Hitachi and BenQ Drives dying after flashing???

[prux56]

Hey,

I have been working on modding my 360 for about two months now and have done a few things that I think might tie into my current problem. I started by flashing original Hitachi 47 with iXtreme 1.4 via the Xblaster NE and got everything working great for a couple of days. Then after I did not touch the unit for a couple days I kept getting the E64/E65 error and could not get the flash to work again, the Hitachi seemed like it flashed but nothing but E64/65. So I ordered a replacement BenQ from fleabay and got one that looked like it had been kicked over from Hong Kong but I flashed it with iPrep and worked great for about a week. Same thing again where I did not touch anything for a couple days then last night I fired up the 360 and the unit will not get past the XBOX 360 boot up screen. I tried to reflash it last night but the same problem occurs. If it does get past the boot up screen, which is rare, I get an E65 error message.

I just wanted to include as much information as I could when I asked if anyone has seen this problem before or have I just had the misfortune of having two drives die on me. I am planning on ordering a replacement BenQ drive but I am reluctant if it is just going to die because of something that I am doing. I would appreciate any help or insight whether this is something I have done, the hardware crapping out or if there is something in the software that is burning out the drives.

Thanks,

P.

[CoFree]

if you are flashing the drives and they work fine for a day or two.(will play backups and orig games)
then its not the firmware or the flashing.
im not sure what would do that.just make it give you that error a few days later.you got me on this one.

[prux56]

Cofree,

thanks for the reply. And thanks for your wicked tutorial, had it not been for that I would not have gotten as far as I did.
Since I posted I placed a negative feedback with the seller I bought the BenQ unit from becuase the unit was really beat up when I got it. The seller has already responded that they will refund my funds so I think I will and get another unit that does not look like it has been drop-kicked off a skyscraper. I am hoping that it is just bad luck with drives and nothing systemic with my system. But in the meantime if this scenario seems familiar to any I would still like to work on the unit I have.

Thanks,

P.

[prux56]

Hey,

well I received my replacement BenQ drive which was brand new and flashed like a dream. The system was working great for about three days and then this morning I put in a copied DVD movie and it had a real hard time playing it. I got through the movie but a few hours later when I tried to play a backed-up game I cannot get past the start up screen with the backup disk in the drive. If I let it boot fully to the dashboard and then put in the disk it just spins like it is going to play but stops. Then after about a minute it comes up with an unreadable disk error and I cannot get originals to work at all.

Is anyone else seeing this problem or does anyone have any idea what I have done wrong. It seems like no matter what drive I put in my 360 it dies after a few days.

I am going to try reflashing it to see if that will help but I feel like I am screwed.

Any help is really appreciated.

P.

[CoFree]

the console had a hit drive in it to start with right.

when you put the benq drive in you did have a good key from your orig firmware and then spoofed it before you flash it in the benq right.

it should play a dvd movie all the time.
but the only way for it to play a 360 game is for the firmware to have the right fey in it.

[prux56]

Hey,

thanks for the response. Yeah the original drive was a Hitachi 47 that I still have a good key from and have used it to flash the last two drives. It seems like there is something else going on because the last two drives have worked awesome but then after a couple days they crap out and now all I get is the "unrecognized/unreadable disk" error regardless of whether I use an original or a backup. I am going to try a reflash but I don't think it will do anything.

I forgot to mention that when the DVD movie I was watching started to get stupid I took off the hard drive and that seemed to stabilize it. When I went back to play the games I have tried to get it to work with and without the hard drive and no go either way.

P.

[CoFree]

crap man that is weird.
that they will play for a day or two then go out.

Man pm me where you are at.
i would like to look at the benq you just got that stopped working.
if you want anyway.
ill send it back after ive looked at it.
i would stop putting dvd drives in it till you can get a handle on what is going on

[prux56]

Hey,

I just reflashed it and it seems like it is working fine with backups and originals. Completely bizarre. I appreciate the offer to have a look at the drive and if it craps out again I would for sure like to take you up on it. I am not sure if I mentioned it in one of my previous posts but I have an Xblaster NE installed on my 360. Do you think that there is any possibility that this could cause the flash to degrade over time? I am at a loss for ideas but for now it works and I will see how it goes.

If you would like to have a look at the last BenQ that crapped out in my system I would be happy to send it on to you. When it finally died it would report an E64/65 error, but just so you know I robbed it for the white plastic part that drives the laser. My newest drive had a broken one when it showed up and I heard it rattling inside before I ever installed/flashed it.

Thanks again,

P.

[CoFree]

the blaster should not hurt anything.
a flash should not change once it in the drive.
you have a freak of a 360 there
just keep us up on how it goes.

[lilrevuk]

I wonder if it could be media...

are your backups on over long periods of time?? what discs do you use?? I read somewhere that DL discs wear over time (exposure to the heat of the drive running).

[prux56]

Hey,

thanks for the replies. I flashed the 360 again, which went very well, and it has worked like a dream ever since. And to answer the other question I have been using only Verbatim as backup media.

I will let you know if it dies again.

Later,

P.

[prux56]

Well I guess I spoke too soon. I used the 360 for like 3 hours last night playing a Mass Effect backup and it worked great. I tried another backup before I turned it off and it also worked great. I turned it off and then I went to try another backup on it about an hour later and now I get the 'unrecognized/unreadable' disk error for all backups and originals.

I am kind of at a loss as to what would cause the flash to die out. I really have no basis for thinking it but I feel like it has something to do with either the Xblaster or maybe something stored on the hard disk. Can anyone confirm the settings that I need to have on the Xblaster NE when I am operating a backup? I will start with confirming the settings and then I may try disconnecting the Xblaster altogether just as a process of elimination. It just seems funny that it just dies gradually but only after the power has been cycled.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

P.

[CoFree]

being that the blaster hooks strait to the dvd drive that is the first place i would go.
take it out.
before you do, does it still play dvd movies?if it will great.now take the blaster out.

take the blaster out and see what it does.If it works great.If it dont then get a dump from the drive.Make sure the key is good and try a restore to see if it will play originals again.
with it having trouble there is no way i would leave the blaster in
thats just one more thing that could be bad.

[prux56]

Okay the blaster is out, I reflashed it tonight and it works fine with all media types. I will keep you posted.

Later,

P.

[CoFree]

crap man dont leave me like that.
was movies playing with the blaster on.

it is playing orig and backups right.