hey all,
i modded by xbox like 6 years ago, using a hot swap method with my pc. today i was randomly trying to install a new version of xbmc, and i think i accidentally added the wrong version of default.xbe to the /bios folder. (i even have the old one save as a backup version).

now whenever i start up i get error 21 (green letters, red/green flash on the eject button).

i have tried pretty much evvvvverything... made my own boot disc, aid, evox 2.7, and frostie's recovery disc. nothing will load, whatsoever. again, the only file that is corrupt is default.xbe in the /bios folder. all other files are perfectly fine. if i could just ftp, i could fix it in 2 seconds.

anyone have any ideas on how i can get something to load so i can ftp? is the hard drive not locked or something? if so, is there a way for me to lock it, so it will recognize frostie's recovery disc?

the media i have tried: memorex cd-r, maxell cd-rw, and maxell dvd-rw. would it be worth getting a dvd-r to try?

i also have another hacked xbox (using the same hotswap method back in the day). would it be possible for me to either a) hotswap the 2 of xboxes to get this one to work? or just take out the hdd from the other one and put it in this one (the other xbox case sucks, and the cd drive no longer works, which is why i don't just replace this broken one with that one).

any help would be so amazing! please help a dude! i've been trying to fix this for 7 hours now

DVD-R is the most widely readable medium - give it a try.

Having said that, if you were messing about in C:\bios\ and replaced default.xbe, it's likely that your Xbox is no longer softmodded - C:\bios\ is where some softmods put NKPatcher, the file that actually modifies the BIOS in memory to make the Xbox softmodded. If that is the case then you need to start from scratch - but try a DVD-R first, you might be lucky!

You could swap the hard drive, but you'd have to unlock it with the eeprom from the old Xbox, and relock it with the eeprom from the error 21 Xbox. Alternatively, you could put the working DVD drive in the old Xbox.

thanks for the help!

i ended up switching the dvd drives, however, i now have an entirely NEW problem with the OTHER xbox.

whenever i boot up, it won't go into xbmc, and just goes directly to the original xbox splash screen (memory/music/xboxlive/settings). is there any way i can access it via ftp? so far i can't get any rescue discs to load.

If it boots to the MS Dash, and the LED is green, and it won't boot a DVD-R rescue disc, then its almost certainly no longer modded, and you need to mod it again.

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I am very pleased with the thought and don’t feel like adding
anything in it. It a perfect answer.
---------
you enter