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Post by Pang on Dec 30, 2004 18:25:51 GMT 8
Hi, my xbox is modded with DUOX2 mod-chip earlier. I am in the midst of deciding whether to install GentooX Media Center (MCE) on my xbox as the installation requires the mod-chip bios to be flashed. There are few questions in my mind now which I will appreciate if anyone can help.
1. I have read a suggestion in the forum to 'write-protect' the mod-chip before installing MCE and later manually flash the modchip. Hence, is there anyway that I can 'write-protect' the modchip?
2. How can I later make my modchip "writable" and is it possible for me to enable only 1 bank of the modchip for flashing?
3. Is there any available bank in DUOX2 modchip that can be used for flashing without affecting the MS dashobard and Executer2 Dashboard?
Thanks.
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Post by Mechaman on Dec 31, 2004 8:23:16 GMT 8
Hi, The Duox2 cannot be write protected. Installing MCE will swipe all data in the HDD and flash the bios in your modchip, so you got to have a backup of your data and a installer like Slayer's to recover if something goes wrong THe bios MCE flashes is not compatible with v1.6 Xboxes, so the recommendation is not to flash the bios. If flashed you may not be able to boot up your set if it is a v1.6 xbox. MCE works w/o the bios it flashes The design purpose of MCE is to be free of Microsoft code so that FriendTech can sell their modded Xboxes legally, but due to some problems with them and the delevoper they have broken up and it is available for download. My 5cents worth is that XBMC does the job better as a media centre hope this helps ;D mechaman Hi, my xbox is modded with DUOX2 mod-chip earlier. I am in the midst of deciding whether to install GentooX Media Center (MCE) on my xbox as the installation requires the mod-chip bios to be flashed. There are few questions in my mind now which I will appreciate if anyone can help. 1. I have read a suggestion in the forum to 'write-protect' the mod-chip before installing MCE and later manually flash the modchip. Hence, is there anyway that I can 'write-protect' the modchip? 2. How can I later make my modchip "writable" and is it possible for me to enable only 1 bank of the modchip for flashing? 3. Is there any available bank in DUOX2 modchip that can be used for flashing without affecting the MS dashobard and Executer2 Dashboard? Thanks. |
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Post by Pang on Dec 31, 2004 11:21:06 GMT 8
Hi Mechaman, thanks for your detailed response, i had a better idea of why MCE will need to flash the Bios now. Probably it is not necessary for me to flash my Xbox (v1.0) to MCE bios.
MCE media function is equivalent to the XBMC but in my case, it has an added advantage that a linux is running behind it and there are stuff which I can do in linux while the media center is running.
Do you know if there is anyway that install MCE without flashing the bios? I read from its tutorial that it will auto-flash the bios during installation process but in this case, I would take your advise that it may not be the best option to auto-flash the bios.
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Post by Pang on Dec 31, 2004 11:30:45 GMT 8
Hi Mechaman, sorry for another post of question. If the MCE auto-flash the bios during installation, is there anyway I can restore it to the original bios that you have flashed to the xbox after the installation?
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Post by Mechaman on Dec 31, 2004 21:30:46 GMT 8
Well, there one method, but u will have to open up your xbox to do this. (be careful not to touch the metal when u do this, electric shock is possible  1. open up the xbox and remove the dvd and hdd drive carrirers 2. leave the power and ide cables connected 3. the chip should be exposed 4. boot up the set with your mce media disks 5. once the process is running you should be able to switch the duox2 to the other bank (be careful) 6. if the bios is flashed not a problem, let it go thru the process 7. finish installation and see if the xbox set is able to boot with the new bios, if not , just switch back to the original bios bank hope this help in your endeavours rdgs Hi Mechaman, sorry for another post of question. If the MCE auto-flash the bios during installation, is there anyway I can restore it to the original bios that you have flashed to the xbox after the installation? |
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Post by Pang on Jan 1, 2005 0:18:51 GMT 8
Hi Mechaman, thanks for the detailed instruction.  I think I would do it over the weekend. Just another piece of advise that I would like to seek from you. The DUOX2 modchip comes pre-installed with 2 bios in bank 1 and 2, what is the difference between the 2 bios? I have read some of the DUOX2 specification and it says bank 1 is for v1-1.5 while bank 2 is for v1-1.6. Does that mean that I can install MCE without opening up the XBox, and if the flash doesnt work, I would be able to follow your procedure to switch it to the working bank 2? Or better still, is there a way that I can backup the bios to a file before I attempt my MCE installation? Thanks |
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Post by Pang on Jan 2, 2005 21:25:23 GMT 8
HI Mechaman, I have switched it to bank 1 and installed MCE successfully. I would like to flash it back to the original DUOX2 bios now. Do you know where can I find the original bios file that I can use to re-flash? Thanks.
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Post by Mechaman on Jan 3, 2005 0:11:20 GMT 8
Congrats on your success ;D Bios can be downloaded at www.xbins.orgThe size of the bios for DuoX2 is 512Kb, so u can use the following dos command to increase the size for your downloaded bios -> copy /b 256kbios.bin+256kbios.bin 512kbios.bin hope this helps p.s: Pang, why are you not a member of this forum?  HI Mechaman, I have switched it to bank 1 and installed MCE successfully. I would like to flash it back to the original DUOX2 bios now. Do you know where can I find the original bios file that I can use to re-flash? Thanks. |
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Post by Pang on Jan 3, 2005 12:11:05 GMT 8
As requested, here's a new member here Thanks Mechaman for your recommended link however I am a bit lost in the vast no of bios available at www.xbins.org. If possible, could you advise what is the name of the bios that should be used for the DUOX2 mod-chip? I read the Xecuter bios but it seem that it is using 1MB of space instead of 512K, so it may not be the right bios rite? Thanks. |
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Pang
New Member
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Post by Pang on Jan 3, 2005 12:13:59 GMT 8
Sorry Mechaman, here's a new member |
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Post by Mechaman on Jan 3, 2005 16:09:05 GMT 8
Welcome to my small community  You can use the X2 4983.06 or M8 by Evox, assuming u have a v1.0 to v1.5 For v1.6 you have to use the M8 for 1.6 or M8+ for 1.6 These bios are 256Kb in size. You can then use copy command to increase the size. The 1mb Xecuter bios is meant for the newer xecuter modchips pm me if you have any problems As requested, here's a new member here Thanks Mechaman for your recommended link however I am a bit lost in the vast no of bios available at www.xbins.org. If possible, could you advise what is the name of the bios that should be used for the DUOX2 mod-chip? I read the Xecuter bios but it seem that it is using 1MB of space instead of 512K, so it may not be the right bios rite? Thanks. |
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Pang
New Member
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Post by Pang on Jan 4, 2005 10:44:47 GMT 8
Hi mechaman, I managed to find the link to M8 and M8+ website but just couldn't find the link to download the bios binary. Do you know where can I download those bios?
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Post by Mechaman on Jan 4, 2005 14:00:29 GMT 8
hi Pang, Email me & I'll send you the links rgds Hi mechaman, I managed to find the link to M8 and M8+ website but just couldn't find the link to download the bios binary. Do you know where can I download those bios? |
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I think I would do it over the weekend. Just another piece of advise that I would like to seek from you.
