I have an X-ecuter 2.2 Lite arriving within a few days and I've read all of the 63 millions tutorials out there on XBOX modding. I now feel quite comfortable installing the chip and EvoX etc.

However, one thing bothers me... many of the tutorials have conflicting information. Obviously some are older than others. Everyone says the only downfall of the X-ecuter "Lite" chips is that if you screw up the flash then you have to buy the external programmer to reflash it. But the X2 chips have TWO banks so why do we need to overwrite BOTH of them? Couldn't we just flash Bank 1 or Bank 2 and leave the other bank alone in case we screw something up? That way we have one bios/bank to fall back on if we screw up the other?

All tutorials say to take the 4977 bios which is only 256k and make a 1024k bios.bin out of it. Then what is the purpose of having TWO banks on the X2 with a dip switch for switching between them? Can't we just make a 512k bios and flash it to either Bank 1 or Bank 2? Why do we have to overwrite both?

Furthermore, is the original Cromwell bios that is found on the X2.2 Lite flashed onto both Bank 1 and Bank 2? It would seem much safer if Cromwell was flashed onto the X2.2 Lite in two locations, Bank 1 and Bank 2. And when we go to flash our 4977 bios or whatever, we should only overwrite one of the banks. If we screw up, then we could flip the switch and still boot from Cromwell on the other bank?

Any info on this topic would be greatly appreciated! Am I way off base or what?

if you use my tutorial (in my signature) everything is up to date except your main concern. it is known know that you dont have to flash both banks at once. this is the way i understand it is done:

settings: on, unprotect, bank 2
create: 512kb bios instead of 1mb

just follow the rest as usual. do a little search in the forums to verify the info... its been discussed before.

QUOTE (mikebpi @ Oct 14 2003, 10:41 AM)

Make a 512k 4977 bios Enable, Unprotected, Bank2 Flash Ends up you flash bank1 (the first 512k) with 4977, and cromwell isn't touched on bank2 Always run on bank1, if you ever need to reflash just switch to cromwell and do it again

yup. just like i said

QUOTE

settings: on, unprotect, bank 2 create: 512kb bios instead of 1mb

i do know about the conflicting info... i still have to update and fix it. it's on the bottom of my priority list though

Thanks for the clarification guys. Now THAT makes much more sense to me, make a 512k bios and flash it to Bank 1. If it fails, who gives a crap... just switch to the untouched Cromwell and try the flash again.

So why does everyone warn that the "Lite" chips are toast if you screw up the flash? Seems like this message needs to be spread around. Everyone I have spoken with said to ALWAYS flash a 1024k bios to the "Lite". This is not only misleading but VERY dangerous.

I would say NEVER NEVER NEVER flash a 1024k bios. Leave Cromwell on one bank and only flash the other. Do not touch the second cromwell.

I have been searching for this answer for weeks now.

Thanks for the answer. I have posted this question on IRC and no response.

You guys are the best.

I have a x2.2 lite+ so I am assuming this will work also.

Yeah, lookformeb's tutorial still has the 1024k flash listed as the main way to go, but we now know to flash 512kb to protect the original cromwell flash in bank 2.

Am I going to get props for pointing this out to you, lookformeb?

-ctide

Wouldn't FlashX also work on bank 1 flashing? I think the issues for non version 1.0 xboxes only affect bank 2 (or 3/4 on a pro). If you only flash the first 512k then version 1.0 of FlashX (the fast one) will work fine from my understanding.

The issue was the FIRST flash, when all you have is Cromwell flashbios. It was known that you could flash banks individually later. But it seems most people hose up there X2's with the first flash. That's why it's important to use a 512kb bios disk when flashing with flashbios.

QUOTE

So why does everyone warn that the "Lite" chips are toast if you screw up the flash? Seems like this message needs to be spread around. Everyone I have spoken with said to ALWAYS flash a 1024k bios to the "Lite". This is not only misleading but VERY dangerous.

well, because if your first flash it a clean one, not many people have problems. i've always used a 1024... never had an issue

QUOTE

Am I going to get props for pointing this out to you, lookformeb?

i've actually known about this a few weeks but hadn't had a chance to chance it. i will probably this weekend, now that im off for our ever so short 2 day fall break starting thursday. man, college shafts you with the fall break, but definately rules with the winter one! anyways, back to what i was saying... it should be fixed shortly...

By the way, if anyone out there has successfully flashed a 512k bios.bin to an X-ecuter 2.2 Lite then please let us know. Just wondering how many people have done this succesfully and how many have had problems.

If you happen to own an external flasher as backup, please be nice and try this for us! ;-)

For those interested, here is another tutorial saying you can use a 512k bios.bin and only flash ONE bank...

http://www.xecuter2.com/showthread.php?threadid=5402

I flashed bank1 only with cromwell flashbios by using a 512kb bios, so I still have the factory-installed flashbios sitting in bank 2.