Flashbios Problem, Help? Options

[bresslerz]

I am a total n00b, so be forewarned...

I installed the Xecuter 2.3 plus chip and it seems to have been installed fine. When I start the Xbox, I see the FlashBIOS (Cromwell 2.28 dev) screen.

From the tutorials I have read, I am now supposed to flash the BIOS, correct?

I have now tried three different CD-RW versions with different BIOSes and they all get the same error when I put the CD in the xbox. It says "No BIOS update found - halting"

The first two CDs had a 1 mb BIOS.bin that I had created from x2bm and a dummy.bin file of about 187 megs.

I assumed that I was doing something wrong with the CD, so I tried to use Slayers EvoX install. This got the same error.

Can anyone tell me what I should be doing differently or what I am doing wrong?

[nfs924]

did u burn it corrcetly? Try this tutorial:
http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/flashbios.php

[bresslerz]

Yep, to the T.

I just followed that tutorial exactly using the Slayer ISO file.

Same error: No BIOS update found - halting!

[oxjeremy334]

you made sure to rename the bios? bios.bin I think...make sure that you just name it bios...since it is already a bin file

[Funkadelik]

it isnt a xiso, is it? it should be just a regular iso... did u had a dummy.bin file?... are u using nero? disk at once method? 4x(2x recommended)?

[bresslerz]

This is the Slayer iso, so I assume he did everything correctly in the ISO itself. Right?

Looking in the ISO file, it has a bios.bin file, a default.xbe file and a whole slew of other files.

The Slayer installation program created the ISO itself, although I have used xISO to view its contents.

It seems that there is about 200 megs of other data in the ISO.

Yes I used Nero v5.5 disk-at-once, finalized, at 4x on a brand new Memorex CD-RW. The xbox seems to be recognizing the media, but then can't find a bios update.

Could it be possible that the updates in Slayer's installation ISO aren't an upgrade? Maybe since I just got the Xecuter 2.3 plus solderless chip it has a recent BIOS and the ISO has an older one? Is that possible?

Can you skip the BIOS flashing part or do you HAVE to flash the bios first?

[lookformeb]

You could try the tutorial in my signature also...

I'd recommend 512k, NOT 1mb for your first flash. You user other software, on the Xbox, to flash that 2nd bank if you like to...

This post has been edited by lookformeb: May 10 2004, 12:20 PM

[bresslerz]

lookformeb, I will give that a shot tonight...

I hope you're right...

[bresslerz]

Okay, followed teh tutorial, but no luck.

I created a CD with two files:

bios.bin that is a 512Kb bios created using x2bm from x2_4983.67_256k and
ABC.DAT that is a 191 meg dummy file.

I burned them onto a Memorex CD-RW using Nero 5.5. I followed lookformeb's tut exactly.

When I put the CD in the xbox, I still get an "No bios update found - halting!" error.

I have a v1.0 xbox with a Thompson drive.

One thing that I didn't follow is I haven't set up my network yet. Does the bios flash need the xbox to be on a network? I wouldn't think it would...

[bresslerz]

Oh HAPPY DAY! I finally decided to try a different BIOS. Duh, should've thought of that before. I finally tried using the Xecuter 4973 bios and it worked.

Thanks for everyone's help.

[bresslerz]

It seems that I spoke too soon. The flash seemed to work. The box shuts down afterwards.

When I turn the xbox back on with the switches set to Enable, Protect, and Bank 1, it frags.

The tutorial I have says I should reflash the bios. Should I try the 1024k bios this time?

[The Juggler]

What video chip do you have? the box will frag if you used a 4973 bios and you have the focus video chip.

The version of bios shouldn't matter (other than the focus chip thing). I'd recommend the x4983 personally. And it should be a 512k for the X2.3. Just do everything the same as you did with that 4973 bios, but now you'll have to flash bank 2 I guess.

It probably can't find it because you have the Thompson drive. It's not known for reading media other than Xbox discs. (and even then, it doesn't read those well either)

EDIT: Just read that you have a v1.0 Xbox. So, it's REALLY unlikely you have the focus video chip. So, I'm not sure why the 4973 bios didn't work for you.... You'll want to be careful flashing bank 2, because if that one gets messed up, then you'll have to buy a programmer.

This post has been edited by The Juggler: May 11 2004, 01:25 AM

[The Juggler]

Check this thread. It might help out!

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=212668

[bresslerz]

I don't have the Focus chip.

There is no problem with the drive reading the media because it obviously sees and recognizes the media itself, it just doesn't seem to want to flash properly.

At this point, the only combination that has worked has been the 512k 4973 bios. Everything else has gotten the same "No bios found- halting!" error.

When I use the 512k 4973 bios with Enable - Unprotected - Bank 2, everything seems to work fine. The bios flashes, the progress bar fills up yellow, then fills up green, then the xbox shuts down.

But then I turn on the xbox with Enable - Protected - Bank 1 (where the new bios should have been flashed to) and it frags.

Any suggestions? I've tried flashing using the same CD that worked and it repeats the process above (seems to work, but frag on restart).

[lookformeb]

Whatever you do, do NOT use a 1mb BIOS. IF you do and the same issue occurs, you will need a programmer.

Try a newer BIOS like 4981 or even 4983 (yes, again) and flash the same way you just did. You probably accidently, somehow, corrupted the first BIOS you tried.

Also, you didn't follow it exactly since my tutorial uses a 50mb dummy file, not 191.