Mech-Phoenix Problems and Answers

[catfish]

It's been a few days since being released and the main thread has no activity, so I figured it's either perfect or everyone has lost their 'net connection.
Anyways, I thought it may be better to start a separate thread for dealing with problems and a poll to defermine what needs attention most.

[Blackhawk]

Yeah, sorry bout that, circumstances (hardware check :P) everything turns out to be ok, probably was the high uptime for a windows box (42) having a negative effect on weird behaviour, the negative effect being a huge increase in weird behaviour.

This is the first evening I could spend messing around and everything works absolutely fantastic.

There are a few problems I have with specific xbox apps but most of them are known or a side effect of still being in development.

To me this is the biggest thing in xbox soft-modding since the original linux exploit, the same userfriendly install, a lot of possibilities and it just works great.

I have invited a couple of friends over with their xbox, I'il bee seeing any day now, if I notice some weird behaviour I'il definitly provide more feedback.

But until then it just looks like you've done a great job :)

[morpheous1777]

I have to agree with blackhawk, i havent found any major problems yet, you did a great job.
I have a few friends xbox'x that i soft modded before, i will try out the installer on there boxes and see how everything goes

[catfish]

OK everyone,
At this point, I wouldn't count on any installer working unless it's been downloaded from here.
The files found elsewhere have not been tested and contain some major flaws.
I've said it before, I don't care if my work gets re-released by other, just make damn sure it works first! Especially if u take the liberty to put my name on it.

*edit*
the files appear to work fine, although BIOS'es are a bit large. U can use this package to obtain the "required" files for my zip and it should work fine.
In case anyone wonders what is wrong with the xbins release besides the BIOS size, it's the directory structure.
Some directories were omited that will cause errors when restoring or "forcing" a dashboard install.

[death trap]

Nice job, works like a dream. No more luging my laptop around to mod xboxs.

Is it posible edit the game save info to display the text Do Not Remove this Save, or works to that effect.

thanks in advance.

[catfish]

The names for the Mech saves can't be changed, but the trashbin names can. It may also be possible to change the name of the Global directory for the Mech saves, but I haven't tried it yet.
Mech uses some sort of hash of the save name to generate the directory needed so that can't be changed.
If u have the package made by me, then as soon as it's installed, the installer copies itself to the Phoenix directory.
If u can get to PBL+Evo-X, there's an option to re-copy it to the UDATA dir.
I am currently working on an "emergency 007" to allow access in case the user has deleted the package and can't boot to any dash.
Can anyone provide me with the 007 exploit de-obfuscated???

[Agent Orange]

I've heard some reports of xbl not working off of originals after this. I understand that you can never go on xbox live with another bios (ie under PBL) but straight from the original disc should be fine, as this method does not load pbl until the tab is pressed. I had used this package, and used the force 4920 option from 5659. Is there a way to determine if the xodash version was kept?

[catfish]

U can determine Live ver by filesizes.
Live 2.0 = 2,408,448 bytes and the presence of an audio dir in the xodash dir.
Live 1.0 = 1,929,216 bytes.

It may be possible your friend only had Live 1.0 and XBL has upgraded him.
You can use the installer to force a downgrade again or use the installer to FTP the correct files back.

Also, I never said this was safe to use on Live, M$ can start scanning your HD or doing other checks.
Use live at your own risk. Or clone your drive and use a clean original.

[Agent Orange]

I'll have him check the filesize and stuff... he claims he had live 2 before... id there any chance the "install dash 4920" that you have to run after the force option could have overwritten it? I know you never claimed this would work on live, but I assumed from posts on xbox-scene that the xodash was the only thing that needed to be upgraded to play... thaks, for the help, though...

[catfish]

If you used my package and downloaded it from here, he has a backup of C:\ on his Xbox in "E:\UDATA\54555821\969EB7CE3281\originalC\" If u have the readme, there is a link to all the important locatins once u connect to the Xbox
ftp://xbox:xbox@192.168.0.3/E/UDATA/4d530017/082F8754F1D1/default.htm

If u used another package, the one I warned not to use, sorry, but he doesn't have a backup. The name that u DON'T want to use is "Catfish Font Audio Evox Mechinstaller". The required files can be used, but trash the rest.
Whoever decided to post that had left out the destinations for alot of funtions, without the empty backup dirs, there was nowhere for the script to place the backup of C:\.

Also, I've checked the scripts from both packages, as long as u selected "Keep Live", his should not have been altered. One exception could be foreign files located in the Xodash dir creating problems.

[LeathalMethod]

Well, I got your installer to work catfish. Excellent work, but the audio exploit gave me an error 21 until I installed it manually.

I am very interested in how you created that Prep Phoenix savegame. How did you get a Phoenix tab to show up on the MSDash from bootup? I'm trying to hack an MSDash to use the BluDash (http://www.xboxdash.net/) hack.

If I could only discover how you added that Phoenix tab without pulling an Error 21, it would be smooth sailing for me. I realize that I can't modify the xboxdash.xbe while using a soft-mod, and the only other way I can see to use this is by running an alt. named dash from EvoX.

I know SOMETHING is possible, because I don't get an error 21 with your modified dash. So what can I do here? :confused:

[Agent Orange]

if you want to make a copy of xboxdash.xbe, make sure you hex edit it to point to the .bak font files... otherwise you get error 21.

[catfish]

For the record, these fonts are a hacked version of the original Mechinstaller from xbox-linux. Someone hacked them and posted them to xbins in a non-functioning state. I simply was the one who figured them out and posted the answers. It just took a little hex-editing and common sense.

The way these fonts are now, I think you're only option is to run the modded dash directly from the Phoenix tab, via PBL, Evo-X or another dashboard/launcher.

BTW, did u use an Action Replay perhaps? Error 21 would be file not found, improper signature or corrupted xbe (which results in incorrect sig).

[LeathalMethod]

Originally posted by catfish
For the record, these fonts are a hacked version of the original Mechinstaller from xbox-linux. Someone hacked them and posted them to xbins in a non-functioning state. I simply was the one who figured them out and posted the answers. It just took a little hex-editing and common sense.

The way these fonts are now, I think you're only option is to run the modded dash directly from the Phoenix tab, via PBL, Evo-X or another dashboard/launcher.

BTW, did u use an Action Replay perhaps? Error 21 would be file not found, improper signature or corrupted xbe (which results in incorrect sig).
I used a home-made breakaway controller cable to usb connector, so yeah basically an AR. How would that make the audio exploit fail though? :confused:

[Agent Orange]

Hey, catfish. I just tried the audio exploit in your installer, but for some reason I seem to get error 21 whenever I try to run it... I've tried on 3 separate boxes, all with different kernels, and I always seem to get error 21.... am I not using it properly? I'm not as familiar with the audio exploit, so this is entirely possible. Any help would be appreciated.

BTW, for anyone using this installer, it customizes very nicely. change the .jpgs if you want a different loading sequence. change the evox.ini to whatever you want to have installed every time. Even install skins right off the mem card. I love it!

[catfish]

error 21 = file not found or incorrect signature.
How did u install it?
Manually?
Action Replay?

[Agent Orange]

I just used the option in your installer.... I have a MS mem card, and the font exploit works from your package, so I highly doubt it's the hardware.

I can see the soundtrack under the music menu... it's got a wierd character for a name. but when I try to select copy to get into evox, I just get error 21.

[catfish]

For the audio exploit in my installer, there should be a copy of PBL's default.xbe named just "e". Verify it exists in the Phoenix dir.
Also, if you're trying the newer, more stable st.db, all of PBL will have to reside in E:\ and the xbe should be named "default", not "default.xbe".
U can also try signing the xbe with xbedump -habibi.

[Agent Orange]

ok.. so I just checked this stuff out, and I do have the "e" file... I'll play some more, I guess. I just d/l'ed your updated swapless, and I was just curious what I would have to change in the installer to install the new db, and everything it needs from the memory card. also, I haven't looked at the code, but what exaclty does the font/audio switch do? does it just rename? TIA.

[catfish]

Reinstall the db, it's probrably corrupted.

To change the installer yourself, follow the directions with the posted db and add a few lines to the script at the end of actions 80, 81 and 88.

copy E:\Phoenix\ E:\
copy E:\e E:\default

[Agent Orange]

Wow... I just had some really interesting stuff happen...

I've been using this package with generally good results, but I had one box that was really difficult.

first, I had installed the audio and font exploits... and for some reason none of the menu items could restore the st.db to its original state... I eventually had to FTP in and delete the st.db so it would generate a new one... I have no idea what heppened with this part... I'm guessing the backups somehow got set as a corrupted copy...

then the restore C: for some reason completely formatted the C: and didn't restore anything.... again I thin somehow the backup got screwed up....

I really have no idea wheter this has something to do with the scripts or something one of us did....

or maybe I just have horrible luck...

[catfish]

No, that was all my faut. There was no backup, sorry.
Seems I was the one who left out the empty dirs, I have updated the zip in the normal thread.
All the errors u had were because the directories were missing and the files had nowhere to go.

[Agent Orange]

Ok.. that's good to hear... I'll try the new zip!