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[teargas1]

[aliupdx]

Check the Power cords!!!

So I have a similar setup to Player X.  When the Xbox is in my bedroom, it is connected via that Replacement Power cord sent by MSFT.  When I take the Xbox downstairs to my front room to take it apart/test/etc, I plug it in using one of the power cords for the newer Xbox's.  

The Xbox was stuck in a scenario 3 in the bedroom, so I went to take it downstairs to take apart, but I plugged it in to test one last time and I got it unstuck like a scenario 2.  

I'm going to have to test this a whole bunch more times, but there may be something to the Power cord theory.  Either that, or bedrooms are kryptonite compared to front rooms.  

Next time I'm stuck in a scenario 3 in the bedroom, I'll try using a different power cord to see if it fixes it again.  

DJLink, any correlation with the power cord you're using?

[Artifex]

This is a bug caused by problems with the RTC (Real Time Clock) "emulation" in the mcpx.  The Xbox's RTC does not behave 100% like a standard RTC, and we have not yet been able to determine why the differences have been causing these issues.

The RTC is powered by a large aerogel capacitor which acts like a small battery.  When the xbox is unplugged, this capacitor keeps the RTC logic powered for a short period of time, ranging anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hours, depending on various factors.  Once the capacitor has drained (the "battery" has died) the RTC logic loses power, and thus it's non-volatile contents are lost.  This includes the current date, time, and "clock mode."  When the RTC regains power (by plugging it back in, the capacitor is recharged) it is in a corrupted state, which XeniumOS can not properly process.

Setting the clock in the MS dashboard will fully reconfigure the RTC's data, thus making it again processable by XOS.  Booting into the recovery firmware causes the RTC to become partially reconfigured (as a side effect of something compleatly unrelated, actually) and XeniumOS can process it enough to at least boot. (although the internal time/date structures will contain junk data, and you should still go into the ms dash as soon as possible and set the clock, to avoid improper timestamps on files and whatnot.)

We are continuing to investigate this long-standing issue, and will produce a fix when we have one.

--Arti

[XBox2107]

ok this went from scenario 3 to a dead xbox..
i removed the chip and let my lil bro play halo 2 so da xbox could get used 2 runnin through its own system, almost finishing a level it turned off and it powers on for less then a sec and goes off, no lights light up even with da chip...im sure the power supply is fine

[mitchafi]

[DJLink]

QUOTE(Artifex @ Jun 8 2005, 01:03 AM)

This is a bug caused by problems with the RTC (Real Time Clock) "emulation" in the mcpx.  The Xbox's RTC does not behave 100% like a standard RTC, and we have not yet been able to determine why the differences have been causing these issues.

[teargas1]

So the question I have is, why does this only affect some consoles and not others?  The ones I have problems with can be left unplugged for an hour and exhibit the problem.  Others that don't have the problem can stay unplugged for several weeks or longer.  Why would some capacitors stay charged longer than other under the same operating conditions?

[DJLink]

QUOTE(teargas1 @ Jul 3 2005, 04:17 AM)

So the question I have is, why does this only affect some consoles and not others? 

[DJLink]

QUOTE

A HUGE announcement will be made in a few hours

THIS IS HUGE IF THE BELOW QUOTE TESTS OUT!      

QUOTE

XeniumOS 2.3.1 Gold Edition:
- Fixed RTC access problems. System clock is now read correctly, and overridden to a default time if not set

Artifex, does this mean that you really have a fix!!!!!!

If that is the case then I couldn't be happier!  Your announcement was indeed HUGE.  For the "small" percentage of us plagged by this problem this was a HUGE issue and we have been paciently waiting for a fix.

I have only one request.  Please rls the updated OS for public, ASAP(before x-mass), or at least rls to a select few affected users TO TEST that this issue really affects the most, like me ,

It would help so much to have before x-mass or on x-mass, b/c I'm currenlty on vacation for x-mass in my home town and majority of my family that have xenuim mod xbox's that have this problem are all within driving distance, so I could update the OS on at least 10-15 xbox's without having to incur the shipping $$$ for sending the xbox's back and forth, which I have previously had to incur several times before b/c of this issue.

thanks in advance for your help!

DJLink