Topic: Bios Flash On X2 Lite (Read 72 times)

Drunken Uncle · « **on:** April 03, 2003, 02:03:00 PM »

Great site by the way, very helpful

StrongBad · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2003, 03:27:00 PM »

You can flash two different 512kb BIOS images on an X2 Lite without an 'eprom programmer or the soon to be released mod chip flasher'. First off, when Evox flashes the chip, it doesn't just flash the current bank, it erases and flashes the whole chip. So to take advantage of a dual BIOS system, all you have to do is use the X2 BIOS manager to construct a 1mb BIOS image using two different 512kb BIOS images. Then flash this 1mb image to your chip via Evox. On the chip side with jumpers pointing up, the bank select jumper is on the left. To switch between each BIOS before boot, place or remove this jumper. Alternatively, you can install a switch to perform the function of this jumper. People like this feature for booting, say, with different BIOS color mods.. etc.

Drunken Uncle · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2003, 06:06:00 PM »

this might be kind of a stupid question but can I just remove the flash jumper and leave it off, or should I put it back on after flashing? It wont have any effect on the the box if the jumper is off will it? No one else is gonna really be using it besides me so I cant imagine Id mistakenly flash it.

StrongBad · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2003, 06:17:00 PM »

QUOTE

I just ordered an x2lite myself and hed the same question about the process of flashing this chip through Evox. Is there a tutorial somewhere on how to build this 1mb bios with the x2bm? If not, explain to me how I correctly flash the chip so I can switch between x2 4974 and x2 4976.02 bioses.

Like this:
user posted image

As you can see, X2 BIOS Manager provides four banks for 256k sized images. For the X2 Lite, there is only one possible configuration (2x512k). For this example, we'll flash 4974 and 4976.02. Since I used the stock 256k images for each BIOS, I needed to clone them to make each a 512k image. All it requires is to copy and paste each BIOS to the adjacent bank. So I have 2x256k 4974 and 2x256k 4976.02. The overall image size is set at the lower left to 1024k. Save this image with the image options panel and flash to your chip via Evox.

From this example you can see why the X2 Pro is a little bit better than the Lite. As it can have several configurations (4x256k, 2x512k, 1x1024k).

VectorX · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2003, 10:59:00 PM »

QUOTE (StrongBad @ Apr 4 2003, 12:27 AM)

You can flash two different 512kb BIOS images on an X2 Lite without an 'eprom programmer or the soon to be released mod chip flasher'. First off, when Evox flashes the chip, it doesn't just flash the current bank, it erases and flashes the whole chip. So to take advantage of a dual BIOS system, all you have to do is use the X2 BIOS manager to construct a 1mb BIOS image using two different 512kb BIOS images. Then flash this 1mb image to your chip via Evox. On the chip side with jumpers pointing up, the bank select jumper is on the left. To switch between each BIOS before boot, place or remove this jumper. Alternatively, you can install a switch to perform the function of this jumper. People like this feature for booting, say, with different BIOS color mods.. etc.

Hey Strongbad, thanks for the help! I've just learned something new that wasn't hard for me to do. I've got two bios now.

Drunken Uncle · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2003, 12:11:00 PM »

Strong Bad, is that program just for x2pro or does that work with x2 lite if you get a programmer for it?

StrongBad · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2003, 12:18:00 PM »

QUOTE (Drunken Uncle @ Apr 4 2003, 09:11 PM)

Strong Bad, is that program just for x2pro or does that work with x2 lite if you get a programmer for it?

The program has two functions:

1. Managing BIOS images (X2L and X2P)
Once you create an image.. you can flash from within Evox without the need for a hardware flashing solution. If you have an X2P, however, you also have option #2.

2. Flashing modchip (X2P)
X2P connects with PC to provide flash capability directly. I do not know how the future X2L programmer will be treated.

japanwings · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2003, 12:29:00 PM »

What to do now?

spe411 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2003, 08:10:00 AM »

My filenames are:

x2_4974_Multiver_256k.bin

and

xecuter2_4976.02_multiver_256k.bin

These should work right?

?

spe411 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2003, 08:27:00 AM »

Here's a more complicated quetion.

The EVOX.ini file has all these "Rom =" lines where various bioses are listed. Do I need to add my bios to this list? What's this list do and what are all the characters after the bios name?

LouisCypher · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2003, 09:18:00 AM »

Hello:
I have been following the disscusion on flashing the bios and my question is this
I have a X2 pro with a 4 pin switch outside one to disable the mod chip. Once I create a dual bios with xbox bios manager and ftp to xbox and then flash with evox, do I use one of the remaining 3 pins to select the other bios?

Any help would be great
Thanks L.C.

DesertRat · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2003, 08:34:00 PM »

QUOTE (StrongBad @ Apr 4 2003, 03:17 AM)

QUOTE

I just ordered an x2lite myself and hed the same question about the process of flashing this chip through Evox. Is there a tutorial somewhere on how to build this 1mb bios with the x2bm? If not, explain to me how I correctly flash the chip so I can switch between x2 4974 and x2 4976.02 bioses.

Like this:
user posted image

As you can see, X2 BIOS Manager provides four banks for 256k sized images. For the X2 Lite, there is only one possible configuration (2x512k). For this example, we'll flash 4974 and 4976.02. Since I used the stock 256k images for each BIOS, I needed to clone them to make each a 512k image. All it requires is to copy and paste each BIOS to the adjacent bank. So I have 2x256k 4974 and 2x256k 4976.02. The overall image size is set at the lower left to 1024k. Save this image with the image options panel and flash to your chip via Evox.

From this example you can see why the X2 Pro is a little bit better than the Lite. As it can have several configurations (4x256k, 2x512k, 1x1024k).

Dude, this totally worked. Thanks!!
I have an Xbox v1.0 MB modded with an X-ecuter2 lite chip and a 120GB Western Digital HD. The X2l shipped with bios version X2_4973 xbox1.0 256k. I first upgraded my EvolutionX from v1.8.3285 to v1.8.3752 (After backing everything up of course). This was to get the latest flash update tool. Then I followed your instruction and downloaded the X2 Bios Manager. I setup the first 2 banks (Bank 0 & 1) with the old bios and the second two banks (Banks 2 & 3) with the new bios version Xecuter_4976.02_MultiVer_265k. Flashed the bios with Evox. Now I can use the Bios jumper on the chip to switch between the two. This also fixed my problem with running some newer games off the HD, but I did have to delete/reload them. Thanks again StrongBad.

echto · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2003, 10:27:00 PM »

QUOTE (spe411 @ Apr 5 2003, 08:27 AM)

Here's a more complicated quetion.

The EVOX.ini file has all these "Rom =" lines where various bioses are listed. Do I need to add my bios to this list? What's this list do and what are all the characters after the bios name?

My GOD MAN. Tutorials!!!!!!

DesertRat · « **Reply #13 on:** April 19, 2003, 08:06:00 AM »

QUOTE (mikey76 @ Apr 11 2003, 07:54 AM)

very good info here but one question, if i flash it then keep my x2 lite bios jumper unchanged with original 4973 in banks 0,1 and new 4976 in 2,3 which bios would come up after flash

I you leave the bios jumper on (which is the state mine came in) then it will boot with the bios in banks 0,1 which would be ver. 4973 for you.

Author Topic: Bios Flash On X2 Lite (Read 72 times)