Xecuter 2.3b Pro Installation Guide (Soldering Required) w/ Evolution X Installation Guide
By:Cathesdus
Things You Need:
-The Modchip (Xecuter 2.3b Pro)
-Torx 20 Screwdriver
-Torx 10 Screwdriver
-A Cheap Soldering Iron
-Solder (Don't Get The Huge Pipe Soldering Kind
-Electrical Tape
Though this guide does cover how to install the chip, it also covers how to put Evolution X on it, so here are the things you'll need for Evolution X:
-Computer With Windows XP Connected To A Router
-Extra LAN Cable
-FlashXP(Easy To Find. Search For It On Google)
-Latest Evolution X Bios
-Latest Evolution X Dashboard
Step 1 - Taking Apart Your XBox
Ok, this step seems to be pretty mandatory regardless of how your modding. The first thing that you want to keep in mind is that if at all possible, you dont want it to be noticeable that you took apart you XBox, so you need to use a Heat Gun (or hot hair dryer) to loosen up the glue on the bottom of the stickers. Then, carefully use a razor blade to peel them off. This isn't necessary, you can just rip the stickers off but it depends whether you care whether the job looks tidy and undetectable or not. After that, you will see two screws revealed. The next for holes are easy to get at. Just take a small flathead screwdriver and pull up the rubber boots on the bottom of the XBox from the farthest end (the end facing away from the center). This will show you the last four holes. Using your Torx 20 screwdriver, take the 6 screws out.
Step 2 - Getting To Your Motherboard
This is actually pretty easy. There are only 3 screws you have to worry about and you'll be using your Torx 10 screwdriver to get them out. The first to are near the front of the DVD Drive, one on eaither side. They are down by about an inch. The last screw is under your IDE cable (the grey cable) that connects to the HDD and the DVD Rom. Lift up the cable and it will be in the black plastic piece in between the DVD Drive and HDD. Now that you have the screws out, disconnect the power cable from the back of the HDD and lift up the black plastic piece. This will expose your motherboard. Now, disconnect the yellow power cable and the IDE cable from the motherboard and put the drives somewhere out of the way.
Step 3 - Determining Your Motherboard Model
Ok, you're getting closer! The first thing you need to look for is the LPC port. This is where you'll be soldering the wires to. It is located near the mid-left of the motherboard and is a little bit below and to the right of where you disconnected you IDE cable. Newer motherboards have the holes already cleaned out, but the older ones have the holes filled with solder. Nonetheless, it looks like this:
minus the colored spots of course:). Ok, now that you've found it, You're probobly thinking "man these holes are big and these wires are small! I can solder this!" Well, If thats what you think, you're right, but there's one more important thing you have to worry about. There are two different types of motherboards. There is also one more solder point. What I'm getting at is not only is this point REALLY small, it can be hard to find. First, determine which motherboard you have by looking at these pics:
Version 1.0 & 1.1:
Versions 1.2 thru 1.5:
Good! Now that you've figured that out, lets get to the installation, shall we?
Step 4 - Installing The Modchip
This is where the mod will make you or break you. It's pretty self explanatory as to where the wires go. Just look at the color coding on the LPC picture above and solder the respective wire into that hole. For those of you whom are ignorant, that means match up the colors and solder:). Once that is done, you'll still have a wire with a loop on it. This is your ground. The screw you use should be in the package with your chip. What to do? You see the hole directly above and to the left of the LPC port and has a circle of medal around it? Yep, that's where it goes.
Ok now that the LPC is done, lets take a look at the small hole I told you about earlier. Hmmm, yea it's pretty small, but if you didn't get the Pipe Solder like I said not to, and you got the THIN solder, this is a piece of cake. Remember! It is very importatant to make sure that your motherboard matches with one of the ones up there and that you solder the right point!!!! Just be VERY careful not to mess up.
Step 5 - Finishing Up The Mod
ALRIGHT! So I'm assuming you did everything right and you're probobly pretty eager to try out your new chip, but two things have to be done first. Number one, Lets put everything back together so we dont have to worry about it anymore and Number two, you haven't Installed Evolution X yet!
Well this first step to putting everything back together is mounting everything up. The chip itself rests up against the medal near the back. The Programmer wire (thing that looks like a mini IDE cable) connects to the small black piece that the THIN looking id cable connects to. Basically, it looks like a think cable going into a black piece that connects to a smaller cable (included in the kit). The thin cable gets run above the connecter for where your video wires hook into your XBox. By above, I mean the little crack inbetween the Connecter and the case itself. Then the thin cable connects to the big programmer port (Looks like a printer port because it is) and then you can mount that near the back of your xbox somewhere, somehow.
The hardest part to do is running the switches. First, look for the two screws that hold the first two controller ports in place on the inside of the XBox. Once you find them, take them out and pull the port back. Lead the little blue wire into one of the spaces directly below the ports and connect the wire to the switch board. Then put the port back in place. You can now mount your switches right under you controller port (convenient, eh?).
Ok now that all thats done, you can put you xbox back together. Im not going to get into this becaseu It's a pretty simeple task. Just make sure you hook the IDE cable and the yellow power cables back up to the motherboard and that you hook the powercable back up the the HDD. Just run everything the weay it was, put the threee screws back in, and put the case back on. Once all that is done, put your stickers back on (you tricky trickster) and make sure the screws in the bottom are all tight. HELL YA! CONGRATS! You've just installed one of the most difficult, yet most powerful chips available! Now there's only one thing left to do...
Step 6 - Installing Evolution X
Oh Ya. The time has come. Not only is this the final step, it is also the funnest. If done improperly though, you can ruin your chip (ya, I know. It would be such a waste, wouldn't it?). Ok since this is one of the most important parts of the tuturial, I'll break it down easier then I've been doing.
- Installing Evolution X Bios USING Evolution X
Ok this is where you will probobly go crazy but if you follow my instructions, it will be fine. First, take a look at those beautiful switches on the front of your XBox. Wonder what they mean? Well this is what I like about the Xecuter 2.3b Pro. It has four different storeage banks. Meaning you can put four different 256k bios on it, or you can put 2 512k bios on it, or 2 256k bios and one 512k bios, or a 1024 k (1mb) bios on it. This can get comlicated and unless you are advanced with using bios and flashing chips with different bios (which, hmm, I don't think you are), follow my instructions on this next part STEP BY STEP!
The first step to this method is determining what size and type of bios your going to use. Always check the Evolution X website to see what the latest version is and try to find that version. Bios can be found a number of ways; certain websites, P2P networks (using programs like Kazaa, Shareaza, etc...) or friends that have them already. Once you find the bios you want, determine its size. This is very easy. If your using Windows, right click on it and go to properties. Remember this.
There is one more thing you have to find. Using the same methods stated above, find and Evolution X ISO image. An ISO image is an exact replica of a CD, only in a computer file. Like I said before, Go to the Evolution X website and find out what the latest dashboard version or "build" is. Always try to find this version, as it will be most up to date and have the least bugs. Once you have the ISO image, use Nero or Qwix to burn the image on to a CD-RW, DVD-RW or whatever type of disk you XBox will read. CD-RW work almost all of the time, but require a little persuasion. Once the image is burned and you put it in your XBox, don't be discouraged if it doesnt load. Also, remember to ALWAYS FINALIZE SESSION WHEN BURNING AN XBOX CD. If it doesn't load, and you'r SURE you did it right, try turning off the XBox with the disk still in the drive and then turning it on again. It will eventially work. DVD-RW seem to have a better success rate but most people dont have DVD burners. I personally use Sony CD-RW's, and I sometimes have to play with them like I just said. Once it works, you will be greated by an oh so beatiful Evolution X Dashboard!!! HAHA! YOU ALMOST THERE! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Ok so you got evolution X to load. Cool. The next step involves use of a Computer running windows XP hooked up to a router and your xbox preferrably hooked up to the same router. When Evovlution X loads, find where it says your IP Address and right it down or something. Next, get on your computer and use FlashXP. This program is easy to find. Just search for it on Google. Remember, the computer using FlashXP must be running under WindowsXP! Once you have the program, connect to your XBox using the IP address Evolution X told you. The username and password are both xbox. Once connected, copy the bios you want to install onto your xbox into the C Drive (on the XBox, of course) and close out of FlashXP. Then, remember how I said to remember your bios size? Well heres the deal. There are four cute little switches but you dont quite know what they do. Well, remember I said you can have different size bios and it gets complicated? Well, here's where your ability to follow directions comes in to play. Your Evolution X bios could have been one of three size. 256kb, 512kb, or 1024 kb (1Mb). First, turn off your XBox. Now, lets say that the bios you have is 256Kb. If that's the case, put your switches in the following order:
If you have 256kb bios:
Switch 1 - Off
Switch 2 - Off
Switch 3 - On
Switch 4 - On
If you have 512kb bios:
Switch 1 - Off
Switch 2 - On
Switch 3 - Off
Switch 4 - On
If you have 1024kb (1Mb) bios:
Switch 1 - Off
Switch 2 - Off
Switch 3 - Off
Switch 4 - On
MAKE SURE YOUR SWITCHES ARE SET CORRECLTY!!!! I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH!
Ok now with the switches set, turn your XBox back on, fiddle with the CD if you have to to make Evolution X come back on again, and find the option that lets you Flash Bios. Once it has been found, select the bios you put on the XBox HDD and confirm it. It has a nice little progress bar and when it's done, exit out of the flash thing and connect to your XBox using FlashXP again. This time, your going to go into your XBox's DVD-Drive instead of it's HDD. Once in the DVD Drive, copy default.xbe and evox.ini to your computer. Then rename default.xbe to xboxdash.xbe. Now go from your XBox DVD drive back to the XBox C drive and copy xboxdash.xbe and put it somewhere safe on your computer. This is for if you want to put the origianl XBox dashboard back on your XBox. It isn't necessary however. Ok now that thats copied, delete the original xboxdash.xbe on your XBox and replace it with the Evolution X one (you know, the one that I told you to rtename from default.xbe to xboxdash.xbe?) and copy the evox.ini file into the same directory. Now disconnect from your xbox and unplug any LAN cables you had plugged into it. Then turn off the XBox. Before you turn it back on, remember those little switches on the front? Turn number four to the off position but dont mess with the other ones. Number four is a flash protection switch. When it's on, bios can be flashed but when its off, they cant. This is just a protection measure.
Step 7 - Have Fun
Ready? All you have to do is turn your XBox back on now and see if you really are and uber-modder. If all goes well, congrats!
Copyright 2004 Cathesdus. If you guys want to copy a part of this, then send me an E-Mail at Cathesdus@hotmail.com. You can post this on any website but link directly to it. Copy and paste the entire document and save it on your own server. This took me a while to make so please don't steal from it without giving me any credit. I'd like to thank XBox-Scene.com for hosting this and all the guys in the forums who have answered all of my questions.
This post has been edited by Cathesdus: Apr 15 2004, 10:52 AM
Xecuter 2.3b Pro Installation Guide, With Evolution X Installation Guide
Apr 15 2004, 10:45 AM
