Xbox Soft mod issues

Hi Guys

I am having a problem with soft modding the original xbox.
Whenever I "run linux" from a game (Splinter Cell or Mechassault), screen goes black, the it just boots into the game again?

Any ideas what this could be, I use the same mem card and files (SCell save file and AID) on other machines and it worked great, but on this particular machine, its just giving me problems.

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

Do game and system region match?

Edit: Wait. You said the games boot. So that's not the issue...

 

So you have two tested and exploitable games fail? Are you sure the box isn't already modded somehow (chip or tsop)? I'm guessing the exploit code fails due to the BIOS it's trying to patch being different from what it expects, and then a watchdog resets the machine so you end up in the game again.

 

I am sorry, I missed out important piece of information.

This xbox was already modded initially with the same game disk, same game file and same AID version.
After a successful mod, I installed the latest dash version 5960 trough AID disk.
After this the machine would not boot into UnleasX dash anymore, but official MS dashboard only.
Tried to reinstall UnleashX, when I press "Run Linux", It just boots into the game again.

It was originally modded with Splinter Cell hack, so I thought maybe the Mechassault one will work this time, but I get the same problem.

 

So did you just plonk the new (stock) dash on there, or did you also update the old softmod with exploits for the new version?
Can you just not boot into UX but still run unsigned code off a disc (ie does AID run?)

 

Yes, latest stock dash is installed ( I mean I can see the version number rolling in MS stock dash).
After installing the official dash trough AID, it did not boot into UX automatically anymore.
I dont know how to update the soft-mod for the official dash new version?
If AID disc is inserted, I just get "cannot recognize disc" error message, when Xbox is turned on.

 

I'd probably just go the "swap trick and xboxhdm" route ro rebuild the hdd at this point...

 

Cant do that, as I dont have the EEPROM back up to unock the hdd.
There is a back up, but its on xbox hdd.

 

Extract the EEPROM by reading it directly.

 

No need to have the eeprom contents if you do the hot swap.

 

How is this done?
I run xboxhd from the dvd, is there an option in there somewhere to extract directly?
Or do you mean, connect xbox hdd to my pc, then extract with a program like Xplorer (not sure if this is possible).

 

This is what I did, hdd is connected to xbox first, then hotswap with pc when on xboxhd main menu, hdd is detected, but whenever I try to rebuild C, it says drive is locked and this option is disabled.

 

You're doing it wrong. You can only hotswap at a certain moment. Once you miss it the HDD is locked again.
(PC and XBOX drives must be on *separate cables*. one data cable for each drive)
Step 1: Turn on PC then press the Break/Pause key. So the PC completely stops booting.
Step 2: Turn on Xbox and wait until the Microsoft logo appears under the big X and XBOX.
Do not wait for dash/menu, wait only for the Microsoft logo and once it appears quickly pull the data cable. Then connect the one from PC to it (here you don't have to hurry). You'll probably have to retry this several times before you get the timing right.
More very useful info on hotswapping here http://forums.afterdawn.com/threads...so-install-reinstall-softmod-files-al.447659/

 

Through an EEPROM reader by the LPC points, you can buy these from eBay.

 

Why would you waste time and effort on that when you can easily hotswap? Seems like a waste unless you plan on doing this in a larger scale.

 

That'd be a loooong moment then... Boot to the dashboard, maybe let it sit for a minute or two until it's done loading, caching, doing whatever on the hdd, then swap at your leisure. (Now if the box ran into an error screen during boot it'd be a different story...)

 

Are you sure? Always worked like that for me on the 1.6 box I used to have. I could only get it to be unlocked at that short moment when the ms logo appeared (just like they say over at afterdawn forums). Otherwise it would be locked.

 

Well, that's what I remembered doing on my 1.6. But now that I read up on it, it seems I was mistaken - 1.4 and earlier should be fine sitting on the dash, on 1.5/.6 you need to start playing (then pause to stop disk access) an audio track from hdd. Still, no need to get all hectic and rip out cables at a moment's notice. (Of course, you can if you really want to...)

 

That audio cd method you mention does seem more convenient. However when I was doing the ms logo method that was the only known method.

 

Thanks for your help guys.
So, the hdd didnt unlock then. I will try both methods and report back.
Will also build the eeprom cable today, just need to get the parts. I 'd like to have it as back up.