Topic: Alternative Write-enable Solder Points? (Read 138 times)

mranak · « **on:** September 19, 2003, 05:14:00 PM »

Hello!

I have a 1.0 xbox and I'm trying to write-enable the onboard TSOP. I started with the two points that I need to solder on the top of the board. One of the wires stuck to the solder point fine. The other one didn't stick and the solder point looks black. I tried scraping it and resoldering, but it just won't stick.

I seem to recall that there might be alternate solder points so that I can do this, but I can't seem to locate that information now. Can anyone point me in the right direction or give me advise?

Thanks. I'm really frustrated right now.

Update:

In order to get the black stuff off, I had to scrap pretty hard. I wasn't in a good mood at the time and the area is very small, so I ended up scrapping the two solder points together. Check it out:

(IMG:http://cx.ath.cx/images/XBox_v1.0_Top_R7D3_cropped.jpg)

Any chance that the two points are not connected to one another from a conductive standpoint and that this will work?

I'm still curious if there are other points on the motherboard that I can connect or even utilize to check connectivity with my multimeter.

Thanks

Update2: Okay, tested with the multimeter and now I know that I can't have connectivity. Maybe I can use a pencil (graphite) to change that?

Update3: Will this work?

(IMG:http://cx.ath.cx/images/XBox_wire_in_the_holes.jpg)

I pushed a wire through two holes, thus hoping to connect them together. Is that what this mod is ultimately trying to do?

Update4: I found the alternative points in a post just a few messages below this one. Doh! Anyhow, the alternative points were the ones that I used as alternatives, so perhaps I'm saved! I'm going to hot-glue the wires in place as to prevent them from touching anything else or moving. I do wish I knew where else these points showed up on the motherboard so that I could test connectivity.

Since there aren't any listed alternatives for the two points that I need to jumper on the bottom, I'll have to be careful. I need to go out and buy a brand new 15 watt soldering iron before I touch it though. Then I'll do the A18/A19 trick as well I guess. Then I need to find 007: agent under fire as cheap as possible (blockbuster?) and install linux with a 2.4.20 kernel on a spare machine. Gosh, this will probably take as much time and cost as a modchip.

This post has been edited by mranak: Sep 20 2003, 04:24 AM

jesistehsux · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2003, 05:16:00 PM »

Way to thrash a board.. Ouch.. Using a $7.99 15W soldering iron could have prevented that from the start.

lordvader129 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2003, 05:31:00 PM »

ouch man, just ouch

venturahighway · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2003, 05:53:00 PM »

follow the traces and run a wire connecting points you can actually solder to.

cubist77 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2003, 06:11:00 PM »

did you use an arc welder on that board?

lordvader129 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2003, 11:18:00 PM »

looks liek he tried to bridge the points with a paperclip, lol

DJLotus · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2003, 11:55:00 PM »

should've just put some solder on the tip of the iron and touch the points. i do it all the time

DJLotus · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2003, 11:57:00 PM »

but on that note, that little black thing by the solder points, does it have anything to do with the flashability of the box? my friend tried to solder his points together and ultimately did the same thing as in this topic. he kept trying and eventually fried off the little black thing, we fixed the box with a dollop of solder, but now we can't flash it, maybe i should it again. any ideas?

lordvader129 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2003, 11:12:00 AM »

maybe im missing soemthin here, but what is so hard about sodlering the points? you put some tape around them, tin your iron and dab some solder onthe points, takes all of 30 seconds, id never soldered anything in my life before i TSOP modded my box

mranak · « **Reply #9 on:** September 25, 2003, 11:32:00 AM »

I get no replies for five days and then BAM! At least eight replies in one day. I was starting to feel lonely.

Thanks all.

jesistehsux: You are exactly right. I'm so cheap that I just used the soldering iron that I already had, which I am embarrased to say was 60W. After this incident, I finally decided to go out to Radio Shack and buy a 15W soldering iron. Those evil ppl at Radio Shack try and tempt you with Soldering iron kits for only $2 more, but they come with a 30W solering iron. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING BUT THE 15W SOLDERING IRON FOR $7.99 -- LESSON LEARNED!!!

After working on the xbox and other very small components (ECS K7S5A) with a 30W and 60W soldering iron over the past two years, I felt like I was just really really really bad at soldering. Now, with my 15W soldering iron and a CLEAN soldering tip, I feel like an expert!

venturahighway: That's what I did as per the second picture. Since I took that picture, I have added solder with my new 15W soldering iron.

Right now, I have A19 grounded, but I am afraid to flash because I am concerned that if A19+Ground isn't working, then I'll ruin my BIOS. I posted a big message about this in the topic "Multiversion Compatible Tsop Tutorial" page 14. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten any replies yet. The Evolution-X dash is dumping a 1MB BIOS file during backup instead of 512KB.

Regardless, I have the Phoenix Boot Loader installed now and loading X2 4977. I'm very happy with this solution while it works, but I'm concerned about the clock issue.

Thanks again everyone! Any replies to my message on page 14 of "Multiversion Compatible Tsop Tutorial" are appreciated as well!

This post has been edited by mranak: Sep 27 2003, 02:44 PM

Author Topic: Alternative Write-enable Solder Points? (Read 138 times)