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[techlogik]

Ok, I will throw in my two cents after installing the Matrix on v1.1 XBox and my experiences.

1) To understand most of the tutorials, go to http://www.google.com/intl/xx-hacker/

This is the hacker language search web page...may need the hacker to English translater at google also...hey, they rock at Google...

Sorry, but most of these "complete" guides and tutorials are about 30% of what you need to know, some better updated guides need to be available.  Plus, you need Google hacker language to understand, henceforth, the link above.  That is humor if you missed it....just kidding, well for the most part.

2) Don't believe anybody when they say it will just take 10 seconds to install your Matrix,  Or "you are and idiot and can't read if you can't get this working" crowd.

Don't believe the Exodus marketing hype.  You know the one I am talking about.   "Watch the video of my wife with her bad manicure and just see for yourself how simple this mod is!  10 second install!"  It is bullcrap.  It will take quit awhile to get this thing lined up due to new v1.1 board issues.  Good news...no soldering required, ok I lied, I had to do some soldering...and the best part of the Matrix, you can return your Xbox basically back to normal....except having to mess up the stickers on the bottom to get to the screws...could be a void warranty issue if your box breaks.

3) The v1.1 box solder spots on the connector block are suspect.  Two of them (I am guessing on purpose when they build this thing now) were not even with the green board and some were real high and rounded.  Pogo pin problems are coming, I could see this coming.  I filled the holes in with solder myself that were not even, are up to the top of the circuit board.  I stink at soldering by the way.  My hand was almost shaking trying not to fry something due to me not being a manufacturer of circuit boards like the average Taiwanese 10 year old child laborer.   Just have a very pointy solder iron and some very thin solder and stick it in the hole and melt it in.

4) Make the other block pins that are high, lower with solder iron, try to basically smooth them all out and make them all level, it made a huge difference.  Oh yea, I left out the part how for the past 30 minutes, before I did the solder part, I couldn't get this things to flash the lights properly.  I am trying to save you some frustration here!

5) Get the D0 hole right!!!  This is the deal breaker and my biggest problem (ask some girls I have been with, they will tell you the same thing).  You can look close and see where the D0 pogo pin made impressions on the MB due to my pressing hard thinking I was onto something three times...so be careful not to push too hard, but you have to with this mod somewhat...

Furthermore, with the design of the Matrix, and the MB being in the box, it is basically impossible to see if the pogo is in the correct D0 hole, but it is barely possible, get a flashlight in there and head close to see it.  Get that part lined up first, then press down, the other points should line up pretty easily, after solder smoothing technique.

6)  The whole washer thing  and method is suspect.  But, I pushed pretty hard and really strained my eyes to ensure I had the D0 lined up, hole etc...and held down real good with one hand.  Then turned on the power.

You may want to try and file the pogo pin on the D0 down to more of a point if possible.  If it can fit better into the hole, all of the "it worked today, moved the Xbox to my other room, and now it won't work" stuff you hear all the time.  Give it a try and let me know.

7) Hey, flashing green for a moment, then flashing red.  This is normal for v1.1!  Don't freak!
By the way, I left out the 45 minutes of not getting it right, I will spare you those painful details and frustration...just keep trying and working....

While holding down working Matrix, perform some amazing feat that your 3 year old daughter is supposed to perform easily in 10 seconds, and screw the son of a gun in place tighthly.  This is tricky, but I found it is the best way while the power is still on.  Power off and on again to ensure it still has good contact.  Then, switch to the mode 2 or whatever you want, and power off/on to ensure you got the solid green.

9) Flashed mine with D.6 before all of this by the way.

10) Turn on Xbox and see it work exactly as it did before the mod!?!?  Scratch head for awhile wondering why it looks identical to stock Xbox boot.  Well, because it is supposed to do that (gee tutorials on Xbox-scene, you guys really make that clear, same thing Exodus manual.  NOT, if you say the "Complete guide to Matrix, actually make it complete, not hacked up instructions.)  This is why that question is asked so often "How do I know my Matrix is working!?!"

If you create the standard ISO for the latest EvolutionX dashboard.  The way you know it is working is to boot off that CD.  When it does, there is one thing on the new D.6 flash when Evox is booting that says, Matrix Inside, at the bottom under the Green X upon startup.

Besides a colored BIOS, the only real way to tell is if you can boot off your ISO to install EvoX, or a ISO game.  Other than that, it ain't working, assuming a good ISO burn.

I don't have a colormod, and after 90 minutes of trying to get it lined up right, I don't feel like taking it back out now, search crappy IRC for some colormod bin in D.6 format that will take 3 weeks in the queue to get (if the morons on the channel don't ban you for saying Hi) then it has a CRC error when you WinRAR it because someone made the ISO with version 1 of WinRAR....oh great...this hobby it so fun...

11) I found Slayer's Evox boot disk, the latest of the newsgroup, it pretty nice for booting the system and getting a new hard drive installed and restore the system to original state with a big HD.  Pretty nice.  The EvoX dash CD booted fine also, and you can just use that as a starting point though.

12) By the way, my HP laptop wouldn't flash with WinLPC and the programmer.  "Couldn't find the Matrix message."  Hooked it up to my Dell PC, no problems, flashed right away.  So, watch out for that one.  Try another computer if it fails to detect your programmer and Matrix.

13) One last note, and sorry, I have no affiliation with this guy I swear, and if this is frowned upon, sorry . But I got my Matrix from http://www.spotted-h.../buymatrix.html

Not only did it show up in about 3 days after I ordered it, but he also throws in the longer/bigger screw people really need along with the washer to hold it into place.  All of this to my front door for $49.  I am glad I cancelled my EasyBuy order when I found him.

Props to Spotted-horse....legit and reliable...can't ask for much more...

Good luck to all......and thanks for everyone at www.xbox-scene.com and the people who put alot of hard work and effort into the Xbox, EvoX, etc...along with the tutorials, newsgroup and IRC.