Switch from hardmod to softmod?

Hi all, glad to be here...!

I need some advice on my hardmodded XBox that, at present does not work. My XBox is a 1.6 w/SP-ICE Chip and a 120GB HD. About two months ago, my 16 month old decided to whack the box around- some of the leads came loose, and when I tried to reseat them I ended up snapping off one or two. So, I picked up another Xenium SP adapter; and presently I am getting the FRAG 3 times flashing green/red. (If I leave just the adapter on, no chip, the MS Dash does boot up) (Also, the 5th LED does not light up on the adapter, by the chip socket, the vendor says that's no big deal...?!)

I know it's either a bad chip (possibly) or a LPC problem (more likely); either way, I am getting tired setting it up and having it FRAG or do nothing at all. If I could solder, all this would be moot.


So, what should I do?


Can I softmod the box with my 120 GB HD present (already has 40 GB mp3s, pictures, videos with Avalaunch and XBMC on it)?
Or should I just buy a whole new chip/solderless adapter setup??
Or even pull the 120GB HD out, use that and old parts to make a Linux HTPC and swap the original XBox drive back in?

I'd really like to keep the XBox as a media center, especially since XBMC 2.0 has come out.

Please, please help.

 

So if I understand you right with out the chip it starts the ms dash with no problems at all. If thats the case rather than have another solderless chip that you r kid can knock loose again I would go to a soldered chip or a softmod. Since you can not solder go with the softmod. Here --> http://www.techfreaks.org/articles/modxbox.shtml is a great link to get you started with a softmod. Good Luck

 

Thanks.

It is aggrevating, but it would not nearly bother me so much if XBMC was not such as good program... Everything I have is geared as that as media center.

 

Ahhh. One question. What would be better modding the XBox's original drive and then adding the larger HD? Or trying the mod with the larger drive?

 

Do both drives work wothout the chip attached? If it were me I would startwith the stock drive. As soon as it's modded make a backup of your eprom. After you have that backed up and working fine the larger drive should be easier.

 

Does it matter that EEPROM for the stock drive is different than the larger drive...?

 

Yes it does. You should have only one eprom on a xbox. If you use the wrong one you will recive a error message.