Print

[Evil Ryu]

Okay,... my turn to ask for help!  I've got a v1.3 xbox that I've installed an Aladdin Advance v32 chip into. I've installed hundreds of these before, but this is the first time I've come across this problem.

I've installed the chip via headers and ground D0 (no BT, L1 & L2). When the machine is turned on (either by the power button or the eject button), it will sort of frag - the machine powers up and the LED goes green, then the machine turns off for half a sec and then back on and boots normally. My biggest concern is that every time it 'frags' it resets the clock.

I've quadruple-checked my LPC connections - even going as far as tearing out the header, making sure everything was clean, and then re-installing. I've also tried another modchip - same thing. I've tried flashing a different bios onto the chip - still the same thing (I'm using X24981.06 BTW).

Now the machine won't 'frag' when the D0 is disconnected from GND, so it would leave me to believe that it has to be some sort of problem with the LPC connections. It's just really strange that it 'frags' once, then boots up just fine (it doesn't frag three times like you would normally expect from a bad LPC connection). Also, if I can flash the modchip (via XFlash), then I would think that the LPC connections must be fine (I flashed the chip 3 times without any problems).

I'm at a bit of a loss here, as I've tried everything I can think of. Can anyone suggest something? TIA

[anu|b|iss]

weak link on D0?  

[Evil Ryu]

I'm using the alt D0 on the bottom of the mobo, and I've resoldered it a few times and even replaced the wire. I don't think that's my problem - but you never know...

[Chancer]

Possible damaged print run (Trace) to the LPC through holes.?

[Chancer]

Possible damaged print run (Trace) to the LPC through holes.?

[Evil Ryu]

Well... I've checked those, and they look fine. I pulled out the ol' multimeter and measured to a few different points, and all of the LPC points & traces seem to be fine.

I'm actually going to go piddle around with it a bit more right away and try a couple of other things. I think what anu|b|iss mentioned makes sense. So just for the hell of it I'm going to try attaching the topside D0 to GND as well.

One of the things that leads me to believe that the LPC connections are okay is that I can flash the chips just fine via XFlash. Maybe it's possible that you don't need all of the LPC points to flash the chip. Actually, that might be a way of narrowing down the problem. If I could find out with LPC points are required for flashing, then it would eliminate those connections for sure and then maybe I could concentrate on the remaining LPC points. Dunno... just thinkin' out loud. I'll keep you guys posted if I end up fixing this thing though.

Cheers!

[Evil Ryu]

Well,... tried connecting the topside D0 to GND as well (also leaving the bottomside connected), and I decided to fill the remaining LPC holes with solder (just in case for some weird reason one of the vias (LPC 'hole') was broken), but neither of them helped. I've still got the same problem.

I did however notice one thing. I decided to try a few other flashes again, and when I flashed the chip with the EvoX M7 bios, it still fragged, but the clock would set itself back to 1/1/2002 - which might sort of work anyway. Having the machine 'frag' isn't such a big deal - it's having the clock set to a strange time like year 8907 - which will cause some games to freeze - that's the problem. I'm thinking if I leave the chip flashed with the M7 bios, at when it 'frags' and sets the date to '2002', I'm thinking that those certain games may not freeze because the date is some what normal. I've put a bigger harddrive into this one for the customer, but unfortunately I can't remember if the M7 bios auto-patches for both media checks. Because the new dvd2xbox removed the autopatch feature, so this might be an issue.

Whadda guys figure? I'm pretty much outta ideas on this one...  

[anu|b|iss]

You should be fine with M7 or X2.4980 or higher
As for the clock problem, I have heard about that when the clock gets corrupted. Try re-installing your ms-dash then set the time.

[Evil Ryu]

Okay,... thanks for the suggestions again anu|b|iss. I had actually replaced the Setting_clock.xip (?)(from memory) file, but it obviously made no difference. Do you think I should only have to replace the MSDashboard and not any other files? Also, is the MSDashboard version specific - or can I just use one from any xbox?

I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. Worse comes to worse, the customer will just have to put up with the 'quick frag' when booting and not having a clock that is set correctly.

Thanks again.

[anu|b|iss]

could be a faulty chip. there are TONS of aladdin clones out there. and some make it really hard to tell the difference.
 maybe one of the traces on the chip is on the verge of letting go.

the dashboard can be version specific depending on kernel version but for the most part no.
you can take just about any dash from any box.

[Evil Ryu]

I'll give that a try when I get home from work today anu|b|iss. I've also tried another modchip (but maybe I should have tried two - just in case).

I'll keep ya posted as to how I make out with this machine...

[anu|b|iss]

doubtful if you had the same prob with 2 diff chips that it's the chip, but when you say chip u mean the aladdin in whole or just the SST?

[Evil Ryu]

Yup,... I swapped the entire Aladdin - not just the SST chip. I'll have some time to mess around with it again tonight. I'll let you know if I solve this problem by replacing the dashboard or other files. Or if I just decide to leave it with a bios that resets to 1/1/2002.

I don't really think that it's a corrupt file though because the machine seems to 'frag' as soon as you turn it on - and I'm pretty sure this is what's causing the clock to reset. On a little side note... if I boot it up into EvoX, then go into the MSDashboard, set the clock and then 'IGR it' back to the EvoX dashboard, the clock stays set.

I'll keep ya updated...

[Evil Ryu]

Just a thought here... (I'm at work, so I've got lots of time to think about this)  

I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't be a problem with a corrupt file (like dashboard). As I mentioned earlier, the machine boots up just fine with the modchip disabled - which would lead me to believe that the files are okay.

I think that I'm just going to flash the chip with a bios that sets the clock to 1/1/2002 when it frags. I haven't tried the X2-4983 bios yet, so we'll see if that bios will set the clock to a half normal date - instead of the X2-4981 bios which sets it to the year 8907.

[anu|b|iss]

I don't mean a corrupt file on related to the dash, but the memory that holds the clock settings. If it gets corrupt it will do that. changing the dashboard should erase all files related. Then leave your machine unplugged for about 3 hours, boot straight to the ms-dash and set the time.

Also I was thinking about this, lack of power going through the circuit could result in eradic behavior. Check that ALL of your cables are properly snug into place. Then inspect your BT and L1 area. Somtimes you might heat up the plastic snaps that hold wires into place and they melt causing bad connection.

EDIT (Easier than making  a new post)

BTW, I tested 4983.06 on the aladdin, works great!

This post has been edited by anu|b|iss on Apr 26 2004, 09:26 PM