The Blog

Original Xbox PSU Cracked AC Input Solder Joint Repair

Nix McRetro // 27th May 2013 // Categories: Microsoft, Repairs, YouTube

The Xbox power supply was making a nasty buzzing sound and arcing whenever mains power was connected. Once I opened it up for a closer look, the trouble was right there at the AC input connector: a cracked solder joint. As if this Xbox hadn’t already given me enough to... Continue reading

23andMe DNA Discovery Test Kit

Nix McRetro // 27th May 2013 // Categories: YouTube

Here’s something a little bit different! I’ve picked up a DNA testing kit from 23andMe, an American company offering genetic testing. I thought it might be interesting to learn a little more about myself. Knowledge is power, after all! And yes, apparently we’re doing an unboxing video. Sorry, YouTube! The... Continue reading

Original Xbox TSOP Flash Overview

Nix McRetro // 26th May 2013 // Categories: Microsoft, Repairs, YouTube

Here’s what I soldered to flash the BIOS on my revision 1.2 or 1.3 original Xbox. We have a Winbond 256 KB TSOP flash ROM on this. Bridging the write-enable connections disables the write protection, leaving us the opportunity to install a much better BIOS. The standard EvolutionX flasher does... Continue reading

Xbox (Original) Softmod Recovery

Nix McRetro // 26th May 2013 // Categories: Hacks, Microsoft, YouTube

This guide is by no means complete but might have some hints if you are stuck like I was. Soooo errr the Xbox was softmodded before I started tinkering. I attempted to TSOP flash the Winbond BIOS flash chip and broke the softmod completely. Whoops! The original dashboard has more... Continue reading

Original Xbox Softmod to TSOP Flash Project

Nix McRetro // 23rd May 2013 // Categories: Hacks, Microsoft, YouTube

The Xbox project continues… The goal is straightforward: get the existing softmod behaving, TSOP-flash the console, fit the 160 GB hard drive and finally play Burnout. Well, things hadn’t gone quite according to plan. I’d attempted to flash the Xbox’s onboard Winbond chip with an Xecuter2 BIOS, but the attempt... Continue reading