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Xecuter X3 XBOX Modchip BIOS User's Manual

X3 BIOS User Interface & General Concepts

This section contains basic and general information on how to use the X3 BIOS. This covers basic controller button operations, basic screen controls, and some tips and tricks such as special button combinations.

Index << User's Guide Contents X3 Modchip & BIOS Installation >>

Contents:
Screen Layout
Common Dialogs
Common Controller Buttons
Tips, Tricks, & Other Stuff
 
Screen Layout:
Each screen in the BIOS contains a lot of information.
 
  1. X3 Build: This is the version of the X3 BIOS you have installed on the modchip.
  2. Dip Bank Select: This indicates which selected banks are being used to boot the BIOS. Generaly this will show "1-4" or "5-8" since the X3 BIOS is 1024KB and each single bank is 256KB.
  3. Harddrive Space: This line displays how much harddrive space is available on each of the installed drives. C: & E: will be there for sure. F: and G: are only used if you have a harddrive in your XBOX that is large enough.
  4. User Area: This list presents options you can select by moving the D-Pad or Thumbstick up or down and pressing "A" on the controller.
  5. CPU: This displays the current processor temperature in degrees Celcius and Fahrenheit. Temperature should range from about 40º-65ºC (104º-149ºF). Your XBOX will overheat and shutoff at 71ºC (160ºF).
  6. MCPX: This displays the current Media and Communications Processor temperature in degrees Celcius and Fahrenheit. This temperature is generally cooler than the CPU.
  7. IP: This is the current IP address the X3 chip and XBOX is using. This is either statically assigned in "Settings" under "Network" or assigned by a router or server on your network running DHCP.
  8. Date & Time: The current date and time as set on the XBOX.
    9.  
Common Dialogs:
There are a few types screens you will run into in a number of places throughout the modchip. This section gives you a preview to save place elsewhere.
  • This virtual onscreen keyboard is used to enter text with your controller for naming files, naming bioses, and entering IP information in the network settings.
  • This screen gives you an example of how file-browsing looks on the xbox. Directories are marked with (dir) next to them. If there is not a (dir) next to a name, then it is a file. Enter directories by pressing "A" on a highlighted/selected directory name.
  • Similiar to browsing for files, this latest BIOS lets you browse a X3 skins server. Server links are marked with (Server) next to them. Entried without a (Server) tag next to them are actual skins you can click on and download.
  • When you perform certain actions that you should be very careful with the X3 BIOS will display a confirmation dialog similiar to this one. Move the D-Pad or Left Thumbstick to the left or right to select and highlight Yes or No in white. Press "A" to confirm your selection.
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    Common Controller Buttons:
    A certain set of buttons works for nearly all screens for various functions. Only buttons that are used are listed:
    Digital Pad or Left Thumbstick: Navigation only. Move up or down in menus, or move around on the virtual screen keyboard when typing in file and/or BIOS names. These controls are used purely for highlighting selections on the screen.
    Right Thumbstick: Press down on this thumbstick to switch between lower and upper case letters on the virtual keyboard.
    A: In this guide I refer to "clicking" on options because I've written a lot of instructions for operating systems and it is a force of habit. This button is used to confirm selections.
    B: This button is used to go "back" or "cancel" a screen in many cases and after the main BIOS is flashed, you can press this button to "Continue" without customizing the newly flashed BIOS' name.
    X: This button is used on the screen after the main BIOS is flashed to bring up the virtual onscreen keyboard and name the newly flashed BIOS. The virtual onscreen keyboard uses this button to delete the last letter entered.
    Y: This button is only used on the virtual onscreen keyboard to store the name that is entered.
    Back + Black: Reboot your XBOX from the X3 BIOS screens by pressing both buttons at the same time.
    Back + White: Take a screenshot by pressing both buttons at the same time. Your screenshot will be saved in bitmap format to E:\x3screenshots on the XBOX hard drive. (Via FTP, this is usually /E/x3screenshots).
    Power + TIME: Push and hold the power button down to turn on the XBOX with the modchip disabled.
    Power + Eject: Push both the power and the eject button and hold them for a moment to boot up the and make the X3 modchip load the backup BIOS. (Very useful if you screw up your main BIOS.)
    Tips, Tricks, & Other Stuff:
  • Take a look at the last two entries in the last section. Did you know you could reboot your X3 modchip and could take screenshots using these shortcuts?
  • Speaking of shortcuts, are there programs you turn on your XBOX to run fairly often? You can setup a shortcut button on the controller to hold down during bootup to go directly to the application using the Quicklaunch feature.
  • Logging into XBINS to find updated XBOX application, dashboard, and bios files takes a little while, right? Shadow's BitTorrent (Download Manager) Client and a torrent tracker site like http://www.demonoid.com can be used together to find the latest most popular files.
  • Alternatively, to the last possible method, eMule or other file sharing apps can be used to find the files.
  • In Game Reset (IGR) is used to reboot your XBOX with your controller. If your X3 BIOS has this option enabled you can press both Left and Right Triggers with Back and Start buttons at the same time to cause your XBOX to reboot. This is handy for rebooting to your dashboard.
  • You can boot up the XBOX with the modchip disabled by holding the power button when you first turn it on.
  • You can boot up to the backup flash ROM bank by turning on the XBOX with both the power and eject button at the same time.
  • If you do not install the X3 switch panel on the front of the XBOX, your modchip will default to banks 1-4 where your X3 bios should be if you installed it there.
  • You can restore your selected skin in the X3 BIOS to the default skin by deleting the "selected" file from E:\x3skins\selected on your XBOX.
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    Index << User's Guide Contents X3 Modchip & BIOS Installation >>

    Copyright ©2005 Tor Nichols.  All Rights Reserved.