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[LBFanGirl]

I apoligize if this is wrong place for this, but i didn't know where else too ask. I just recently had my duox2 cornflash bios or whatever it's called modchip installed in my Xbox and got it back today. Now i have a modchip in my PS2 as well, but when i put the burned/backup games in that, they come straight on, just like i expected too. Now im hearing that i need too flash my bios or something too play my burned game on my xbox. I don't even know what a bios is exactly.....or understand what comes up when i turn my xbox on....can anyone help me out....how do i flash my bios or whatever ?? i dont care what else the chip might offer i just want too play backups, and that's it ??!? And does this whole flashing buisness has too be done everytime u want too play a game ?

[spartan105]

Ok, you need to flash a bios onto your chip only because, the modchip is legal out of the box, so it cant play backups until you flash it. Flashing only needs to be done once. Flashing a bios means saving a bios (which allows you to play backups) onto the chip - the original xbox bios doesnt allow backups.

Find Xbox Version
First thing you need to know is what version of an xbox you have. If you dont know, you might have to open your xbox up, check this link to find out your version:
http://xbox-scene.com/versions.php

If somebody else installed your modchip, contact them to find out your version.

Flash Your Bios
Secondly, to flash your bios, you either need to burn a cd-rw, or a dvd (not just a cd-r, xbox doesnt read those), or hook up your xbox to your computer with an ethernet cable (internet cable, found on the back of the xbox) and you must do a network flash.


How to do that ^ ?
To do either of these, you need to get a bios first. Where do you get bioses? Xbins. This whole process may seem complicated, and in a way it is, but I'll try to help. Xbins is just an ftp server where you download the files to your computer (you specifically need a bios, specific to your version of xbox). You can learn how to use xbins here:
http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/xbins.php

Now, before you get a bios, remember your xbox version. Xbox versions range to 1.0 to 1.6 and 1.6b. If you have versions 1.0 to 1.5 xbox, you need to get the corresponding bios (these are usually labelled "old", or 1.0-1.5, or "06"). If you have a 1.6 or 1.6b, you need to get the bios probably labelled "new", "67", or 1.6.


Getting the Bios
Now, you have your xbox version. Go to xbins, and once you have logged in, navigate through the following folders:
Xbox > bios > Xecuter > Xecuter 2 > MULTI-VERSION >

Now grab the x2.4983 bios and open it with winrar (http://www.rarlabs.com ) or winzip (http://www.winzip.com ) and unzip it.
Select your version of bios, (based on your version, please read above).

Flashing the Bios
Now you must either burn it to a cd-rw/dvd, or network flash it. I would reccomend network flashing, if you have a spare ethernet cable.

Network flashing:
If you have a router or a modem, disconnect the end that attaches to the router or modem from the cable going to your computer, and attach that to your xbox in the back.
If you have dial-up (56k), and are lacking an ethernet cable (one that fits into the jack on the back of the xbox), then burn the cd-rw / dvd.

You have 2 possible screens you are seeing on your xbox when you turn it on, either the flashbios 3.0.3 screen, or the cromwell screen. Both have network flashing options, but each is slightly different. Turn on your xbox and note which one.
To find out how to network flash, go to the flashbios link and click on "http". (I only can show you how to network flash in flashbios, you must either find out yourself for the cromwell screen, or just burn a cd-rw/dvd, as seen below, depending on what screen you are seeing (cromwell or flashbios):

To flash via cd-rw/dvd:

Flashbios:
http://www.teamxecuter.com/flashbios/cd.htm
(you may choose the "http" link for finding out how to network flash)

Cromwell:
To flash your chip using this bios you will need the bios disc (find out how to make it at the flashbios link above - follow the same cd-rw/dvd making steps), and the Eurasia Pro Generic Flash Disc 1.22 (or newer). Download Eurasia off of #xbins and burn the ISO either to a CD-RW or a DVD-R using the newest version of Nero(preferably) or another disc burning program.
In your burning program (ie. Nero Burning Rom), choose:
 recorder > burn disc from Image
and find the eurasia .ISO file, click ok.

Insert the Eurasia Pro Generic Flash Disc 1.2(or newer) at the cromwell screen. It will then flash the chip.
(I think it will then ask you for the first disc, which you must enter at the prompt)



Thats all, now you can play backup games!

Good luck!

P.S Post if you have trouble, hopefully I can help more, or someone else can. If you  thought this was a good reply, add to my reputation, on the left (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Appreciate it.

This post has been edited by spartan105: Feb 8 2006, 05:55 AM

[novakpower]

Nicely done Spartan.  Also you can try Hackdabox's Flash Guide.

[gjm]

Concise guide, just to point out:

"these are usually labelled "old", or 1.0-1.5, or "06". If you have a 1.6 or 1.6b, you need to get the bios probably labelled "new", "67", or 1.6."

06 and 67 doesn't have to do with Xbox versions - it's to do with LBA48 and where space above 137gig on your hard drive is assigned to.. (ie partition 6 only or spread across 6 and 7)

[LBFanGirl]

Hey guys, thankz for your help, i know this kinda late, but some things prevented me from getting around too this up until now. Anyway, i was going too try the disc cd/dvd flashing method, but it looks too hard. So im now trying the network flashing. But i had a few questions.

1. navigate through the following folders:
Xbox > bios > Xecuter > Xecuter 2 > MULTI-VERSION >

Alright, so i follow what that says exactly, but then pick the one based on my version. Im alittle confused here. Isnt the Xecuter the name of another modchip ??..with that being some diffrent from Duox2 does that even matter if i click those folders ??..also i notice before i clicked multi-version, i saw cornwell flashbios or whatever something like that..does that have too do with anything ? And if i do unzip the files, what am i suppose too see exactly ? by the way i have V 1.0 xbox just too make note of that.

2. To find out how to network flash, go to the flashbios link and click on "http". (I only can show you how to network flash in flashbios, you must either find out yourself for the cromwell screen, or just burn a cd-rw/dvd, as seen below, depending on what screen you are seeing (cromwell or flashbios):

How do i found out how too do a network flash with the cromwell screen exactly because that what comes up on mine and im not really too interested in doing the CDR/DVDR one because i don't really understand that one..with the whole dummy files and that other stuff.

This post has been edited by LBFanGirl: Feb 21 2006, 02:41 AM

[gjm]

1. Xecuter is the name of another modchip yes - but they also make BIOS' which are suitable for most other modchips. You should use the Xecuter 4983 BIOS located XBOX > bios > Xecuter > Xecuter2 > MULTI_VERSION for your DuoX2 on a v1.0 Xbox. Don't worry about seeing Cromwell also on the FTP - that is what you have already got on your modchip.
Once you have unzipped (unrar'd) the files - you should see the .bin file - this is your BIOS.

2. It is not possible to do a network flash with Cromwell. Your DuoX2 has 2 banks on it (so it can hold 2 BIOS') - one of them comes with Cromwell (can only be flashed by burning CDRW/DVDR discs), the other comes with FlashBIOS (which supports network flash). If you want to do a network flash, you must use FlashBIOS. So you must flick the small switch on the chip itself over to the other position and boot up the Xbox from there.



Have you got the Xbox case open? It sounds like somebody fitted this chip for you - really they should have flashed the BIOS for you but i guess they didn't.

In my opinion you should open up the case, so you have access to the mod chip, for 2 reasons:

1. You will be able to flick the switch and boot from the FlashBIOS bank and use Network flashing option.
2. Just before you are about to flash the BIOS to the modchip, you should flick the bank switch over to the other bank (using something non-metal), so that if you make a mistake when flashing your BIOS, you still have the good bank available and can have another go. This is highly recommended!


One other thing to note - you must make sure your BIOS is 512kb in size for the DuoX2. I think the Xecuter 4981 BIOS is 256k - it probably comes with some utility to help you resize it, but another easy way to resize it is to open up the command prompt and issue the following command in the directory where your bios.bin file is located:

copy /b bios.bin+bios.bin newbios.bin

That would take the 256k bios.bin file and resize it to 512kb named newbios.bin

[LBFanGirl]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif) Well opening the xbox is out of the question for me so i guess i have too go with the DVD/CD-RW one. So just a few more questions.

1. Is there any kinda CD-RW/DVD brand thats guarnteed too work  for an xbox with the thompsan drive ? I heard i had the worst one and i dont waste any mony on disc.

2. In this link, they show how too make a flash bios disc.
 
http://www.teamxecuter.com/flashbios/cd.htm

But i notice when i get down too the part where u have too drag over the bios.bin and dummy.bin, i get conused. How do i obtain or create those two files ?

3. About Eurasia Pro Generic Flash Disc 1.22,  how do i get that as well , it says go too the xbin, which i do in Mirc but i never saw anything regarding that, does that something to do with flash XP as well ?

[gjm]

The tutorial which you are reading there is for FlashBIOS. You stated before that you are not using FlashBIOS, but are using Cromwell. If this is indeed the case then that FlashBIOS tutorial is irrelevant. Even so it should be clear by now that the bios.bin file it refers to is the BIOS which you have downloaded (Xecuter 4983) - and of course RESIZED to 512kb.

Eurasia can be found, you didn't look hard enough. /XBOX/bios/bios tools/Eurasia Flash Disc/

I would say the burning process is slightly easier with Eurasia (no dummy files etc) although it does requre you to burn two discs. There are clear instructions in the Eurasia download, read them.


As for brands of media - nothing is guaranteed. I have used some old TraxData Audio CDRW's and they have worked on all versions of Xbox's for me - also i have had good results with Ritek05 DVD-R's although they have failed on the odd Xbox. As long as you get quality CDRW or DVD-R you *should* be ok.


Just to note - you must make ABSOLUTELY sure that you have the correct BIOS, resized correctly (512kb). If you flash the BIOS incorrectly then you will have no choice but to open up the Xbox and use the FlashBIOS bank to flash the chip.

This post has been edited by gjm: Feb 21 2006, 04:19 AM

[LBFanGirl]

Well i just resized and renamed the bios(x2_4983.06_256k.bin to bios.bin), and im guessin it's the correct one, there was only two bios files and as someone noted above..

QUOTE

If you have versions 1.0 to 1.5 xbox, you need to get the corresponding bios (these are usually labelled "old", or 1.0-1.5, or "06").

The thing i used too resize it was the xboxtool, they just had me pick the file, and saved, and it was 512 in an instant. Im not sure if thats the correct way, but they said u do it that way in one of the links posted in the previous post.

http://www.hackdabox.com/Duox2_Flashing.html

I also got the Eurasia now but havent burned either one yet. In the Eurasia instructions, they say, insert a dvdr or cdrw with your preferred xbox bios named bios.bin. Is that the second disc you were refering too when you say you have too burn two or was it suppose to be too ISO's for Eurasia ?

[gjm]

I havent used xboxtool personally but what you have done sounds correct.

With Eurasia - one disc is the Eurasia .iso - this comes complete in the download and you just burn it as an image. The other one is a standard PC data disk which has bios.bin on it. I'm writing this from my memory, just follow the instructions in the Eurasia readme.

[LBFanGirl]

QUOTE(gjm @ Feb 21 2006, 08:37 AM)

I havent used xboxtool personally but what you have done sounds correct.

With Eurasia - one disc is the Eurasia .iso - this comes complete in the download and you just burn it as an image. The other one is a standard PC data disk which has bios.bin on it. I'm writing this from my memory, just follow the instructions in the Eurasia readme.

Alright i followed the instructions and burned the Eurasia disc already and now im on the bios. ..When making the bios disc...cd-rw and dvd-r are optional as well right ? or do i just go with cd-rw's?  ? and do i just burn the bios.bin file on a black cd-rw/dvd-r by itself, are there no dummy files involved ? i havent read anything regarding them yet except on how too create them, but when i burn my bios disc, im going too need too drag that over with the bios.bin and im not sure what the size of the dummy file should be, or anything about it.

[gjm]

CD-RW and DVD-R should be fine. You will find out by trying.

Just read and follow what it says in the readme file. Honeslty the only other thing i can do to help you now is download Eurasia myself, and paste the relevant bit from the readme file (i'm not going to do that). Just read it and do as it tells you. I'm sure Eurasia supplies you with a few files which go on the disc with the bios.

[LBFanGirl]

Its ok now, it turned out i had downloaded eurasia_pro_generic_flash_disc_1.1 instead of 1.2.....sorry my mistake. Now i see everything and understand everything from here. Thank you for helping me gjm ^^, i really appreciate it.