I'm learning to hate X3's.


Here's the story. failed 1.6a x3 mod NOT MINE. It was sent to me to try to fix it. they had it working for a while apparently, flashed the BIOS, the whole shebang, but it was a very bad LPC rebuild. As he resoldered and resoldered the LPC rebuild, he hopelessly destroyed the mobo. This is where I come in.

I can replace his mobo. I have a 1.3 I want to do for the job. Pogo install, confirmed a good install with an Xeceuter 2.6. I put in the Xecuter 3 and it frags. I'm pretty sure it's flashed with some sort of 1.6 compatible BIOS. It won't let me get into the X3 config (white button pressed) in any switch configuration.

How the hell do I flash the BIOS on this fscker? I have the BIOS I want to put in it, but no Cromwell to boot to, no config live, Nothing.

I realize I could buy an X3 programmer, but I already have an x2 progger, and 99% of my installs are nice, cheap, reliable, compatible x2.6's.

Is there a trick to get to tis wonderful 'backup bios' the X3 is supposed to have to keep this sort of thing from ever happening?


I don't see the appeal of these chips. More $$$, and the extra options they come with are seemingly pointless. they don't seem to keep this sort of crap from happening.

It's clear that you are getting angry about your situation, but I have to say, this is probably only due to lack of research.

If you boot the modded xbox with both the power and eject buttons pressed at the same time, the chip will boot to the backup bios, which will be the flashbios, from this you can re-flash any of the banks you want.

There is no X3 programmer because it is believed that people wont be stupid enough to mess up their bios flashing and then to flash over the backup.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

I stand schooled.

You know, I read 2 x3 BIOS FAQS before posting, and scanned the BIOS forum. Neither mentioned the reset/eject thing. Too obvious I guess.

Perhaps I needed to read a basic X3 FAQ.

Thanks so much. HTTP flash here I come.

And I'ts good.


Thanks for the great advice.