Your XBox requires service. Am I doomed?

[Skippy_Enson]

Heya...
I have an unmodded xbox that I tried to setup Phoenix loader 1.3 on. I followed the tutorial as best I could although I skipped the evox stuff since I could not find a way to install it without a modchip.

Anyway. After installing the Phoenix loader stuff (using the hdd swap method) I can no longer boot the Xbox as I get the dreaded "Your XBox Requires Service" message...

Am I screwed? I can't seem to get the hd swap trick to work although Maybe It needs to be done differently now? Did I hose this xbox forever?

I did at least make a backup with hdd driver before I went and foobar'd everything...

[Jormugandr]

Can you describe what you did exactly and step by step ?
and do you see any error number on the top left corner ?
We can't go further without more information on what you did !

[Skippy_Enson]

I followed option 3 of this tutorial all the way through (hdd swap method)

http://www.maxconsole.com/?mode=tutorials&feed=xbox&itemid=87

The only peices I skipped were the Evox.ini stuff because I did not know what they were talking about. (and Evox was not listed as required software) I am not seeing an error code in the upper left corner of my screen.

I read in other forums that I can put a regular x-box disc in the xbox and when that loads I can do the hdd swap trick. Is that true? If so I will just go out to wal mart and get a demo disc.

[Jormugandr]

In your case you got error at boot probably because :
- hd or/and dvd drive are not well plugged
- dashboard can't be launched

For the hotswap :
You need a game or demo that sits at a menu without loading anything.

PART 5.12 : Did you do that ? Maybe you sent the modified XboxDash.Xbe to C...

[Skippy_Enson]

Yes I did the last part and transfered the modified xboxdash.xbe to the E: drive.

Also I re-checked all the cables and they are nice and tight.

What is the best game/demo disc to use? I don't currently own any xbox titles as I planned to run only homebrew stuff.

[Jormugandr]

I have absolutely no idea :(

You didn't try another thing on your drive ? like unlocking it or such ?

[Skippy_Enson]

No I didn't. I did make a backup in HDD Driver tho. I may just have to chill out for a few days and see if I can borrow some of my friends games.

I don't think I can unlock the drive now since I have no way to swap it in and get the password.

[AlcoholFuelled]

Ok I wrote the tutorial and have no idea what you mean by skipped the evox stuff. Can you please copy the steps (or an example of them) that you missed so I can see better where you went wrong.

[Skippy_Enson]

I skipped all of part 1

In part 2 I chose the HDD Swap option and did all steps

I did all part 3

I did part 4 I chose the "Without Fonts Folder" Path and skipped step 7

I did all part 5

I did all part 6

My end result. "Your XBox Requires service" :(
I now realize that having evolutionx installed before hand was a prerequisite. Reading through this the first time it wasn't obvious to me that this was the case since I could do all the copying etc just by swapping.

I am confident that the Harddrive is still physically functional (when the XBox logo is displayed at bootup the word "Microsoft" appears beneath after a time just before the screen is replaced by the "requires service" error message. When the drive is not connected the text "Microsoft" never appears under the bootup logo. It also never appears if another harddrive is hooked into the xbox in its place.

Hopefully all I need is an actual xbox title (I will be borrowing several tomorrow) and I will be able to unlock the drive, swap it back into my pc and restore from my backup.

I would be stuck at this point anyway because I cannot find any documentation on how to use/install evolutionx without a modchip.

[BigGanja]

ok well 1st up

where ya live come visit me, i will fix ya xboxX, But SERIOUSLY, if ya stuck i will sort it 4 ya NP, so long as ur UK m8

seriously u got an Error code what number is it giving in the Tops left corner

and WHAT EXACATLY did ya do, IE: 007, Mech assault, Fonts, or Audio ?

i will help if i can just need to know what u did, by the sounds of it i think u might be stuck unlesS u can get ahold of someone with a modded xbox OR by buyig a chip, did ALL files copy across Correctly ?

Chips or TSOP is safest method COZ it DONT rely on the HDD even being present, where the Xploits fair enuff, they do work , but data is coming on and off ya HDD all the time where a chip info is there ALL the time, not being edited unless u flash a new bin (CODE) onto it !

[AlcoholFuelled]

having installed evox before had is NOT a prerequist. The tutorial is designed to be done on an xbox straight from the box.

A few things to mention, when you editied the xboxdas.xbe file did you place it on e drive OR did you place it in the C over the top of the original? If you replaced the original that is your problem.

Are you able to boot original games at all?

[Skippy_Enson]

AlcoholFuelled

Okay so then skipping the evox steps that I outlined should have no bearing on the problem I am experiencing.

As for the xboxdash.xbe. I placed it on drive E: as the directions stated. The only things that went on drive c were the bert and ernie fonts and the pheonix loaded stuff.

> If you replaced the original that is your problem.

I am sensing a hint of hostility (or maybe its just the text ;) ) There is none on my end as far as I am concerned I knew the risks before I did this and accept whatever consequences it brings. Don't think I am pissed off or holding anyone other than myself accountable. :)

As far as booting original games goes. I am not sure yet. I don't own any (I got the xbox as a refurb for 80 bucks) I am waiting to borrow some from a friend of mine (he's got 10 he's going to lend me).

[Skippy_Enson]

BigGanja

Thanks for the offer bud. But I am in the USA.

:)

[AlcoholFuelled]

I am sensing a hint of hostility
No you just read it wrong. There should be a , in there.

If you replaced the original, that is your problem.


Try the original and see if it works.

[Skippy_Enson]

I have now tried several original games.

All that happens is my xbox repeated resets (although if I hammer the buttons I can hear the dasboard sounds and for a brief second I can see the dashboard attempt to dispay.)

I am fairly confident now that I am indeed doomed :o(

[Skippy_Enson]

Well persistence pays off I guess!!!!!!!! I kept unhooking and rehooking the cables and jiggled them and danced a jig. And lo and behold after several resets I finally got it to load halo...

I thought for a minute about weather or not the box might have a short in the data cable then decided maybe it would be best at any rate to just swap it back in and restore the backup now while I have a chance.

So I have done that and my XBox is now back in the pristene refurbished condition it was in when I got it. Full working dashboard and all.

So now I will do what I should have probably done in the first place... Ask you guys (the pros!) what it is I should do. And the order I should do it. (you don't need to hold my hand but an outline of what tutorials to follow and the order in wich they need to be done would be nice)

I bought this box fully intending to run homebrew stuff. I am not interested in playing backup games (or retail games for that matter) but I am very interested in running alot of the homebrew stuff out there like MAME and other emulators.

If I do not wish to get a modchip. What is the best path to follow to set up my xbox for running homebrew stuff?

I am guessing I need a bios loader (like pheonix) but I have realized through this ordeal that even if I had that installed I wouldn't know what to do next.

Its looking like the 007 style hacks which load evox are the way to go and lowest risk (since you can dump the unlock code for the harddrive and ftp and the like).

Hotswapping this harddrive is getting a bit old ;)

thanks to Alchohol Fueled and the others who tried to help me through this! I hope these last few questions aren't too much.

[catfish]

.oh well, I missed page 2... and posted the obvoius, glad to see u fixed it!

[AlcoholFuelled]

What version of xbox do you have?

If I was you (and had a 1.1/0) id likely flash the tsop with a switchable BIOS (and install a switch obviously).

If a 1.2/3 id go with a good modchip