Modded og Xbox - Can't play PAL games

[angelicshadowdemon]

I work in a second hand shop and someone brought in an OG Xbox. I'd like to use it to play PAL games as I live in a PAL region and those are what's most available here. I discovered it was working because thankfully someone had donated an NTSC copy of Destroy All Humans 2, as it would refuse to run the PAL games I had on 'wrong region' basis.

My secondary inspection today revealed the stickers on the bottom had been broken to reveal the screws, and diving into the memory of the console I found blocks used by programs that look to me like mod programs, as well as what appears to be a gameboy emulator of some description (I don't know anything about modding the console). There's no way on the menu to access any form of additional software to change console settings that I'm aware of.

I'm hoping people here could help me identify what kind of modification this Xbox has undergone and if I could learn to use it to play PAL games I currently have, or if I would be better off trying to remove additional hardware and restoring the console to an unmodified state. Both options would require assisting me as I have never modded a console before, or used an og Xbox for about a decade. I have never owned one so I am not familiar with what would be on a normal console memory.

I don't have a usb to xbox adapter and may not have any of the games used for softmodding the console.

I'm going to list any programs in memory that don't appear to be game related here, keep in mind this console came with a remote and dvd attachment of some kind (official). The only selectable area in memory is the console hard disk.
I'll be updating this list, likely to remove irrelevant programs when I know what they are.

boXplorer (G-patched) - (This appears to be a GBA emulator, no idea how to use it and probably never will. First real indication this is a modded console.)
DVD-X2 DongleFree DVD-Pl(Rest of name cut off. Dvd attachment is on the console, may be for that. Regular Xbox Logo.)
dvd2xbox (See above. Seems to have a custom logo.)
LinksBoks
Online Updater Application (Probably not relevant but it's not a game so it's getting listed. Regular Xbox Logo)
Px HDD Loader (Regular Xbox Logo. Might be related to the console's apparent 50000+ free blocks)
Unknown Title (Regular Xbox Logo)
UnleashX Xbox Launcher (Regular Xbox Logo)
Xbox FTP Client (Regular Xbox Logo)
Xbox Media Center (Custom Logo)
Xbox Media Player (Regular Xbox Logo)
Xbox Watch (Regular Xbox Logo)
XCommander R2 G: (Regular Xbox Logo)

 

[SylverReZ]

I wouldn't generally advise transfering files over to USB, FTP'ing to your PC is way more faster. Have you also checked inside to see what modchip is in there?

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

I haven't opened up the xbox yet, mostly as I'd have no idea what I was looking for. It's possible I'm mistaken about the modchip as I realised that the constant need to set time and date every time I turn the console on means the clock capacitor (?) has probably been taken out. If not I might take it out myself, provided someone can tell me exactly what it is so I don't yank out the wrong bit lmaoooo.

If you can give me an idea of what the modchip would look like I can certainly give removing it (If there is one) a go, provided Xboxes weren't made with specialised screws (Didn't think to check when I noticed the stickers were broken).

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

Finally had a chance to look at the screws and see if I could get them open with what I own (I can't). Time to buy the right screws, hope that the previous owner didn't destroy the heads so I can actually open the damn thing, try not to die and have a look in for clock capacitor/modchips.

Modchip wise I don't know what I'm looking for so that will be fun.

EDIT: I can get a good deal of the screws open with what I already have actually, just need to try a couple more before I can actually get in to the damn thing. I think I can find a modchip if I get the damn thing open, then I'd just be waiting on anyone who can either help me get it working how I want OR just yank it out (after support. Once I get this thing out I am probably not going to be able to get it back in.).

 

[FAST6191]

Most modchips in consoles are fairly obvious as there will be random loose wires around the place rather than ribbon cables or other such things.

That said the xbox has a decent softmod option (harder in some regards to change the hard drive but otherwise fully featured for most purposes), and one of the hardmod options (TSOP mod, only available to pre 1.6 devices, 1.6 being the last motherboard revision even if a fair few of those will be out there) might also be less obvious.

Softmods not loading PAL games is an odd one. Usually taken care of via the hacked menu*, indeed PAL devices having trouble with NTSC and odd resolutions there might be the tricky aspect (usually solved by downloading enigmah video switcher and running that to turn the console into a quasi NTSC affair, as well as getting/making some fancy cables to handle it).

*that it didn't load such a thing straight away is odd, some will only load it when you power on by pressing eject so maybe that. Other even older mods might need you to go into some part of the menu first to trigger the exploit (they were based on dodgy fonts, which initially were only seen in the credits screen or something but later found to have other options).

 

[tech3475]

IIRC I had issues with my NDure softmodded PAL console playing 1 specific NTSC game.

It wasn’t for myself so I didn’t care to try it at the time, but I didn’t try changing my console region from PAL to NTSC.

There are software methods available though, which I eventually had to do because of my component adapter.

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

Yeah, my main problem with just softmodding it is needing to spend money on all the equipment. I could try putting the screws back in and turning on with eject, but I might do that after getting a picture of the insides. While I do have two 360s lying around one doesn't belong to me and the other I'm testing for resale on behalf of the second hand shop it was donated to.


FAST, You might have misread my initial post, as the console only runs the one NTSC game that also got donated at some point and all the other games I want to test/play myself are PAL and don't work.

I'm not entirely certain what region the console originally was, but I live in a PAL region and assumed the/a previous owner had changed it to NTSC. Given the modded? status of the console I'm not trusting anything the software says, so if there's somewhere on the hardware or stickers I could look that would be nice.

 

[raging_chaos]

You need a Torx 10 screwdriver to work with the Xbox. If you're using a regular screwdriver stop before you do serious damage to the screws.

You don't need a USB to XBOX adapter, you can splice a USB connecter into one of the controller ports.

As for what to look for, if there's a chip installed it will be connected to the motherboard's debug port which you would be able to see once you remove the DVD drive. If there is a chip there do not remove it. (YouTube is your friend here, search for Xbox modchip install.)

I'm strongly leaning into that Xbox having already been soft modded previously though since you have the UnleashX Xbox Launcher save. It's a possibility that it was set up to auto launch the Unleashed dashboard but at some point, someone booted a disc that had an update on it and it wiped the softmod. This has been known to happen which is why people say not to play off discs that have the update XBE on it and play off the HDD instead. If this is the case then you just need to soft mod it again.

The only way to change the region of the Xbox is with a hardmod or softmod, after you figure out which was used on it previously you can be pointed in the right direction.

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

If it was softmodded to allow only NTSC games to work and was originally a PAL console, wouldn't the console revert to only running PAL discs? (Mind you, I still don't know if it even is a PAL console.)

Regardless, I'll keep up opening the thing and get some pics of the inside to help identify any modchips.

With the outer screws, they already had slightly damaged heads. While I am using other screwdrivers where possible, I am at least trying to be gentle enough to not damage the heads. It's starting to look like I may need the smaller specialised screw heads so my attempts may be paused until I get some.

 

[raging_chaos]

Updates mostly replace the boot .xbe back to the default MS one. Don't you guys use 220-240V out there? Check the power supply label near the power plug on the back of the Xbox, the voltage would be a clear sign if it's NTSC or PAL.

It just crossed my mind that you might have a dual-boot soft mod.

Dual Booting
Powering on using the eject button allows you to load an alternative dashboard.

Try doing to to see if it loads UnleashedX. If that doesn't work, try powering on the Xbox while holding a button on the controller.

You can create up to 8 custom boot locations that can be activated with the hold of a button on boot.

Currently, it supports A, B, X, Y, Start, Back, White, and Black

https://github.com/Rocky5/Xbox-Softmodding-Tool/blob/master/README.md

BTW if it was soft modded using Rocky5's tool then you should also have a backdoor incase anything ever goes wrong.

Built-in back door if you break your dashboard. ( Hold Start+Y on startup )

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

Right, I'll give it a look next time I'm able to. I won't bother putting the casing back on properly while I test that, unless we determine I can use any softmodding that's there to return it to normal. If it turns out to be easy enough for me to switch between regions then problem solved, otherwise I might continue my quest of being the only person trying to unmod my og xbox.

Mind you opening it up would let me see if the clock capacitor has already been removed.

 

[SolidSonicTH]

Interesting, I was actually coming to this board to make a post about how my NTSC Xbox won't load a PAL game (S.C.A.R.: Squadra Corse Alfa Romeo, to be specific).

Not sure it's the same issue, in play, though.

 

[Jayro]

If it's modded, then it should play any game you put in it... As region free is part of all mods.

 

[raging_chaos]

I was actually coming to this board to make a post about how my NTSC Xbox won't load a PAL game

You need to use a different dashboard that will automatically change the video signal being output by the Xbox. If using the stock dashboard it has to be combined with a modchip.

The majority of Xbox games are already region-free and will happily boot when loaded on a PAL console. You only change the video signal of the console to PAL if you have a game like Timesplitters that will refuse to work under any NTSC video mode.

PAL consoles only get PAL60 and PAL50 for video outputs, they can't use the ED/HD resolutions unless you change the territory to NTSC. By changing video signal from NTSC to PAL when you don't need to, you're locking yourself out of 720p and 1080i.

 

[SolidSonicTH]

I'm loading it on UnleashX, though. This is from my HDD.

 

[SylverReZ]

You'd be more better off getting a modchip than doing a TSOP mod.

 

[raging_chaos]

I'm loading it on UnleashX, though. This is from my HDD.

Wrong dashboard, use XBMC4Gamers for auto video switching on TSOP Xbox.

If you can't give up UnleashedX and it's the same version as the one as Rocky5's tool then try pressing start before booting the game and changing the video mode.

 

[SylverReZ]

Wrong dashboard, use XBMC4Gamers for auto video switching on TSOP Xbox.

Nah, I use an EEPROM utility for changing the region.

 

[angelicshadowdemon]

Right, I've had a try of booting the xbox holding each button individually (Eject, face, dpad directions, triggers, even holding in the sticks, start+Y) and there's no noticable deviation from the normal boot sequence. So we can assume the boot sequence of the softmod just doesn't work (unless there's other options?) and I'd have to wait until I get the right screw bits to open it up and see what the modchip looks like.

Checked and yup, PAL region.

I did wonder if deleting the softmod content on the console memory might do the trick? Not going to touch it unless y'all think that might help, mind.

Mind you I felt bad turning it off and on so many times when testing boot sequences, felt like poking an old dog

 

[raging_chaos]

Nah, I use an EEPROM utility for changing the region.

That's how it's done with old dashboards. Rocky5 recently added auto video switching support to XBMC4Gamers.

There have been a lot of new advancements in the last few years, some of these old dashboards and BIOS are starting to become deprecated.

www.reddit.com/r/originalxbox/comments/wosuur/pal_games_problem_on_xbox_og_softmod_ntsc_m/ikjdyij/

If you install XBMC4Gamers and then update to the test build via the built in downloader. You will get auto video switching that will just make all your games work.

If they are ripped to the hdd you may have to press the white button on a game and pick launch in and pick PAL, after that it will always use that setting for that game.

Disc rippers will patch the region to be region free and this will break the auto video switcher as it reads the region of if it’s not valid it falls back to what the system region is. (Why you press the White button and pick launch in for the first time)

Works with discs too, just put your game in once gamers has loaded and press start and it will boot the game properly.

Post automatically merged: Jul 18, 2023

I did wonder if deleting the softmod content on the console memory might do the trick? Not going to touch it unless y'all think that might help, mind.

I don't know how to make it clearer to explain that homebrew was used to change the video output signal of the Xbox and that you need homebrew to change it again. Rebooting won't work, removing the modchip (if one is installed) won't work, and deleting UnleashedX won't work. The video output flag has to be changed from NTSC to PAL on the EEPROM chip.

The Xbox isn't region-locked in the same way as other consoles, some games are locked to video signals. It's the video signal that's preventing you from booting whatever PAL game it is you're trying to play.

You are completely going about this the wrong way, you need to mod it again if you want it to output PAL again, it's that simple. And like I said before you don't need to buy an adapter you can splice in a USB header to one of the controller ports and you can use a rooted Android phone instead of a USB stick. The only unavoidable thing you would have to buy is an exploitable game disc.