Soft-modded Xbox, but I have a few questions!

I've just used HEX's soft-mod guide to soft-mod my Xbox and it all worked! But I have a few questions now that I've done it:
1) I bridged a few contacts on my Xbox with the intent of flashing the console's BIOS chip (it's suppose to be better than just modding the HDD), has that already happened during the soft-modding process or is there something else I need to do?
2) The UnleashX dashboard doesn't have console settings (video, audio etc) am I suppose to set them via the MS dashboard?
3) Is enabling HD mode as simple as setting the console to NTSC, loading up the MS dashboard and setting "yes" to all the video modes?
4) How do I enable region-free for games? I checked system info and it says my console is set to "other regions"
5) How do I enable optical audio? I've got Dolby Digital set in the MS dashboard, but I still only get audio out via the RCA connectors
6) How do I enable 5.1 audio? I see the option in the UnleashX dashboard, but I can't set it to "yes"
7) Is it possible to free up space on the HDD by removing apps (XBMC etc)?
8) Is it possible to set the console to launch the MS dashboard instead of UnleashX's dashboard? Or is there a UnleashX skin that makes it looks like the MS dashboard?
9) Is the console's LED suppose to be orange instead of yellow?

 

1: if you used hexes guide then no the bios was not flashed during the softmod, you will need heretics boot cd to do that.
2: Console settings are under a sub menu down the bottom of the screen.
3: HD mode, I think you can do it that way but all my xboxes don't have the MS dash anymore.
4: It should be rregion free by default. the only problem may be video mode.
5: Do you have an optical out jack installed?
6: ^
7: Yes you can, just don't delete any system stuff
8: There is a skin, should be one of the default ones (you can make your own skins too). If you boot the console with the tray out it will boot to the online (stock ) dash. but I don't know if the mod will break if you try to set the stock dash as a default.
9: Yes (Unleashx Default) The consoles LED is three colours Red Green and Orange (Yellowish) you can change it under settings

 

I've been looking for a stock MS dash style skin for UnleashX myself. I have the latest AID deluxe burned to a disk to autoboot and it doesn't have a MS skin option in UnleashX and I believe I have the latest version. Anyone have a link to the skin?

 

hey sonic give this a go it has no list but http://www.theisozone.com/downloads/xbox/xbox-skins/142-unleashx-skins-usa/

or this one http://www.theisozone.com/downloads/xbox/xbox-skins/28-dashboard-skins-for-xbox-usa/

 

Thanks. I did get the first one and it does have a MS style skin but it's blue and I was looking for green. I don't know how to make a skin or else I'd do it myself. Don't remember if I got the second one or not. I'll look into it.

 

1) Oh. What's the process for doing that? Do I need a CD-R?
2) I found that menu, but it seemed to me missing the options that the MS dashboard has
3) It seems like that's worked, the UnleashX menu is running in 1080i now
4) So you're saying games from other regions should run no problems, despite what the system info seems to imply?
5) Yep, got an TOSLINK cable plugged in and everything
6) I suspected the fact I can't get optical to work might be the problem
7) Cool, do you just do this via the HDD browser, or is there a proper way to uninstall apps?
8) What's the skin's name? I didn't see any that sounded like they looked liked the stock dashboard
9) Okay, I'll check for that

 

For the xboxdashboard skins, you can find the stock looking dash by installing a dashboard called tHc and can be found at eurasia. The stock dashboard skins look crap to be honest. So go with tHc with all the animations and so on.

Anyway, if you wish to check it for yourself, then try this: http://www.xboxenhanced.com/skins/file.php?id=3450 there is also a remixed version with added information: http://www.xboxenhanced.com/skins/file.php?id=3451.

There's no proper way to delete apps or games, with UnleashX you can enable the "Uninstall option" so when you press START on an app or game you can remove it from there.

Hope that helps the search party

 

#1 - You need to pick a BIOS (I prefer M8+, others have their own preferences) and then use software to flash. The most user friendly is probably the EvoX dash. You can just copy it over and run it, then choose the flash bios option. You can also burn it to a CD, boot off that and flash. Once you have the new BIOS flashed to TSOP, unlock your hard drive.

#2 - I'm not familiar with UnleashX, (I prefer to run the latest XBMC4XBOX as a dash) but most custom dashes do have options for setting the video output. If you can't find them in UnleashX, then just boot the MS Dash and set them there.

#3 - Pretty much.

#4 - Pretty much any custom BIOS is region free. You shouldn't have to set anything.

#5 - Plug in the Advanced AV pack and choose the option in the dash.

#6 - Sounds like either a hardware issue with the AV pack you're using or the console isn't setup for HD modes.

#7 - You can delete any app you choose. Personally I would suggest trying out a few different dashboard to see which you prefer in day-to-day use.

#8 - When you modded your console, you should have set a default dash XBE. You can set this to whatever you like, including the stock dash.

#9 - Only if you have customized settings somewhere to tell it to do that.

 

Thanks. This helps me. I got the second one and will use it once my "new" 128MB board arrives from Germany.

 

Thanks for that! Those skins are close, but not *quite*. What about the "set a default dash" thing hl718 mentioned? Do you know how to do that?

Can you expand a little more on the BIOS flashing process? To me, it sounds like you need to copy the new BIOS to the USB drive then run an app from UnleashX that flashes the BIOS chip. It it something like that?

Yeah, I'm thinking there's something wrong with the cable, since I'm getting HD and I've got Dolby Digital selected, but it still only outputs via the RCA plugs.

I was suppose to choose the default dash when installing the soft-mod? It's too late to choose that after it's installed?

 

To flash the bios the easiest way is to use heritics boot cd . I can upload it for you if you like/can't find it, it took me a while to find it.

EDIT: SORRY I MENT TO SAY HEXEN!

 

Here is a torrent of the boot cd, it's inside a zip file. http://goo.gl/yMIKw6

 

Thanks! Is there a version that you can put on a USB stick? I haven't had a CD-R in years

 

No because you boot from the disc.

Just grab a cd-r next time you are out, heck even Woolworths sell 'em! lol

 

There is a Hexen for HDD
Never tried it but if you have no CD's and can't wait then give it a try

 

You can use a dvd-r.

Also if your using evox you can ftp the bios to evox's bios folder and flash away.

 

Since OP already has a modded Xbox there is no need for a disc.

Like any other app he should just be able to FTP the program over and then launch it.

You can even use an exploited save to boot EvoX and flash the BIOS, fully bypassing the need for the whole soft mod step.

 

Pikkon mentioned I can use DVD-Rs, I at least have some DVD-RWs, will that do the trick?

Does this flashed BIOS supersede the soft-mod? Should I remove the soft-mod first? Also, there's multiple BIOSs to choose from isn't there? How do you know which is the best? Or are these simply the softmods (UnleashX and EvoX) that you can flash to the BIOS chip instead of installing on the HDD?

 

iirc Hexen searches D:/ so it needs to be on disk
That is unless you edit the paths

I agree with simply using evox and heck if it's not the dash than simply run as app

 

Then that's the tHc dash which uses the original dash's files. I probably wouldn't go down this route on a softmod.