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[Tracksol]

Alright, let me see if I can gather my thoughts. I recieved my Xenium S.P.Ice kit yesterday and of course was really excited to install it. I've read the Iceguide and other installation tuturials from this site and xbox-scene.

So I took my box apart and began with the solderless installation. Like in the many other threads, all I got was the red LED on the chip and FRAG. I tried realigning the adapter, I tried cleaning up the d0 point a bit, I even cleaned everythign with a Qtip and alchohol. Still nothing. Of course removal of the chip booted the TSOP and MS Dash.

With all the messing around I ended up braking the d0 spring wire on the adapter. So I took out the 2 wire plug that came with the kit, connected it to the chip and put it into the d0 spot by hand trying to hold it down in different positions. At one point I even got it IN the hole. Still no luck. Just 2 reboots and FRAG like before. Again, if I didn't connect the d0 wire the retail software would boot fine.

So I got a little upset. Upon reading I saw how quite a few people prefer the pin header install so I decided to do that. (I'm not a soldering noob, as I've attended soldering classes for my military job. I've also succesfully chipped my Sega Saturn and Dreamcast). I packed up my box, chip, pin header, d0 plug wire and computer tool kit and took it to my job (5 minute walk from my dorm room (Air Force Base in Honduras)). We have a 4 channel solder station with powered solder sucker, card holder and all that good stuff. I used the smalled tip I could find, although it was a bit larger than recommended in the many tutorials. I proceded to take the solder out of the LPC location. I installed the header, fliped the MB and soldered all the pins. I know how to solder, they all looked good to me as none of them lifted and the solder was all the way around the pins. I clipped the black wire from the mini plug that comes with the kit and used it to extend the blue wire so I can solder it to the alt d0 point on the bottom of the MB. Installed the chip. Connected the d0 plug. Booted up my box and again, 2 reboots and FRAG. If I disconnect the d0 plug it boots up retail fine like before. Through all of this at each step I also tried switching the chip to recovery mode and it has no effect. I brought out the shop's oscilloscope and used it to measure the values of the pin header with the chip removed and the box on of course:
1- 1.95v
2- 0.45v
3- 3.65v
5- 3.65v
6- 5.5v
7- 3.65v
8- 3.65v
9- 3.65v
10- 3.65v
11- 3.65v
12- 0.45v
d0 point at top of MB - 5.45v
d0 point on removed chip pad 1 - 5.45v
d0 point on removed chip pad 2 - 5.45v
d0 point on installed chip pad 2 - 5.45v

This had me stumped. I checked on here and someone had posted that they had solder under the pin header that connected two leads. So I left the header in and pulled the black spacer off. All looked good. I even soldered the pin header on the top side to make sure contact was made.

After that I got FRAG with chip installed and removed. So I don't know what the hell is wrong. Maybe I burnt the traces while I was removing the solder from the LPC to install the pin header. But if that's the case, why was I getting all the correct voltages at the pins?

Can anybody help?

[Tracksol]

After all that I realized I should have stuck with the solderless adapter and just used the alternate d0 mounting. But it was late, I was tired and wasn't thinking straight. I still don't understand though why the pin header install didn't work if all pins measured out correctly.

Oh yeah, and like the title says, it's a V1.0 Xbox.

[Tracksol]

Yeah, it's a V1.0 xbox, so the LPC was filled. I'll try and check that tonight.

[Tracksol]

I'm going to try removing the pin header and see if the traces are messed up, but before I do, are there spots on the MB (v1.0) that I can do a continuity check with the pin header?

[Tracksol]

Alright. I went ahead and just bought a replacement motherboard and hard disk drive from llama.com with the pinheader and d0 wire already installed. I just got it in the mail today. Feels like christmas, LOL.

Anyway, I install the new MB and HDD without the chip and it boots to the MS dashboard. Great! I set the Language and Time.

Then I install the chip and connect the pre-soldered d0 wire to the modchip by twisting it together and covered with tape with the blue wire on the 2 wire harness that S.P.Ice kit came with. 3 boots and FRAG.

I read something on Team Xodus forums about the chip not being compatible with the AV pack until after updating the OS. So I hook up the regular cables and I got the same thing as before.

I try again but this time holding the connection with my fingers to make sure there's contact. Same results.

I untwist the wires and place the d0 wire onto the d0 pad on the backside of the chip that is printed with Xenium. Again, same results.

At each test the LED on the chip itself is a solid red. I try every test with the recovery switch on the chip both off and on.

What should I do. I hope I don't have a defective chip!!!