XBRebooted Advice Thread

witnessmenow

There is(well was!) some real good information in Cisk And TV threads, So this thread will be for the information, while their threads will be left up as build Logs

I'll revert back if its not working out

Please PM me if i messed up any of the moving, i think i maintained conversation flow ok but if you spot something drop me a PM


Users Build Logs:

Cisk
TouchingVirus
EnterNow

TouchingVirus

Right, so here I am, seriously contemplating this hack

I've got a Xenon with 2.0.7371, a refurb the nice folks at MS sent me. Build date is listed as 07-2009.

What is my process here? I'm also going to take a list of parts, correct me if I'm wrong.

1) Solder LPT to read nand
- 100 Ohm resistors, five of them
- 1 Switching Diode (Optional) - Type? 1N4148?
- 1 DB-25
- 1 roll of 30awg wire (for use throughout the process).

I won't go through the solder points or anything, I'll be using this picture. Is it correct? Do I need to ground anything?. So then I take several dumps of my nand using nandpro2.0b. I compare them with a file comparer, even the DOS/Command Prompt based one will do. Do I require power to the console to take the dump?

Once I'm happy I've got two dumps (or more) that are the exact same I then use Degraded to investigate the NAND dump and ensure I've got an exploitable BIOS. This may require hex editing the dump to say © 2004 - 2005 Microsoft.... instead of whatever other year appears in the bolded bit. I'm looking for a CB version of <= 1921 or 8192 (Xenon MB).

If I don't, it's all over for me. Remove JTAG hack and seal up box

If I do get the right CB version then happy days.

2) Solder the JTAG hack
- Wire
- 2 1N4148 switching diodes

Do I need to remove RT63? Do I need to replace it with a similar, fresh resistor? Why do I need to remove it? What happens when I don't (E80 RROD, but when?).

From there is gets slightly hazy, the tutorial above involves using lflash and Gentoo, yet other ones don't..what is the story there?

If you kind folks could fill the blanks I just might be able to get this show on the road and either brick my console or have MEGAFUN

docentore

so many questions mate. ok lets start with the answers then:
1. the picture is ok, but remember to install switching diode on mobo side, with black ring facing the mobo; resistors on lpt plug side.
2. Get kynar wire from radionics, they call it packing wire.
3. you don't have to ground anything, ground is on the red point - pin no18 on lpt. (I think)
4. Use kynar wire to solder the hack (2 diodes and jumper) but for the lpt use the cat 5 cable, 50cm max.
5. get three dumps, there is a tool to do one image out of three dumps.
6. Remove the resistor, don't worry about putting anything else. This will protect efuses in the cpu from burning, in simple words - you wont feck the hack by accidental updating it. (or you can do this)
7. When you have full dump you can prepare the XBR image yourself on the pc and flash it using nandrpo, or flash only xell and do as in the tut which cisk cited (prefered).

TouchingVirus

docentore wrote: »

so many questions mate. ok lets start with the answers then:
1. the picture is ok, but remember to install switching diode on mobo side, with black ring facing the mobo; resistors on lpt plug side.
2. Get kynar wire from radionics, they call it packing wire.
3. you don't have to ground anything, ground is on the red point - pin no18 on lpt. (I think)
4. Use kynar wire to solder the hack (2 diodes and jumper) but for the lpt use the cat 5 cable, 50cm max.
5. get three dumps, there is a tool to do one image out of three dumps.
6. Remove the resistor, don't worry about putting anything else. This will protect efuses in the cpu from burning, in simple words - you wont feck the hack by accidental updating it. (or you can do this)
7. When you have full dump you can prepare the XBR image yourself on the pc and flash it using nandrpo, or flash only xell and do as in the tut which cisk cited (prefered).

Thanks docentore, much appreciated. As for the so many questions, guess it's the scientist in me, want to fully understand this process fully before heating the iron To take the dump does the console have to be powered on? Any idea of the name of tool to do an image out of 3 dumps? I think I'll follow cisk's tutorial because it's prefered

docentore

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Thanks docentore, much appreciated. As for the so many questions, guess it's the scientist in me, want to fully understand this process fully before heating the iron To take the dump does the console have to be powered on? Any idea of the name of tool to do an image out of 3 dumps? I think I'll follow cisk's tutorial because it's prefered

It has to be connected to power brick, but turned off. Also don't turn it on between dumps, take about 1 minute break between them.

The tool is called NAND Compare and Reconstruction Tool v1.2

witnessmenow

Hey Mr Virus

Im going to get the stuff for this too if you want we could go splitsies on postage for stuff? Unless you really want the kenyar for again i have some your welcome to have some. Its purple though (i thought it could kinda be like my trade mark :P )

Oh and im sure you'll have closer options but your welcome to use my parrallel ported computer too :P

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Hey Mr Virus

Im going to get the stuff for this too if you want we could go splitsies on postage for stuff? Unless you really want the kenyar for again i have some your welcome to have some. Its purple though (i thought it could kinda be like my trade mark :P )

Oh and im sure you'll have closer options but your welcome to use my parrallel ported computer too :P

Howdy witnessmenow, I'd be more than willing to go splits on the postage & product price for any of the required stuff. Modders meetup ftw I just want one of those nifty hacks cisk got, damn him for those pretty pictures, and docentore the enabler

witnessmenow

Ok well first things first we need to decide where we are getting the stuff!

Resistors: I dont think we'd do any better than this for the resistors:

LPT ports: are proving to be more allusive... I've found cables that could be hacked but not a regular head (maybe im searching wrong, but ive checked ebay, farnell and maplin). Work has a catalog that might have that kind of stuff in it, I'll enquire tomorrow. I know college used to have them.... might no someone who could..yeah you get the picture EDIT: Wait no i found them , we apparantly call them DS25 (D-sub). My girlfriend is in scotland as is home next weekend, we could get them posted to her for £2.99 (i'll find out how much postgae is to here too)

Diodes: Dont think there will be any problem getting, but i havent looked.

Kenyar: I have

CAT5: I buying a box very soon so shouldnt be a problem either.Worst worst case scenario i have 4 core telephone cable, we could just use two lengths of that with a bit of insulating tape holding them strong.

Solder: I've plenty(although i really should put in an order for more now rather than waiting to run out :P)

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Ok well first things first we need to decide where we are getting the stuff!

Resistors: I dont think we'd do any better than this for the resistors:

LPT ports: are proving to be more allusive... I've found cables that could be hacked but not a regular head (maybe im searching wrong, but ive checked ebay, farnell and maplin). Work has a catalog that might have that kind of stuff in it, I'll enquire tomorrow. I know college used to have them.... might no someone who could..yeah you get the picture EDIT: Wait no i found them , we apparantly call them DS25 (D-sub). My girlfriend is in scotland as is home next weekend, we could get them posted to her for £2.99 (i'll find out how much postgae is to here too)

Diodes: Dont think there will be any problem getting, but i havent looked.

Kenyar: I have

CAT5: I buying a box very soon so shouldnt be a problem either.Worst worst case scenario i have 4 core telephone cable, we could just use two lengths of that with a bit of insulating tape holding them strong.

Solder: I've plenty(although i really should put in an order for more now rather than waiting to run out :P)

Cat5: I've got about 50m of Cat 5 here in the house with me (along with jacks, crimps and that for wiring up this and that) so there's no need to worry about that.

Solder: I've got quite a bit of 60/40 Tin/Lead X38 2 core residue flux solder myself so that's not a problem.

Wire: Never had anything smaller than Cat 5 really, must consider getting some 30awg stuff off ebay for dirt cheap if I can

Diodes - Pack of 80 here, I was gonna get my 30awg off the same guy but I see he's a bit expensive for the 5m considering the price of the stuff from Radionics *shrugs* There's a 100 pack here too.

Resistors: Yep, probably won't do better :P

LPT Ports: I'm happy to go with Maplins

---

As an aside was gonna go with an MB->RJ45->LPT reader. It'd have Cat 5 soldered to the solder points running to an RJ45 header/jack that I'd place into a hole I cut into the case and use a glue gun to hold it in place (under the hard drive/in the hard drive slot). Then I'd crimp an RJ45 cable, leaving one end open and sticking the LPT/D-Sub 25 + Resistors on it.

That way I won't have to open and close the case all the time if I want to read/write the nand. I'd just take out the hard drive and stick in the RJ45->LPT cable.

Do you think I can find some RJ45 headers? Can I f*ck. I could revisit this idea at a later stage though, order from Digi-key.ie or whatever

witnessmenow

Thats a great Idea.

Not to be trying to steal your thunder or anything but i was thinking of something similar (great minds think alike huh, fools seldom differ though)

I was thinking of maybe putting nothing but wires in at the nand and crimping it with Rj45, then have a a small matrix board with a RJ45 socket on it and have all the components on that.

Did you ever use/hear of heat shrink tubing? I'd say it would be well worth getting some to make sure the joints stay away from each other.

As for RJ45 header, didnt really find anythign either... This would get us out. Only a euro each if we post them to my missus. I think i might grab couple, may be even possible to crack them open and get proper sockets out of them

docentore

Lads, you will need lpt cable just for first three dumps and for Xell flashing (only 30 blocks). The rest can be done pretty simple in linux (5 minutes opposite to 40 with lpt). It would be good idea to leave cable in (with the rj45 couplers etc) but use linix to flash whenever you can - less errors and much quicker.

I did the same what you're thinking of doing (with rj45 wall plug), but I'm going to change that, I've got myself olimex lpc2148 board

EDIT: ohh, but if you're going to order those couplers can you grab 5 for me please? Thanks!

witnessmenow

yeah no problem

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Thats a great Idea.

Not to be trying to steal your thunder or anything but i was thinking of something similar (great minds think alike huh, fools seldom differ though)

I was thinking of maybe putting nothing but wires in at the nand and crimping it with Rj45, then have a a small matrix board with a RJ45 socket on it and have all the components on that.

Did you ever use/hear of heat shrink tubing? I'd say it would be well worth getting some to make sure the joints stay away from each other.

As for RJ45 header, didnt really find anythign either... This would get us out. Only a euro each if we post them to my missus. I think i might grab couple, may be even possible to crack them open and get proper sockets out of them

You stole my thunder

Heatshrink would be good to use, I'm a bit of a neat freak .

Those RJ45 Connectors are pretty bulky, I saw a tutorial over on xbox-scene that uses them, it ended up pretty large in the case. I'd be all for hacking one apart to see if we could salvage a proper port. I have a supply to older motherboards (at least I think I do) so I could potentially use a heatgun to heat up the solder on a port and rob it off the motherboard. Then I managed to find these over at Radionics. Looks like just what I was thinking, though I'd be inclined to go for unshielded myself. I just looked for D-Sub 25way as well, Radionics have none, only 9, 15 and 37 way D-subs so Maplin is the choice I think.

Can I ask what the thinking behind the matrix board is? Sturdier base? Reduced soldering? Using one it would appear the cable process is like MB->RJ45->Maxtrix Board->LPT?

witnessmenow

TouchingVirus wrote: »

You stole my thunder

Heatshrink would be good to use, I'm a bit of a neat freak .

Those RJ45 Connectors are pretty bulky, I saw a tutorial over on xbox-scene that uses them, it ended up pretty large in the case. I'd be all for hacking one apart to see if we could salvage a proper port. I have a supply to older motherboards (at least I think I do) so I could potentially use a heatgun to heat up the solder on a port and rob it off the motherboard. Then I managed to find these over at Radionics. Looks like just what I was thinking, though I'd be inclined to go for unshielded myself. I just looked for D-Sub 25way as well, Radionics have none, only 9, 15 and 37 way D-subs so Maplin is the choice I think.

Can I ask what the thinking behind the matrix board is? Sturdier base? Reduced soldering? Using one it would appear the cable process is like MB->RJ45->Maxtrix Board->LPT?

Yeah they are exactly what i was looking for. These ones are even cheaper Its a pity I used to pass by that way quite often on my travels last year, ah well it couldnt be that dear for them to post.

Matrix board just seems a bit more permanent to me, i dont particularly like having solder being the thing that is holding things together. My Idea was to MB -Rj45-> Matrix board -Rj45-> LPT

Was even considering getting a small case for the matrix board.

I have the matrix board already so i think it worth trying. Also we are going to have enough stuff to do more than one each, so we may aswell dick around with stuff and see what turns out the best!

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Yeah they are exactly what i was looking for. These ones are even cheaper Its a pity I used to pass by that way quite often on my travels last year, ah well it couldnt be that dear for them to post.

Matrix board just seems a bit more permanent to me, i dont particularly like having solder being the thing that is holding things together. My Idea was to MB -Rj45-> Matrix board -Rj45-> LPT

Was even considering getting a small case for the matrix board.

I have the matrix board already so i think it worth trying. Also we are going to have enough stuff to do more than one each, so we may aswell dick around with stuff and see what turns out the best!

Heh, I figured there might be cheaper ones on Radionics, it's unfortunate I'm not in the Dublin area for a while or I'd stop by and pick them up myself.

Incidentally, browsing the Radionics site I seem to have come across the D-Sub 25 Way too, there are loads of them ranging in price (Search Term: "25 Way D" without quotes). this one, this one and lots of others.
You're right about having the materials to build several and there's more fun to be had trying new ways so yeah

So this is the final inventory then?

Stuff to buy
1N4148 Switching Diodes (ebay)
100 Ohm resistors (ebay)
Heat Shrink (ebay)
LPT/DB25/D-Sub 25 (maplin or radionics?)
RJ45 PCB Ports (radionics)


Other Hardware
Soldering Iron
Glue Gun
Dremel? - for cutting the hole in the case? I've got a dremel 300
Cat5e + Crimper + RJ45 Plugs
Kenyar Wire
Solder
Matrix Board

witnessmenow

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Heh, I figured there might be cheaper ones on Radionics, it's unfortunate I'm not in the Dublin area for a while or I'd stop by and pick them up myself.

Incidentally, browsing the Radionics site I seem to have come across the D-Sub 25 Way too, there are loads of them ranging in price (Search Term: "25 Way D" without quotes). this one, this one and lots of others.
You're right about having the materials to build several and there's more fun to be had trying new ways so yeah

So this is the final inventory then?

Stuff to buy
1N4148 Switching Diodes (ebay) - Yup
100 Ohm resistors (ebay) - Yup
Heat Shrink (ebay) - Yup same guy as the resistors
LPT/DB25/D-Sub 25 (maplin or radionics?) - I'd be happy to give radionics the business
RJ45 PCB Ports (radionics) - yup


Other Hardware
Soldering Iron - Have
Glue Gun - Have
Dremel? - for cutting the hole in the case? I've got a dremel 300 - Dont have a "dremel" but i have a rotary tool, might struggle a small bit with the metal casing, but will fly through the plastic. I loaned one to my uncle that i cut wire holes out of my pc with so that should do the job if we need it
Cat5e + Crimper + RJ45 Plugs - Have all but the cat5
Kenyar Wire - Have
Solder - have
Matrix Board - have

Yup i think thats it alright, we need to make sure buy the right gender of Lpt (i think male is what we need)

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Yup i think thats it alright, we need to make sure buy the right gender of Lpt (i think male is what we need)

Yep, we need a male D-sub, the motherboards and PCI cards all have females.

I'll bring the dremel just in case the chassis becomes a problem for your tool and the cat5 & stuff. I'll take down the soldering iron (the CIS 950+ you recommended as your next purchase) if you want to see it or try it out before you commit to it.

I'm happy to give Radionics the business too, it's only a few cent in the difference for the products anyways.

Do you wanna get the gear or will I? Makes no real difference to me to be honest. Should check with Docentore if he wants some of those RJ45 connectors we're getting or wants to leave it too

docentore

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Should check with Docentore if he wants some of those RJ45 connectors we're getting or wants to leave it too

Nah, I can grab them from online myself.

I can see that you have hell lot of a plan
But I'm kind of sure that in a week time you're going to look for a usb solution, like i did.

Good luck

witnessmenow

Sure I'll get the stuff, Or at least I'll see what the credit card says about it :P

witnessmenow

Stuff to buy
1N4148 Switching Diodes (ebay) - £2.50
100 Ohm resistors (ebay) - €4.50 for both this and heat shrink
Heat Shrink (ebay)
LPT/DB25/D-Sub 25 (maplin or radionics?)
RJ45 PCB Ports (radionics)



How many of the rest do we want/need?

I want to get minimum 2 Rj45 ports, but i'll probably get 4 to be safe, how many will i stick you down for?

I think we should get 3 Lpt ( incase we make a bollox of it!, maybe more?)

EDIT: I think I'll hold off untill monday to get the stuff from radionics, the guy who handles the buying of this sort of stuff wasnt in work today and the place they get the stuff off is local (no delivery charges) And sure its not like they are going to post anything at 7 on a friday anyways :P

TouchingVirus

You can stick me down for 5 RJ45's, I've got 3 consoles to do this one to, two banned that need the HDD re-enabled and the one I'm hoping to get XBR onto. And yeah, 3 LPT males sounds about right, if you don't want one to go into the bin then don't let me at them :P

I've also just got my hands on an old crappy Dell laptop that runs XP and has a native LPT port, here's hoping it does the business

@Docentore: USB flashing is quite a bit faster I'll agree, but I'm only doing this for me and not in any sort of commerical venture so I can put up with 2 hours of reading the nand. At least for the XBR box once I get XeLL onto it I can use lflash

Once you have got Xell on your nand, you can update from then on using lflash or xbrflash from within linux.

I also hear Trancy from XBH is trying to port XBRflash to a Xex so you could flash your nand from within XBR.

Reline99 has just released Flash360 V1.0, which is a Xex that will alow your reflash/update your nand from within the Nxe dash, so once youve flashed over LPT once you will prob not need it again.

Would be still usefull incase something went wrong.

docentore

XeX Menu released (formally known as XeXloader) with FTP support - copying games, writing to nand etc; temperature monitoring; skin support.

Briliant. Can't waint for my exams to finish so I can start to play with this!

witnessmenow

Ok ordered off radionics.

They really dont seem to deal with the general public so hopefully everything went ok!

I bought 10 of the the cheap rj45 sockets
and 5 of these (minimum order of 5, was cheaper than buyign 3 of the others)

Came to €21 including shipping. Their prices do not include VAT so that was added at the end.

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Ok ordered off radionics.

They really dont seem to deal with the general public so hopefully everything went ok!

I bought 10 of the the cheap rj45 sockets
and 5 of these (minimum order of 5, was cheaper than buyign 3 of the others)

Came to €21 including shipping. Their prices do not include VAT so that was added at the end.

They've been in business since my dad was a kid, and I don't see a reason why they wouldn't deal with the public - losing out on business if you ask me

I'll sort you out with the cash when we meet up unless you'd like it in a bank transfer or over paypal

witnessmenow

no rush, proably cant do it this weekedn though.

1) need to bring a mobo from the dead first

2) GF is home, and she would not be a happy camper if i spent half the weekend modding an xbox :P

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

no rush, proably cant do it this weekedn though.

1) need to bring a mobo from the dead first

2) GF is home, and she would not be a happy camper if i spent half the weekend modding an xbox :P

Heh, I figured about #2 which is why I didn't mention I won't be here this weekend either. Free all next week & weekend though, I think *crosses fingers*

witnessmenow

Sure we'll aim for next weekend, i'll be down in limerick during the week anyways.

Diodes, resistors and heat shrink arrived at the house, I expect the radionics order to be in my dads office (i'll check later)

Diodes came with a free fruit salad sweet, I'll make sure to save you half :pac:

docentore

make sure that you use the newest Xell (it is called xellous now) and XeXMenu.

Transferring stuff over FTP is deadly, just like the old Xbox. I used transfer cable just once to drop the XeXmenu to the hdd and from then FTP only.

TouchingVirus

witnessmenow wrote: »

Sure we'll aim for next weekend, i'll be down in limerick during the week anyways.

Diodes, resistors and heat shrink arrived at the house, I expect the radionics order to be in my dads office (i'll check later)

Diodes came with a free fruit salad sweet, I'll make sure to save you half :pac:

Hah :pac: :P


And yeah, I'm around this weekend coming so I'd be up for a
little modding

@docentore: Thanks for all the advice thus far, and to you too cisk - I'm really looking forward to this