Xbox - frag

[tmcw]

Have a fragging XBOX (first one), IIRC, it's a 1.0 or 1.1, it's the motherboard that uses the power supply with a single row of pins.

It does the usual FRAG behaviour, tries to start 2 times (fan spins and LEDs light up) momentarily, then starts up on the third try (fan spins and main light flashing red and green), but no video.

The unit has never had a modchip nor TSOP, but it was softmodded years ago, and was working last time I powered it up 5 or 6 weeks ago. I have a second hard drive properly prepared for it, and the behaviour was the same when I swapped it in to test.

PSU is a Foxlink FTPS-0002 Rev B. I've attached a diagram I found somewhere that shows the pins and expected voltages, and I'm seeing the following...

On standby, 3.26V on the brown pin, 0V on all the others.

On power up, I'm getting 3.26V on all the expected 3.3V pins, EXCEPT the white pin, where I only get 2.55V. Also, I get 4.98V on the 5V pins, but only 11.49V on the 12V pin.

Would the low voltages on the 12V pin, and the white pin cause the unit to FRAG?

One other thing to note is that I did notice some weeks ago that the XBOX took a few tries to get going, it may have been fragging then, but started up ok after 2 or 3 tries, but it's just not starting now. Would this, along with the voltages point to the PSU?

[stj]

Re: Xbox - frag

the 3 boots is a function of the chipset - it means it cant boot the bios code.
causes could include - bad caps (psu or mainboard) bad bios, damaged tracks.

a bad harddrive will give a message on screen.
did you look inside?
i hope to hell the supercap (aerogell capacitor) is not still in it!!!
also, check the 3/5 caps in front of the cpu for bulging/leaking

[tmcw]

Re: Xbox - frag

Yes, the supercap is long gone. I got the unit about 10 years ago, and the first thing I checked was the supercap, which had leaked, and it was taken out and the motherboard was cleaned well (vinegar to neutralise the electrolyte, then thoroughly cleaned with IPA). The board cleaned up well, and looking at it right now, it still looks ok.

Also at the time, the drive was failing, but it worked long enough for me to get the EEPROM, and I've been able to make softmodded harddrives for it since. And the unit has been used fairly regularly since then.

There are 5 KZE caps in front of the CPU, they visibly look ok.

I think I'll replace the caps on the PSU first, they look cheap (can't see the brand because of the white glue), and the voltages aren't great. I have a few other Xboxes, but unfortunately this is the only one that uses this PSU with the single row of pins.

[Dan81]

Re: Xbox - frag

I think I'll replace the caps on the PSU first, they look cheap (can't see the brand because of the white glue), and the voltages aren't great. I have a few other Xboxes, but unfortunately this is the only one that uses this PSU with the single row of pins.

+1

Replace the caps, and also resolder the power plug. Foxlink PSUs use Teapo caps btw, and they're also known for the bad solder on the AC inlet.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Xbox - frag

There are 5 KZE caps in front of the CPU, they visibly look ok.

This series caps are pretty good I use them most of or KY

[stj]

Re: Xbox - frag

foxlink psu's, check the 1200uf caps - they are always fucked when i check them!

incidentally, once it works you should flash the bios with evox bios - no more of the drive-locking crap.

[tmcw]

Re: Xbox - frag

Forgot to update the thread...

I got some help over at the ogxbox forum, and it was looking more and more like a corrupt BIOS, so I eventually got a modchip (Aladdin Advance), installed it, and the unit is working ok now.

I didn't have to make any changes to mainboard or PSU board, no caps were changed. Even with the slightly dodgy voltages I was seeing on a couple of pins, they appear to be adequate.

The locked HDD I had wouldn't work with the newly chipped mainboard though, and I didn't have the EEPROM to hand to unlock it, so had to make a new hard drive to test it out fully, but it works great now.

[stj]

Re: Xbox - frag

the eeprom is on the mainboard, the modded bios can dump the password