OK, so i got my alpha 2 in today, Missing the HDD & floppy drive and Double usb port chip in the back, it also has a double phone jack added. I added a 20.5GB Quantum fireball HDD Inside Floppy is still missing but i don't think that's a concern everything else is legit. My problem is, I start it up, displays specs, Xbox Logo, but cannot start the recovery disc, just keeps blinking an underscore. Any helpful idea's? EDIT: Old Engineers Disc drive seems to be black, mine is tan. maybe it was replaced? would that make it not work? Boreman / OldEnginner What do you guys think?
When you say that you cannot start the recovery disc, have you tested that the drive is actually functioning? I've seen Alpha units with beige drives and not just black. It may have been replaced as you say, but it could be faulty. Does it spin up and not read? "Cannot Start" the recovery disc might mean a few thing, especially as you then say "would that make it not work?". The blinking underscore, by which I guess you mean a "cursor". Can you get a screen shot? A photo just to see whether anything else appears on the screen that might give clues. The 2 x USB ports to the rear of the unit (on a card and not the motherboard) are the controller USB, so if it's missing anything you'll need to source a replacement in order to hook up a controller to the unit. I have totally forgotten about the internal FDD. I have a vague recollection that it was used for firmware updates, but I might have just made that up! Sadly the thread I was going to send you to on another site has been deleted along with the entire site! A number of people on AG own the Alpha I and II units, so I think once you clarify a few points then help will be at hand.
Well first ill start of by saying, thank you parris Disc drive works, because i installed W2K on the computer. What file is it trying to load?, There is a XBOXROM.BIN and a default.xbe on there. i dont think its trying to load the xbe. Nothing really appears besides the underscore, it attempts to read, (disc spines), but then nothing? It could be the recovery disc? Doubt it. Oe's pics of the FDD show it being faced the opposite direction and not plugged it, so i assume its rather usless. Really i cant use the regular usb port, thats a downer , I did look for one of the same kind, but the cheepest i could find was 100$, and i work like 1 day a week so... if anyone can find one for cheeper, link me lol A number of poeple, thats cool, ok so ima shoot a cell phone video, and you guys tell me whatcha guys think ok? sound good Ill post it up soon as i can EDIT: here is the video Yea noticed it has shit quality, but w/e
Even if you got the disk to load, you wouldnt be able to do anything without the USB card, as it does require button input. But I have heard issues of not booting if the hardware isn't all there, so that's the first place I would start, with the USB. I don't have my kit handy to provide any actual help so.
So Xircom PortGear™ USB PCI Card (2 ports) The hunt is on, if anybody finds one, do tell, because im having some trouble finding one. EDIT: Purchased one for 2 dollars on ebay. 1 day left thank god When it comes in, ill take it from there and post my results. Oh and boreman, i have an xbox controller with a usb adapter, would that work in place of the hammerhead?
yes, I use a standard xbox controller on mine. And just to be safem the video ard is the correct nVidia one,right?
However, don't!!!!!! If you have one of the Alphas lurking then don't convert it to a desktop for "fun". :-(
It's been a LONG time since I messed with one of these, but IIRC you needed to flash the BIOS to install any OS aside from the Xbox OS. And doing so would wipe out the custom BIOS on the machines. I could be wrong, but I would think that any tower running Windows isn't going back to work as an Xbox dev anytime soon. -hl718
The bios displays the xbox logo, I don't think it was messed with, and i hope it wasn't messed with. The person i got it from wasn't a sharpshooter by any stretch of the imagination. So if it were messed with, i don't think he was the one. Could i tell by dumping its bios? EDIT: better yet here is a picture, it tells me what bios it has, any one else with an Alpha II compare and contrast? do they match up? Date written on kit is 4/4/01 , if that means anything Full Bios number for my ALPHA II VC82010A.86A.0041.P18.0104191457 Compared to bormans alpha I's bios number (from his youtube video) VC82010A.86A.0028.P10.0005151707 After googling Boremans Bios, i think that they *were* publicly available for download on Intels website. The link is from 1999-2000, located on this page describing the bios update, Unfortunately the download link is dead. http://smartdata.usbid.com/datasheets/usbid/2000/2000-q2/d1012280.pdf After some more searching gameofheart.com had a topic about how to re flash the bios and had a link to download them from intell. but the site is gone... google result below ________________________ Game of the Art :: View topic - How to reflash the bios of a ... How to reflash the bios of a bricked Alpha Xbox ... http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/vc820/sb/cs-013696.htm. Thanks Intel ... www.gameoftheart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2147 - Cached
Mines actually an Alpha 2 I think, like I said don't actually have access to it. I think mines similar to Parris's old one in that it was upgraded from 1 to 2, as I think it has the newer graphics card, plus all the stuff an Alpha 2 would have.
well from what it seems, mines just a newer bios revision, and if it were different bios, i dont think it would display the xbox logo, but tbh i cant say for sure. After searching for an hour, i don't think the bios was changed. * Found where you can download bios updates, on intell http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-010639.htm It has VC82010A.86A So imo that sums it up that mine bios is just an updated revision and i dont think its been replaced, xbox logo & comparison to an A1's Bios, seems to hint to me that the bios was not modified. Its either not instaling for 1 of 3 reasons Its missing the usb port :/ The recovery disc is one made before the date on the Hardware (aprox. 2 months) The hdd i put in is 20.5GB not 20GB (dont think that would be an issue but idk)
Harddrive isnt the issue. What time recovery are you running? Dec 00 works fine on mine, on a 40gb PS2 harddrive.
I'm not following some of the comments as I am just dipping in and out of this as I can't really help (have no access to hardware / software for the Alpha anymore), but if you are querying whether your Alpha is a genuine Alpha II as opposed to an Alpha I then the CPU is 733Mhz, which is the same as the retail Xbox. If I remember rightly the original Alpha had lower CPU & GPU spec. Plus you've got the 2 additional boards. 1) Wolfson sound card 2) upgraded Nvidia GPU. The Alpha I came without sound at all. Glad you found a suitable USB card. Plus, you'd need the FDD installed for BIOS upgrade. If your recovery disc predates the revision of Alpha II then surely that wouldn't be advisable as it is highly likely it predates drivers possibly required for the upgraded hardware. Could be wrong on that one, but I'd seek a later revision.
I can't remember when the Alpha II upgrade kit was released. It was surely around about that time. Perhaps someone with a better memory than me will recall the exact date when the Alpha I became Alpha II. You may have a disc that is simply not suitable.
