Troubleshoot the Original Xbox

Below are tips on help troubleshoot the original Microsoft Xbox. Assistance in understanding error codes, flashing error codes and bypassing parental controls.

Bypass Parental Control Password

In the event you have set a parental control and have forgotten the password you can follow this procedure to reset the password.

A. Open the original Xbox dashboard and choose settings, from there continue to the parental lockout option.

B. Input the following when prompted for the password. X, Y, Left Trigger, X. This will bypass the parental lockout function.

Flashing Error Codes
 

Flashing error codes refers to the outer ring color that is displayed around the DVD eject button on the original Xbox.
 This may not apply if your box has been 'Modded' either with a chip or softmod because modded Xbox's have the option to change colors manually and sometimes they change on their own after a mod installation
  • Solid Red, indicates system is overheated or possible hardware failure.
  • Flashing Green, bad bios load.
  • Flashing Red-Orange, bad video output, could be damaged hardware.
  • Flashing Red-Green, The MCPX chip is overheating or damaged. If the problem is intermittent, try placing a heat sink on the MCPX and cleaning out your Xbox. the MCPX chip is the one with the nvidia logo on it.
  • Flashing Orange, if you've modded it may be a solder splash or damaged trace also overheating.
  • Flashing Orange-Green, no Audio/Video pack installed, check the cable for proper installation, if using the High definition pack revert to the standard cable.
  • Solid Green with no audio or video, this is probably a problem with audio settings, try to reboot your Xbox with a standard A/V cable instead of the High Definition A/V cable.
  • Xbox boots three times and displays a flashing Red-Green usually means your mod chip is installed incorrectly.

Error Codes for the Original Xbox

The following are the error codes for the original Xbox and what they mean. The error codes show up at the top left of the screen, use this information to search for answers. the screen may say call customer support but Microsoft no longer supports the original Xbox


Original Xbox Error Code service codes customer support microsoft xbox1

01 Bootldr - motherboard related error

02 Bootldr - eeprom check failed. When you see this error most of the times you have flashed something wrong. Or you dropped solder on your eeprom chips.

03 Bootldr - unknown

04 Bootldr - RAM check failed. Your original Xbox ram chips are wasted.
Maybe you dropped a little solder on it (try to remove it CAREFULLY!). Note, if they are fried, removing solder won't fix them). Maybe you were static when you touched the ram chips. They are kind off sensitive. If they are, they are fried, sell your original Xbox for spare parts.

05 Kernal - hard drive (HDD) not locked (required to be locked by the original bios). When you upgrade your hard disk drive for one that is larger, you most of the times use a new hard drive that you bought in the shop. Now, when you put this hard drive (HDD) in your original Xbox and try to boot up with your chip off. It gives you error 5.

The original (also called "Retail") hard drive is locked by MS. Why did they lock the hard drive (HDD)?

Well if it wasn't locked it would've been more than easy (in the start of original Xbox hacking)
for hackers to change content on it. That's why MS locks it. It is just a security measure.

This locking process uses information that's on the motherboard. The "Lock" on a xbox hard drive contains information that is based on the hard drive (HDD) itself and the motherboard it came with.

One thing that makes this clear: You can not change a retail hard drive (HDD) with another one from an other not modded xbox. With every original Xbox there is only ONE, I repeat ONE compatible hard drive (HDD). That is, if they are locked.

If you don't mod your original Xbox (tsop or modchips) you can not change hard drive (HDD). Not even from another Xbox. However when your original Xbox is modified you can change your hard drive (HDD) for almost every other hard drive (HDD) (that's unlocked). This means that even when your xbox is modified, you can not just put another (retail) originla Xbox hard drive (HDD) in your xbox. However some smart people made programs that can lock or unlock your original Xbox hard drive (HDD) on the fly.

So when does the error occur? The only time this error should occur is when you boot up your original Xbox in original mode AND you have a hard drive (HDD) in your original Xbox that is not yet locked. So now you ask what do I have to do to make your original Xbox work again?

Well the answer is pretty easy. Boot up your original Xbox with the chip on. Preferably with a slayer evo-x cd. Now you choose "Eeprom management." Than you choose: "Lock HDD." It takes one second. After its ready it should say something like "Done"
When it is "Done" just turn off your original Xbox. Disable your chip and try to boot in original mode. Now there should be no more error 5.

06 Kernal - cannot unlock hard drive (HDD). If you understand the above, you should be able to understand what this means. It means you are trying to boot up the xbox with an hard drive (HDD) that is locked in combination with ANOTHER motherboard than you are using it with right now.

What can i do about it, you ask? Well place the hard drive (HDD) back in the xbox where it came from. After that, UNLOCK the harddisk with the same procedure i explained above (see error 5). Now when the hard drive (HDD) is UNLOCKED, put it in the xbox which gave you the error. Now when you boot up with the chip ON it should not give you an error anymore.

However when you put the original Xbox on with the chip OFF your original Xbox will give you an error. (error 5) So to make sure you can boot original and boot with the chip ON. Next do the same as above: "Boot up your original Xbox with the chip on. Preferably with a slayer Evo-x cd. Now you choose "eeprom management." Than you choose: "Lock HDD." It takes one second. After its ready it should say something like "Done"
When it is ready just turn off your original Xbox. Disable your chip and try to boot original. Now there should be no more error.

07 Kernal - hard drive (HDD) timeout (possible that the hard drive is bad).
Most of the times, the IDE cable is not properly connected when you see this error. Please reattach the ide cable. Not only to the hard drive (HDD) drive but also to the DVD drive. Also try to reconnect the ide cable to the motherboard.

Press pretty hard so it goes all the way in. Make sure it is seated straight and proper in the drives and the motherboard. If you still have an error 7. Try another ide cable. If that won't work try another harddisk. If there is still no go, try to set the jumpers on the rearside of the hard drive (HDD). Set it to master or cable select. If still no success then you may be out of luck, best to sell your original Xbox.

08 Kernal - hard drive (HDD) not found (either bad or missing). Please make sure your original Xbox hard drive (HDD) is attached properly. Most of the times the Ide cable came loose, or isn't seated properly in the IDE port of your harddisk. ALso make sure the power supply cables are intact and working.

Make sure the ide cable is also connected properly to the rest of the hardware (DVD and motherboard).

09 Kernal - hard drive (HDD) parameters (PIO/DMA/or size {debug}, certain size minimum is required for debug. This error is not very common therefore try another hard drive.

10 Kernal - DVD timeout (possible bad DVD-rom). Actually its almost the same as error 6/7/8. But also make sure the yellow cables are properly connected to the motherboard and the DVD drive.

A.) Make sure ide cables are connected good.
B.) Make sure the yellow cables are good and properly connected.
C.) Still no success? Try another DVD drive of which you are sure it is working.

11 Kernal - No DVD found (bad or missing DVD-rom). Same as #10, make sure to read.

12 Kernal - DVD parameters (PIO/DMA). Also same to #10 make although not very common.

13 Kernal - dashboard launch failure (due to missing/bad key, or anything else that would prevent it from running) and the dashboard didn't specify why it failed. The error it gives is because of the incompatibility between the (older) dashboard (4920) that older slayer CD installs and the new dashboard/kernel versions found in some new Xbox's and found in Xbox's that have been connected to Xbox live (when you go on Xbox-live, it'll upgrade your dashboard file to I believe it is now 5659.03. This dashboard is incompatible with the dash that (old) slayer CD installs (for example 2.5 or lower) for you.

(In detail, in the eeprom chip there is a kernel which is incompatible with the dashboard (4920) that slayer installs.)

So what do you do to fix it? You can use the dashboard 5960 update found on most new original Xbox games.
Be sure to first unplug your Ethernet cable before you do so!

Besides that, just use a good installation disc and all is fine. Use a 2.6 slayer or something similar

14 Dashboard - error loading dashboard (dashboard generic error). Same thing as above (error 13). This time it is also a little mistake from you on changing names or having played around with files on the Xbox hard drive (HDD). Error 14 is most often because you changed boot orders or names of startup files on the hard drive (HDD). It can also happen when you are rebuilding your Xbox hard drive (HDD) with a slayer cd and the power was cut.

16 Dashboard - other files to do with the dashboard or dashboard settings (specific dashboard error). Basically it comes down to this. Error 16 has to do with not finding the menu setting with which you can set the clock of the hdd. This happens to a lot of people that erase their hard drive (HDD) (original/upgraded) or MS dashboard files and after that they don't immediately install the hard drive (HDD) but leave the Xbox without power longer than 5 hours.

It's all about the hard drive (HDD) can't find the menu with which it can set the clock. This is mostly because the Xbox hard drive (HDD) is empty (you removed dashboard or messed it up via ftp). The problem arises when Xbox searches for menu to set clock with, can't find it and voila: error 16. Well read on please!

So you have an error 16 huh? Don't worry "nothing" is broken!

You have an Xbox hard drive (HDD) that is locked. And normally you can boot in original and modded mode. Retail or upgraded doesn't matter. You start playing around with xboxdash.xbe etc. using ftp programs. While doing this you "accidentally" remove your MS dashboard and also your alternate dashboard (Evox, etc.) so there is no dash anymore on the original Xbox hard drive (HDD).

You end the ftp session and after that you shut off your Xbox. Normally when you would start up again it gives you an error 13/14 ( no dashboard found). No worries with a slayer evo-x cd (and a hard mod), all is okay. BUT this is only WITHIN 3 hours or so.

This is because the internal clock of the Xbox will only be kept alive by the capacitors for only 3 or 4 hours. So when you leave your Xbox unplugged from electricity for over 5 hours after you have played with the .xbe's and you have removed your (ms and evo-x) dash from your Xbox than you are left without options. Why do you ask?

Why can't I boot from disc?

Its as follows Xbox starts booting==> (almost 1st thing a Xbox does is) searches for internal clock==> doesn't find internal clock because there hasn't been any electricity on the Xbox for 5 hours so battery that kept clock alive is empty and clock is gone==> searches for the proper dashboard menu to set clock with ==> doesn't find msdashboard or evo-x dashboard menu because you have removed it from the hard drive (HDD) for whatever reasons you had==> Xbox gives error 16: cannot set clock.

So what do you do about it? Two options!

A. There are some bios'es around that allow the chip to boot past the clock setting. (do research). So how do you get that bios on your chip because you cant boot to a flash program or something? Well you need to have an external flasher.

It seems the m8 bios will take care for you of booting past the clock setting. Or use the latest Xecutor bios

B. This is the more easy and newbie friendly strategy
-Get a friend with a modded Xbox.
-Unlock his hard drive (HDD) with eeprom management from a slayer evo-x cd.
-Than, place his hdd in your Xbox.
-Boot with your chip on.
-Now the Xbox DOES find a dashboard when you boot in original mode and you can set the time in the msdashboard clock settings.
-Shut off Xbox and remove your friends hard drive (HDD)
-Place his hard drive (HDD) back in his Xbox and lock it again
-Install your hard drive (HDD)
-(clock has been set) So boot up with slayer CD.
-Install normally whatever you wanna install
-lock hard drive (HDD)

If you get an error 13 after this, please read up on the error 13 explanation!

20 Kernal - the dashboard attempted to load and failed; it was a cold boot, and the dashboard didn't specify why it failed, but it (for some reason) needed to be noted that the DVD passed the challenge/response authentication

21 Kernal - this error says the machine was booted to display an error, basically someone told the machine to reboot (or launch .xbe) with this flag, and the error code just means its been rebooted by the flag. Note, this occurs frequently when the original Xbox is unable to boot due to dashboard changes being made (i.e. Gcue true blue hasn't been resigned, parts of the stock dash are missing - incomplete FTP backups copied to a new HDD for example).

Sources:
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/210562
http://www.biline.ca/xbox-faq.htm#2