k8track]

QUOTE(Heimdall @ Apr 8 2009, 10:28 AM)

So you have an X3 - that's excellent news. Press and hold the white controller button while you boot, and if you have an X3 BIOS it should load X3 config live. At that point you'll be able to check the BIOS version easily, reflash a new BIOS, set up how the BIOS uses the disk, etc.

I guess I should be thankful I have an X3!  Quick question, though, do I need to be connected to the network for any of this to work?  I'm actually not (and really have no way to do so).

Held in the white button, and got this menu:
• X3 Config Live
• BIOS Tools
• Disk Tools
• EEprom Tools
• Settings
• Hardware Info

I would assume what I need is under BIOS Tools?  The submenu for that is:
• Flash Main Rom
• Flash Backup Rom
• BIOS Bank Select
• BIOS Bank Naming

Here's the part where I admit that I really have no idea what "Flash" means or does, other than that it's necessary.  (I don't even know what "TSOP" means either, for that matter.)  Again, just think of me as a young (but polite and patient) child who doesn't know any of this.  I just need a simple walkthrough as to how to proceed from here.  I do appreciate all the help!

[Heimdall]

At the top of the screen it will tell you which BIOS you are using - it will say X3 detected: Build xxxx. If xxxx is 3294 then you have the latest BIOS. If you have a different version post back and I'll talk you through the update.

If your BIOS is 3294 then select Disk Tools - New Hard Drive Upgrade - Click Here To Set LBA48 Option - F Drive upto 137GB - G Drive gets the rest, then select Use Saved Partition Table = Enabled. Reboot, and your F and G should now be visible.

[k8track]

QUOTE(Heimdall @ Apr 8 2009, 08:36 PM)

If your BIOS is 3294 then select Disk Tools - New Hard Drive Upgrade - Click Here To Set LBA48 Option - F Drive upto 137GB - G Drive gets the rest, then select Use Saved Partition Table = Enabled. Reboot, and your F and G should now be visible.

My BIOS is 3294, so I went ahead and followed those steps exactly; after I selected the "F Drive upto 137GB - G Drive gets the rest" option, I could not select a "Use Saved Partition Table = Enabled" option; rather, it said "Use Saved Partition Table = Disabled".  Could you tell me how to enable it?  Thanks.

[Heimdall]

Select it and press A - it toggles between enabled and disabled.

[k8track]

QUOTE(Heimdall @ Apr 9 2009, 03:01 PM)

Select it and press A - it toggles between enabled and disabled.

You know, I thought that was probably it, but I was afraid that there was a chance it would permanently set it to disabled!  Guess I shouldn't have been such a chicken.

I'm at my office right now but will do that as soon as I get home!  Quick question, am I stuck with the "137GB in F - Rest in G" split, or, after rebooting, can I go back into XBP 1.1 and split it the way I would like to?

Almost there!

[Heimdall]

Don't worry, you aren't stuck with that split. You aren't changing the disk at all, you are configuring the BIOS to tell it how to handle the disk. I'm fairly certain that "Use Saved Partition Table = Enabled" overrides the other settings, and tells the BIOS to read the partition table from the disk, so you shouldn't need to rerun XBPartitioner - it should read the one that XBPartitioner already put on the disk. Setting the BIOS to "F Drive upto 137GB - G Drive gets the rest" is just a sensible fallback, in case the BIOS works illogically!