Debug Bios On Xecuter2 Console, Noob Needs Detailed Help Options

[Mariko]

I'm new to these forums, so forgive me if this has been discussed. I was unable to find the information I needed, thus this topic. I did do an extensive search online before I registered my account, though.

My problem is as follows: I want to be able to take clean, uncompressed game screenshots directly from the Xbox, and the only way to do it is via the debug bios, or a debug console (with a debug bios, obviously).

The Xbox I own is huge and black and it displays "xecuter 2" under the Xbox logo when it starts, and that's ALL I know. I have some sort of a menu in it that lets me boot emulators and such. I am also able to browse the HD via FTP.

I'd like to know exactly what is needed to accomplish what I'm after, preferably without screwing up my console as it is the only one I have. A step by step, idiot-proof guide would be nice.

Please, help a girl out.

Thank-youuu!

[Movax]

How 'clean' ?

You might consider a capture device that can connect to component.. it will be decent.

[Mariko]

I have a composite capture device and the quality just won't do. It's all too blurry. I wouldn't attempt such a procedure, because I'm a bit scared I might mess up the console, but I really need clean shots. They're meant for print. I've seen how great the ones taken using debug bios look. And I've seen some tutorials, but I'm TOO UNSURE of how to do this. Some additional info:

The menu once the Xbox starts is Evolution X. I have some programs installed already. One of them is called Xbox Bios Checker 4.0b by CrackJack. It gives me the following:

Chip Type -> MODCHIP (or unknown HomeBrew)
Using genuine BIOS -> Xecuter2 4983.67

Then there's the BIOS MD5 hash, which is too long to type, and irrelevant.

The Evolution X "Settings / Info" panel gives me this:

BIOS: Unknown
Kernel version: 1.00.4983.67

As I have mentioned, I can access the hard drive via FTP. I read about Phoenix Bios Loader. Is it possible to simply load the debug bios from a file?

[Movax]

I said component. Composite will always look bad.

There are tutorials on how to install a bfm debug, I don't know which are good, but there is one here: http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/debug-xdk.php

[Mariko]

I read that tutorial and it clearly makes you replace your current dashboard with the debug BIOS. Or is it me who didn't get it? I'm quite tech savvy for a girl, but not THAT savvy. I don't have a component capture device nor do I intend on getting one. The debug BIOS solution is free and vastly better than anything else.

I'd like to hear from someone who has done this before and might know which steps I should follow to achieve what I'm after on my setup. All I can offer for your help is being ETERNALLY GRATEFUL!

[Movax]

You have a hard modded xbox, just go for it, just don't flash your chip and you will always be able to recover with an auto-installer disk. (AID, Slayers, Hexen).

[Mariko]

Ok, so I found this thing called "Slayer's Evox 2.7 FINAL". It's an ISO file. So with this, I can recover my console no matter what I do? I could just as well delete everything I see on the HD, on all of its partitions, and it would still boot? Just double-checking. I don't want a scenario when I later on read "Oh yea, it doesn't work when you do THIS or THAT".

[Movax]

Try it and see if (make sure) it boots. Better yet, install another hard drive, any PATA IDE drive you have access too and it should boot (and will probably ask you if you want to format the drive.)

Unless your bios has been set to skip booting from the DVD drive, (highly unlikely) it will always boot any valid application from the disk first, regardless of the hard drive, and allow FTP access. Just make sure you never flash your bios.

[Mariko]

Ok. Once I gather everything, I'll take the leap of faith and hope it works. Now, the tutorial tells me I need the following (among other things, like the Phoenix loader, which I already found):

- XDK Debug Dashboard 4627 or higher
- Bert and Ernie .xtf files
- Debug RC4 Key
- A 1MB Bootable-From-Media (BFM) version of the Complex 4627 Debug Bios (5558 BFM, and others work too)
- A backup copy of your original xboxdash.xbe file

I'm guessing the backup is, well, a backup, so I can make my own via FTP. The rest is a bit problematic to find and I have NO IDEA what the RC4 key is. Is it a file? A string of numbers? Do you extract it yourself? Does it change from BIOS to BIOS?

I know this isn't exactly "legal", but we're talking last generation here, so maybe you could at least point me to where I can get all that? Debug dash, dert & ernie, RC4 key and a BFM Complex Debug Bios? This stuff is hard to track down. PM me maybe?

[Movax]

There is a URL in that tutorial that should give you a strong hint on where to look.

[Mariko]

This is proving to be more and more difficult. I got the BIOS files but I simply can not find the RC4 information. Anywhere. I already got myself banned on xbins for asking (the ban has been lifted, though - luckily) and NO ONE seems to know EXACTLY what to do.

It's either "LOL what's thaaat? LOLOL" or "I don't know" or I get the link to the only tutorial out there, and it's not really helping. Where am I supposed to go so that I can get some guidance? Everyone seems to be experts on flashing, backing up, burning and what have you, but the whole debug issue is a big mystery.

By the way, I did at least burn the Evox CD and it does boot, from the MS Dash as well.

Oh, while writing this, I finally found the RC4 key. That stuff is REALLY well hidden. Let's see if it helps. If not, I'll be back to whine and moan some more. In the meantime, if someone who knows how to do this correctly reads this, I'd appreciate ANY help.

[Movax]

There aren't many people involved with xbox1 anymore, and most that are (like me) have never setup a debug system, or if they have they have just flashed a debug bios, rather than using software. I will someday, but I haven't yet, so you are somewhat on your own.

This post has been edited by Movax: Feb 16 2012, 06:06 PM

[Mariko]

So this is how far I got:

I got the Phoenix Bios Loader to NOT FREEZE at the phoenix logo. I found a package containing a signed bios with the RC4 key. I simply extracted it to programs on one of the partitions and booted it up. The program starts and goes back to the Evox dash.

I thought that maybe this did the trick. That once this is done, the debug functions are active in the background. They're not. Not as far as I can tell.

This is unrelated, but ConfigMagic 1.6 Final gives me "Error 4 - EEPROM Corrupt!". What gives? How do we fix this? And should we?

[ldotsfan]

There aren't many people involved with xbox1 anymore, and most that are (like me) have never setup a debug system, or if they have they have just flashed a debug bios, rather than using software. I will someday, but I haven't yet, so you are somewhat on your own.

AID Manual Appendix F.

[Movax]

ldotsfan, you're back!

I'm sure you'd be able to help with this thread more than I could...