Debug Xbox Stuck in Retail Mode

Hi everybody,

I'm a new poster here at assembler, but I've been reading for a while now. I've recently picked up a debug xbox with the intention of dabbling in console programming. For some reason, it appears that the xbox is locked in retail mode, ie it looks exactly like the dash on my retail box. I'm certain it's a real debug and not a retail converted. The beta games I have all work fine. I've installed the 5849 sdk on top on my vs.net with no problems. I tried burning the recovery iso on to a dvd-r, but no luck. It responds the same as it would if I tried a retail game. I've tried the xdkrecovery.exe with no luck as well. It tells me error connecting or downloading information from xbox. I'm trying to connect by IP address as I'm not sure what the name of the box is. Is there any way to verify that the box is getting an ip or even what it's name is? I have an xbox live beta disk if that helps any. I've also tried connecting through xbox neighborhood, but can't seem to find the box there either.

I'm hoping I'm just missing something simple. I'll try reburning the recovery dvd on different media. That's easy to do. Any other suggestions would be great!

Thanks
Darren

 

If the debug box is in retail mode the only way to switch it back to debug mode is via a recovery disc. The remote upgrade files will only work with a system that is already in debug mode.

While it is possible that you may have a "special" debug kit with a custom kernel installed, the more likely scenario is that you either have a corrupt recovery.iso or you are burning it improperly. FWIW, don't burn it to a DVD-R, burn it to a CD-RW.

Hope this helps.

-hl718

 

Thanks for the info. I've tried opening the iso as well as mounting it in Alcohol 120%, but neither one would let me see anything. I'm assuming it's a special format for the xbox and not necessarily indicative of a corrupt iso? I'm going to head out and pick up a couple CD-RW to try. Thanks again for the pointers!

Darren

 

it might ultimately depend on what DVD drive you have in your debug kit. thomson drives don't read CD-R and usually have problems with CD-RW (although it will end up reading the disc). for a thomson, I suggest DVD-R. if it's a philips, go with CD-RW or CD-R and go with CD-R for a samsung.

i'm not sure if all debug kits will come with something other than a thomson but maybe the newer ones do.

if all this fails, then the ISO is most likely corrupt and/or was burned incorrectly.

 

It's a thompson drive. I just tried a CD-RW, but got the same thing (message about needing the DVD kit). I'm guessing I'm probably just burning the iso incorrectly. I'm using the slowest speed possible, but are there other settings I need to use? I'll do some searching, I'm sure it's out there somewhere!

Thanks,
Darren

 

What app are you using to burn the .ISO and how are you doing it?

...Record Now Max is fail safe btw.

...Btw a 'dvd kit required' type message is not a good message to see.

 

I've tried Nero 6, Alcohol 120%, and Clone DVD 2 so far. In Nero, I found the UDF/ISO xbox video setting, so I was using that. The other 2, I just burnt as default. I'm trying Record Now Max as I type. Hopefully that will get me somewhere!

I was incorrect on my error message. The dvd kit required came up when I tried a retail game. The error I'm getting with the burns I've done is the standard not recognized error. Hopefully that's ok! I can get the exact text if need be.

My Record Now Max burn just finished. I dropped it in the box and I'm still getting the Your Xbox can't recognize this disk error. I burnt to a DVD-R based on a previous reply. I'll try a CD-RW next.

Is there any way to tell if my iso is corrupt? I'm using the one from 5849 out of the recovery with symbols zip file.

Edit: Just found a newer firmware for my dvd burner. Going to try that out next.

Thanks for the help guys! I really do appreciate it!

 

You shouldn't be fiddling with any settings while burning. Just open Nero or Record Now Max and tell it to burn a disc from an image file. Put in the blank CD-RW and let er rip. Don't try and mount the image or anything like that.

Despite what Atomix claims, don't bother burning to a DVD-R. You're just going to waste discs until you get it right. All of the debug kits can read CD-RW and the recovery.iso is a CD (not DVD) image. At least if you mess up a CD-RW burn you can wipe it and re-burn it.

As for brand, stick with Verbatim discs. They'll treat you right.

-hl718

 

Blimey you must be well unlucky m8 as it's meant be a 'no brainer' operation...

...If you have the 5849 recovery ISO I'd be surprised if it was corrupt, you could always open it up in summat 'basic' like xISO, or whatever Xbox iso app you prefer.

...If it opens up chances are its not corrupt.

It definately sounds to me like you're burning it wrong, or using incompatible media.

 

I just tried a new kind of DVD-R media and still no luck. I'm going to pick up some Verbatim CD-RW in a few minutes and give them a shot. I'm also going to take the whole thing over to a friend of mine's house to try out his burner. Mines a couple years old now, so maybe it's got some incompatibilites with the xbox.

Hopefully I can get this thing figured out soon! My beta games are ok, but I really want to try some new stuff!!

 

"My beta games are ok, but I really want to try some new stuff"

...That statement could mean several things!

...Could you post your Kernal and Dash Versions?

 

What I did is for my debug kit I would switch the xbox dvd drives.I burnt the recovery
cd to a cheap cd-r then installed my samsung drive in my debug kit.What kind of
drive do you have in your retail xbox.Or try to install a new HDD.

 

I just don't want to end up with an xbox that all I can do is play the four beta games I have. I was hoping for something I could attempt some programming with. Not expecting anything major to come from my skills, but I want to at least try! Programming nothing but business software gets old quick!!

Both the kernal and dash are version 1.00.4034.01

I had thought about swapping another dvd drive in, but the one in my retail box is a Thompson that has a hard time reading some retail games. I doubt it would read a burnt disk at this point.

If I swap in a new hard drive, I'll still need to be able to boot the recovery disk, right?

 

Well I know for sure that memorex dvd-rw's will work in most
thomspon drives.Have you tried to put a retail audio cd in the
debug kit to see if it plays,also clean the dvd laser with some
rubbing alcohol,thats what I did to my friends xbox then the dvd
drive came back to life.

 

Are your 4 beta games on DVD-R's?

...If so and they play okay then there's little wrong with your DVD drive.

If you bung in a new HDD 'yes' you will still need to use the recovery disc which your are unable to do, so little point.

 

I just tried a music cd and it worked ok. Tried a dvd and it told me it needs the dvd playback kit. I even tried one of the oxm demo disks, no luck.

I got a hold of another burner and tried it, but I could only do cd-r and dvd-r on it, no RW. Neither of these worked any different from the burns I've been doing all day.

All 4 of the discs that came with the debug are silvers with the xbox ring in the center. No dvd-r's. I've made arrangements to borrow a samsung drive, so I guess I'll be opening this up.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm pretty certain it's either an issue with the burns or with the drive at this point. Hopefully swapping out the dvd will point me in the right direction.

Darren

 

That is exactly what it is supposed to do.

Again, 100% normal for a Debug Kit.

CD-R is not officially supported on a Debug Kit. Never has been. As for DVD-R, we've already established that whatever you're trying to do isn't working, so it's rather pointless to keep wasting discs. Track down *someone* with a CD burner and burn a CD-RW. What DVD burner are you using anyway? Professional equipment excepted, I've not seen a DVD-R drive that can't also burn CD-R/RW.

No real need to open it up as you haven't given any indication that the drive is faulty. You're probably going to have better luck burning a CD-RW.

Chances are you're going to get the same result when you swap the drive. If you want to confirm that your unit can read DVD-R media just burn a DVD movie onto DVD-R. If you get the "DVD Playback Kit Required" your drive can read DVD-R just fine and it is not an issue with the drive.

-hl718

 

I've tried on my LiteOn 811S DVD burner. I also tried on the Mitsumi that's built into my girlfrieds laptop. Same results on both. So far, I've used Nero 6, Clone DVD 2, Record Now DX, and Alcohol 120%. I agree, at this point all I'm doing is making coasters! I had picked up some CD-RW, but they are acting really weird. Half of the time, I get a message from Record Now that they aren't compatible with my burner. I'm going to take the whole thing to a friends house and try out his burner. It's a lot newer than mine (dual layer and all).

I hadn't thought about trying out the DVD playback kit. That would tell me where the problem is without cracking the seal. Much easier and leaves all my seals intact!

Thanks for the sanity check! I'll report back tomorrow when I have tried the dvd playback kit.

Darren

 

There are three kinds of CD-RW: normal, hi-speed and ultra-speed. You have to purchase the kind that is compatible with your burner.

The DVD playback kit itself will NOT work in a stock debug kit. However the dash will still recognize that you have inserted a DVD Video and give you the DVD playback kit required error. If you put in a DVD-R movie and get that error, your drive is reading the media just fine. Same with a CD-RW burned as an audio CD. If you put it in and it plays, your drive has no issues with the media.

Remember, simple solutions are usually the correct ones. Occam is your friend.

-hl718

 

I'd have to say that you are either doing something catastrophically wrong whilst burning the Recovery Disk image, or the image itself is corrupt.

See if Qwix will let you browse the .iso image. It is not a standard .iso image, by the way, so mounting it in Alcohol 120% or opening it in UltraISO or similar will not work.