Pretty straightforward question here. Has anyone been able to make this happen yet? The idea arrived when I saw the Xbox Alpha Tower (after messing with Durango in VM) so I would assume the same would be possible? Furthering this I imagine if it's not possible, the same applies to 360? Also assuming it is possible, is there any Xbox Alpha Tower "installers" or VHDs floating around?
it has been asked and tried before (but hey, I wont stop you trying, cause with opensource "emulators" like qemu... changes to code can be made) https://assemblergames.com/threads/could-the-xbox-alpha-kit-be-emulated.60334/#post-866392 and https://assemblergames.com/threads/xbox-alpha-xdk-reverse-engineering-and-virtualization.48094/ There are mutliple recoveries and xdk software suites availeble, aswell (not needed for frankenalpha hardware) motherboard bios and GPU firmware. (might be handy to base your virtual pc on 2 games released by our AG friends and another one maybe released someday. but samples are also included and running the dashboard could be fun maybe you can make a branch of Xqemu for this? http://www.codeasm.com/xbox/files/AlphaRecsAndVGABios.rar (password without qoutes "assemblergames") as released earlier by our friends. with a bit of searching you might find the games and other tries or people doing alpha stuff. getting alpha hardware isnt the hardest thing (the soundcard being reproduced, but I dont know how much are left)
Hello everyone. I'm building my Franken Alpha right now but that video makes me a little confused. PC700 and PC800 RAM? How could it be? Right now I have: -CC820 -Pro 100 M -PC133 256mb (4pcs), 512mb (2pcs). Single PCB 512mb shouldn't work, isn't it? -800mhz and 1Ghz CPU's. #### And a lot more questions if I may: -Slot 370 -> Slot 1 with 1.4Ghz Tualatin. Is there any guide how to mod it? I'm talking about hardware mod of the 370->1 PCB adapter. -What will be if I will use CPU bellow 600Mhz or above 733mhz? I'm talking about speed glitches that takes place with 1Ghz-1.4Ghz retail xbox mod. As far as I know it takes place (but I don't have CPU modded retail XBOX to say for sure). -Will Celeron works? -What makes the VC820 and CC820 MOBO the only ones that can be used? The i820 chipset? Isn't that means that there might be more compatible MOBOs? -GeForce2 ms-8837 rev 1.0 with Conexant encoder. Is that the only one revision (ms-8837) that works? Has it be 64mb or 32mb? I have found a few cards that looks a little different than ms-8837 but they have Conexant encoder too. Make it short - What is the most "must to be" thing about these cards to be compatible? -Will the setup or bootup process be success if I still don't have USB and Audio cards? -Is there any chance to make some old ThinkPad notebook works as XDK? I'm talking about BIOS mods that described above. Just as proof of concept.
-Slot 370 -> Slot 1 with 1.4Ghz Tualatin. Is there any guide how to mod it? I'm talking about hardware mod of the 370->1 PCB adapter. Ive seen some patents on the pcb and schematics, might help you out, no expert (also, not usefull for homebrew Alpha) -What will be if I will use CPU bellow 600Mhz or above 733mhz? I'm talking about speed glitches that takes place with 1Ghz-1.4Ghz retail xbox mod. Why what? below 600 = Alpha I code might complain or boot, not sure. 733 or above, Alpha II code might work but fail below 733(not sure if its a hardlimit, but there is code that checks the reported speed) if its realy fast, well, maybe code will work but glitch aswell.. or it will freakout and kernel panics just like too low speeds. check the kerneldebuglogs -Will Celeron works? Mobo seems to support Celeron, at wich speeds are you thinking? again, Alpha 1 runs at 600ish or above and Alpha II needs 733 (not sure if faster is allowed). how hard is it to get a 733Mhz slot 1 Intel CPU? -What makes the VC820 and CC820 MOBO the only ones that can be used? The i820 chipset? Isn't that means that there might be more compatible MOBOs? Yeah, I kinda think its the chipset. Drivers are compiled inside the kernel and dashboard, so if it ships with the i820 one, it "might" work. if you have the cc820 mobo, and nobody tried, try it, insert the ram, cpu (please try a 733 one or 600ish with Alpha1 recovery) and see the kerneldebug log. -GeForce2 ms-8837 rev 1.0 with Conexant encoder. Is that the only one revision (ms-8837) that works? Has it be 64mb or 32mb? I have found a few cards that looks a little different than ms-8837 but they have Conexant encoder too. Make it short - What is the most "must to be" thing about these cards to be compatible? isnt this the Alpha1 videocard? or uncompatible? you gonna need a NV20 based GPU for Alpha2 hardware (it can run alpha1 code i think) I have a 64MB AGP Dell 3J562 nVidia Geforce3 NV20 DVI / VGA Graphics Card it doesnt need to be DELL or that 3J number. 32MB im not sure, why not try buying the 64 anyway? (if you already got one, try it, again, see kerneldebug for what the kernel thinks about it, it will tell you to either upgrade or its just wrong... or work ) The Conexant encoder is somewhat independand from our GPU story, it takes the GPU output and makes it Analog video. its even put on non-nvidia cards. if you find a card without one, you might be able to transfer the board, but thats my own idea to try, not sure if it works that way. -Will the setup or bootup process be success if I still don't have USB and Audio cards? Recovery disk seemed to boot when I had a 20GB disk, CPU, and ram installed. no video, but Kernel debug said it wanted the GPU. inserted the GPU, and it happely booted to the recovery menu, waiting for a button press. got my USB, and inserted that, with a xbox controller finaly I could press the button to start the recovery. (onboard USB never worked with Xbox dashboard or recovery, as documented and said before by people). Games still dont boot, need to try with soundcard, wich is said to make games work. -Is there any chance to make some old ThinkPad notebook works as XDK? I'm talking about BIOS mods that described above. Just as proof of concept. What? are there Thinkpads with the i820 chipset? and a NV20 GPU? Opti usb board?... unless your talking about using the Thinkpad as a developement system for a Alpha kit. Get this idea out your head if you cannot program. I know that its not very helpfull that there arent realy helpfull buildlogs yet, or lists of hardware. but the few people that DID actualy build alpha's seem to have done fine with just the info that was out there. like some pictures, and few lists of hardware thats used by MS. I even posted the hardware I got. Asume that the Xbox kernel is like windows with only the drivers for that hardware, get hardware that wil look the same in a software way. the board might have a diferent color, a OEM or diferent brand name, if the IC is used is the same and PID/VID seems arround the same. there is a change it might work. if Windows 2000/XP boots, the basic hardware works. now get the kernel logs I rememeber someone posted a detailed way how to do this, but cant seem to find it. basicly you need a rs232 null-cable I think between your Alpha kit and a developer pc (as in, windows pc, with windbg) then start windbg, set it to remote debug over com1 or whatever serial port you are using. https://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29679 Nice thread where they tried what PixelButts tries, including Kerneldebug sample output. maybe it helps to see what mods you need to do if the hardware inst compatible.
