Hi guys! Just digged out my old Xbox Crystal Edition. Played MotoGP 03 with my brother yesterday, and i loved every single bit of it. Then i started googling around to find a forum which is still active, about the Xbox. But i'm really rusty about modding, and that's why i signed up. So i want to ask if you have any suggestions for upgrading it? If there's a new dashboard i should use instead. Quick info: Xbox Crystal Edition (PAL) XCalibur Build: 3333 Xecuter2 (Config tool say: Bios versions 4982 & Above) Dash: Evox M8 16 Plus G Avalaunch/Evox - Option to boot into original Bios. Boot modes: Big button goes to Xbox Dash, Eject button goes to Avalaunch or SmartXX. (Can't figure out why it switches lol) Hope that info is useful, and you have any suggestions. If interested i could try and ump the bios.
Welcome to assemblergames. I would suggest installing the latest XBMC as your main dash or as a application. You could also update to a newer bios like X2 5035 or indibios 5003 for a 1.6x xbox. But the one you have should work fine too. Other then that look into getting coin ops 5 and visionary installed on it and getting a big harddrive installed to hold it all. As far as mod's(installing a X3, X3 control panel with lcd, a X3 ir kit and a 128mb ram upgrade). The problem is finding the part's to do this. They are almost impossible to find now. Take a pic of your console and post it..like to see what it looks like..Sound's like you have a smart xx version chip in it..if it's a V3 it's a awesome chip to have. You can install any lcd screen to a smart xx v2 and v3 with a wire install too.
Here's a simple start on what to do. If console is revision 1.5 or lower then TSOP flash the BIOS. IND-BIOS 5003 for revision 1.2 through 1.5 if you want support for 128MB RAM mod or Evox M8+ if sticking to stock 64MB RAM. If console is a 1.0 or 1.1 then flash it with a 1024K version of the Xecuter 5035 BIOS. These will enable support for HDD over 137GB. Next is the RAM mod. Console revisions 1.0 through 1.5 have empty solder pads for extra RAM chips and is ready to go for them to be soldered in. Just need a BIOS that supports this mod. Xecuter 5035 and IND-BIOS 5003 both support it. I feel it is worth it in my own opinion as this will allow for a few Chihiro games to play and will improve some of the arcade games that lag on emulators not to mention that it looks like the decrypting of the Chihiro game images may allow for more to play on modded Xbox systems without needing the extra hardware from a Chihiro. Just remember that console revisions 1.0 and 1.1 have a 1024K TSOP chip and 1.2 through 1.5 have a 256K chip. The Xecuter 5035 BIOS is sized at 512K by default and won't work on 1.2 through 1.5 without a modchip that has the proper sized chip. The IND-BIOs is sized at 256K and will flash to a 1.2 through 1.5 console. If you have a 1.6 console then you need a modchip period. Best you can do without it is a softmod. the HDD upgrade can still be done but will need to be locked to the console and not all drives will lock. Research is your best friend there as I hate the 1.6 and won't touch them. I actually have a 1.6 that I killed doing an experiment. I regret nothing.
I just install the pin header and LPC rebuild kit on all the 1.6's that I work on. This way when I need to do hard drive upgrades I pop on the mod chip and unlock the drive. Remove and replace with the new drive and lock it. Run XBMC deluxe install disc and select soft mod install. When it is done and shuts off remove the mod chip and it is all done. If you try to boot the xbox with the mod chip installed it might not work. The soft mod does not work with the mod chip enabled. I just always leave the pin header on all systems that I work on. Makes life a lot easier in the future when you need to do anything that requires locking and unlocking the hard drive. I hate to build my drives on the computer when this is so much easier. Using this method also allows you to never have to worry about messing with the eeprom at all.
I think you mean dug, but anyway. Replace your dashboard with the latest UnleashX, and you're good to go
