I have a dashboard related error on my xbox version 1.3, fully retail and unmodded. Tried hotswapping and corrupted my dashboard files (I'm assuming this tho), error 16. What i want to know is will an xbox hardware refresh disc clean the corupt files and format everything and bring my system back to a retail state.
I'm not bothered about save games or any data on the drive.

and while i'm at it, is there anyone near the High Wycombe/Slough (UK) area, who will rent or possibly borrow a flash reader/tsop reader (to read my xbox bios)?
Affie

(Alas, the Hardware Refresh Disc doesn't access the C partition at all eh.)

you can always just TSOP it or chip it

as for the xbox if you cant boot a game any more then you lost it.

(The box isn't lost; hotswapping again to re-establish /C/xboxdash.xbe and its support files is another option eh. )

can't hotswap at all, without a game in the drive it will go from the xbox logo to error 16 (without m$ logo). with a game it takes a lot longer but does the same in the end as without a game

(The disconnected DVD method will likely work for you and/or you need to swap it sooner eh.)